Finding Joy: Painted Pillow Cover

When you just need a reminder to be joyful in all circumstances, this sure is a sweet one. 

What you will need for this project:
Pillow
Fabric
Sewing Supplies
Paint (Latex based)
Small craft paintbrush

Start by measuring your pillow. Add a 1/2 inch to each side for seam allowance for the front panel.

For the envelope style back, measure an overlap. I ended up with 12 inches for each piece. Add an inch to your measurement for a finished 1/2 inch seam. 

My three pieces were:
17 1/2" X 17 1/2"
17 1/2" X 13"
17 1/2" X 13"

Iron your fabric. Start with your smaller two fabric panels. Fold one longer side over creating a finished seam, pin in place and sew. Do the same again to the other back panel piece.

Now you are ready to pin everything together. Putting right sides together, create your overlap in the back, line everything up, pin and sew 1/2 inch on each side.

Cut the corners off. This will make a nice point to your edge after you turn it right side out.

Cut around your sewn edge with pinking shears. This will prevent a lot of fraying.

Flip right side out and push out the corners.

Place paper inside, behind your front panel to keep any paint from sticking to or bleeding through to other fabric.

Start by writing what you'd like your pillow to say in pencil. This way you can easily erase if you make a mistake and have something to follow while using paint.

Using a small craft paint brush, paint over what you just wrote in pencil. The fabric will soak up the paint, so be prepared to keep dipping your brush into your paint.

This will dry very quickly and once dry to the touch you are ready to remove your paper and put it on your pillow. 

(The paint handles well in the wash, in fact becomes softer after being washed.)