Monogrammed Pillow

I love personalized gifts.  Most gift recipients like them too.  That is why when I saw this beautiful personalized monogram pillow cover from Red Envelope I had to make some for gifts.  I am kind of obsessed with two things right now: pillows and my Simply Screen Kit from Plaid.  I knew this pillow could be accomplished with a silk screen and that it would make good gift giving.

IC version:

Red Envelope Version:

Supplies:

Simply Screen Kit

White Simply Screen Paint

Pillow cover (mine is the Aina from IKEA for $6) or

red duck cloth (canvas), sewing machine, thread and rotary cutter and mat

scissors

fabric pen

measuring tape

Here I am featuring this pillow and the screen printing process on my local lifestyle show, Indy Style.

1.  I actually designed my monogram in Picnik since I don’t have any fancy design program.  I searched for “black screen” on Google (large images) and then uploaded that image to Picnik and then just used a frame and the Arial Font in white to create this simple monogram.

2.  I saved it as a jpeg from Picnik and then inserted it into Microsoft Word and then made sure it was 6.5” square.  I printed it out in black and white on a high resolution.  Then I cut it down to fit my screen.

3. Then I peeled the backing from the screen and burnished my print out onto the sticky side of the screen.

4.  Then I put a piece of glass over my image (image and screen side down) to really hold it down so the image would stay in tact when I exposed it.

5.  Then I put it under the light box for exactly 25 minutes (SET A TIMER!).

6.  I peeled back the paper and soaked my screen for 30 seconds.  With my kitchen sprayer and a sponge I wiped away the emulsion until all of my image was a clear, clean screen.  Then I let my screen dry.

7.  Next I marked the center of my pillow cover or fabric (depending on if you make your own pillow) and then got my screen and taped it down with Scotch Blue painters tape.

8.  I squirted two lines of Simply Screen paint (on the top and bottom) and then drug it over my image pulling the paint into the screen.  I used a thick coat and covered the entire image.  I let it sit for two minutes and then I added another coat (since it was a lighter colored paint on a dark fabric).

9.  Then I peeled off the tape.  I pulled back the screen to reveal my print.

10. I let it dry overnight.  Using a press cloth I ironed it to set the print.  Then I sewed up my pillow using an envelope closure in the back.

Want to see another knock off pillow I did using the same process?  Check out my Deer Family Pillow or my Christmas Subway Art Pillow.