Faded American Flag Pillow
Almost Happy Memorial Day!
Today I'm creating a pillow for indoors or out with an American flag theme.
I was inspired by one I saw in an online shop and gave it my own spin!
This is a simple project that is easy to do!
Take a look...
I saw this cute bolster style pillow with not quite an American flag but with the colors and stripes and stars so it definitely gave the vibe.
I had everything I needed so I got to work.
As you're reading please visit the bold blue links for the products I used and related Homeroad projects. Also the READ MORE section will take you to a variety of related DIY projects!
I began with a piece of drop cloth fabric. The one I'm using today has a plastic backing which I bought by mistake but it is actually perfect if you want to use your pillow outdoors.
I cut a piece of the fabric to the size I needed and folded it in half. My folded fabric size is approximately 10" x 18". If you're going to use a pillow form you will want to make your measurements accordingly. When I cut my fabric I made sure to have one of the finished edges on one of the shorter sides. This was going to make what I'm going to do at the end a little easier.
Once the fabric was folded I taped off an area for my blue field. I made it about 1/3 of the length of the fabric.
I used a blue craft paint to paint one coat in this area. I was not too worried about covering it completely.
When the blue area dried I used Washi tape to create the stripes. I used one strip to lay between each of the stripes I laid down so my spaces were even.
I pressed the Washi tape down securely to the fabric then used my Dollar Tree roller and red craft paint to give the area one coat.
This Dollar Tree paint roller set has made life easier many times!
I pulled off all the tape and let the paint dry.
Next, It was time for the stars. I bought a bundle of several star and flag stencils from Amazon a while back and as you can see I use it often. These stencils are very durable and come in a bunch of sizes. If you love to create American flag projects then you'll love this stencil!
I stenciled very lightly with an off white paint with a pretty dry brush over the stars. As you can see I don't clean my stencils very well. These were so inexpensive it almost wasn't worth cleaning them each time.
Once the stars dried I took a fine grit sandpaper and sanded over both the stars and stripes. This not only faded the paint but also gave the fabric a softer feel. It almost looks like denim.
Now it was time to make a pillow!
I folded the flag design with the right sides together and sewed around 2 sides of the pillow leaving the finished edge of the drop cloth fabric open. You can see the plastic from the waterproof drop cloth fabric on the back of the pillow.
At one time I was a good sewer. Believe it or not I even made my wedding gown! I've also made a whole bunch of easy quilts. These days however, I have given up on the big heavy machine and I use this small Singer model for all my easy craft projects. When I just need a small stitch or to sew around a pillow or mend someone's clothes, I head for this little cutie.
I turned the fabric right side out then used an old pillow I had laying around to stuff the pillow. You can use the stuffing from an old pillow or a pillow insert.
When I got to the edge I pinned a red pom-pom trim into the last opening. I decided to use fabric hot glue to attach the trim and close the opening.
That's it!
My faded flag pillow was ready to be used indoors or out.
Please pin for later --->>
This was an easy project using things I had around the house and trust me you're going to want to have the star stencils around your house for your next American flag project!
READ MORE: AMERICAN FLAG PROJECTS
Please also visit my latest American Flag Table Riser project which is another fun and easy rustic project!
READ MORE: EASY PILLOW PROJECTS
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