The cooler air is starting to rolling in, the leaves are changing color on the trees, and the scent of pumpkin spice is everywhere - it can only mean one thing: it's cozy season, friends!
Today we're showing you how to create a super cozy pillow cover that will have you ready to cuddle up on the couch all season long! We're using our Color Chimp Flock heat transfer vinyl and this month's hand-lettered SVG cut file from Bossy Brushstrokes. Let's get started!
You’ll need:
- Blank Pillow Cover (we used an 18"x;18" pillow cover)
- Cutting machine (we used a Cricut Maker for this project)
- Color Chimp Flock Heat Transfer Vinyl in Bordeaux
- Weeding Tool
- Heat Press or Iron
- Better Together SVG cut file (download here)
Step 1: Design
Upload the SVG file to Design Space or Silhouette Studio and resize to fit your pillow cover. We sized our file to 11" wide.
Step 2: Cutting
Apply your vinyl to your mat, being sure to place the carrier sheet side towards your mat (the shinier side). If you're having trouble figuring out which side is which, simply use your finger to peel back a tiny corner of the material to see which side is the plastic carrier sheet. Mirror your design so that it is cut in reverse and then let your machine get to work.
*Pro Tip: Always double check your settings BEFORE you cut! Remember, you need to mirror your vinyl when working with HTV*
Step 3: Weeding
After your machine has finished cutting, remove the HTV from your mat.
We like to gently pull away the larger pieces of excess vinyl with our hands and then go back in with our weeding tools to remove all the smaller pieces (like the insides of the letters).
When you're finished weeding, you should be left with this:
Step 4: Place Your Design
Now that you have your design weeded, you're ready to place it on the pillow cover and press it.
A simple trick to make sure your design is perfectly aligned on your pillow is to fold your pillow cover into quarters and press it for a few seconds with your heat press or iron. This will leave you with lines down the center of the pillow cover both length-wise and width-wise that you can use to line up your design.
You can also fold your design in half both length-wise and width-wise, squeezing creases into the carrier sheet. You can then align those creases with the guidelines on your pillow cover and boom - perfect alignment!
Step 4: Press Your Design
Since we're working with Color Chimp Flock, we pressed with medium pressure for 15 seconds at 320 degrees. Be sure to follow the pressing instructions for the brand and type of heat transfer vinyl you're working with because it can vary from brand to brand and with different types of fabrics.
Step 5: Peel away your carrier sheet and enjoy!
Just look at that gorgeous flocked texture:
Now throw your new pillow on your couch, grab a cup of coffee and a good book, and prepare to get cozy!
Don't forget, if you try this DIY be sure to share a picture in the comments below, or over on social media using the hashtag #GetCraftey! Arlena will be back next month with another exclusive hand-lettered design and in the meantime, check out her all work over at BossyBrushstrokes.com and be sure to follow her on Instagram.
If you're ready to give this project a try head on over to the Craftey shop to find all of the materials we used, including our Color Chimp Flock heat transfer vinyl.
And if you're looking for more project ideas, inspiration or free cut files head over to the Craftey Community site and join in on the fun!
