Today Rubyellen is here to share a gorgeous paint-by-number pillow project. This project is equally beautiful and fun to make. Enjoy….
Supplies Needed: 1. Paintbrushes 2. Fabric marker/pen 3. Paint pot strips 4. Masking tape. 5. Paint-by-number guide 6. Martha Stewart’s Multi-Surface Craft Paint (or fabric paint) 7. Heavy weight cotton for pillow back 8. Plain, light colored utility fabric for pillow front 9. Poly-fil 10. Scissors 11. Coordinating thread 12. Hand sewing needle
1. Download and print out the paint-by-number guide. (download these files- Download Rightside/Download Leftside)
Line up the two sheets and tape the back together. NOTE: When you print, make sure the print settings are set to no scaling (or if asked for scaling, set to none). When you tape it together, depending how your printer prints it, there may be slight gaps between the picture, if so, just connect the lines with a pen.
2. Lay paint-by-number guide on top of your front fabric and cut out to exact size.
3. Tape paint-by-number guide on a bright window. NOTE: The more light the better, so that you can see the lines when tracing onto your fabric. 4. Tape the utility front fabric on top of the guide. 5. Using your fabric marker/pen, trace the picture onto the fabric. NOTE: Don’t mark the numbers, while tracing on the window, save that for the next step. 6. Using the guide, mark the numbers in its corresponding area. NOTE: I found it easier to write the numbers in at this step just looking at the guide, rather than try to find it while tracing on the window.
7. Designate your paints to its corresponding number by putting them into little containers and number them.
8. Start painting your picture. To get the look of the pillow pictured, the key is in the blending. Keep in mind, this will become your work of art and no two will be the same, so this will make it even more special! Feel free to play around with colors while painting. If you like, you can keep the colors more separate instead of blending or blend to your heart’s content.
9. Allow at least four hours to let your painting dry completely.
10. Place your painting on top of the heavy weight fabric for the pillow back and cut to exact measurement of painting, so that both pieces are exactly the same. 11. Place right sides together and pin in place. 12. Stitch using a 1/2” seam allowance, making sure to leave a 3.5” opening so you can turn the fabric right side out. Trim corners at a 45 degree angle to reduce the bulk. Make sure you don’t clip your stitching. 13. Turn your fabric right side out.
14. Fill your pillow with poly-fil and hand sew opening close.Place your pretty scenic pillow somewhere it can be enjoyed! The paint does make the fabric a bit more stiff, so I don’t think you will be using this to lay your head on at night, nevertheless, it is a pretty pillow and a real work of art! When choosing your fabric for the back, I suggest something simple, but with a little bit of punch. The front of the pillow is the show stealer, but you will want something to really compliment it. I thought black and white stripes where a good way to make the back of this funky, decorative pillow bold and classic. If you ever get tired of the front, but I don’t think you will, flip it over and showcase the back! This pillow is spot clean only.
73 Comments
I really like this idea. Would look great in a student room 🙂
What a cute idea, I’d love to do a selection of them with woodland creatures paint by number sets! 🙂
Faye x
I love this! It is amazing the projects that people come up with, I would have never thought about doing this. Love it.
Carlee
http://almostendearing.blogspot.com/
Really pretty!!!!
Lovely Idea
Wow, that is incredibly cool looking! I have so many ideas in my head right now. Too bad I’m at my very non-creative place of work… Happy Tuesday ladies!
What a fun idea!!
ohhh you just made my head spin with the possibilities of having fabric paint in my house. if only Martha’s stuff was not so pricey (or that you could use JoAnn Fabric coupons for it…which you cannot). Oh well, even with paying for the paint, which has many more fun uses as well, I am sure it is less pricey than buying a beautiful pillow like that. It reminds me of the one Anthro carried awhile back-one side was just the blank color-by-numbers and the other was it painted in. Love this idea-thanks for taking the time to create it!
http://nateandabbyclark.blogspot.com/
What a cool idea! I never would have thought about this!!
http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com
Awesome!!! & martha stewarts website has a link to transform photos into paint by numbers with a paint guide to go with!!!
This is such a great idea! I love it!
xoxo Sarah
theantiquepearl.blogspot.com
Wow, that is beautiful! Great job and what a creative idea.
Gorgeous idea!!
http://natashafatah.com
http://natashfatah.com
A very cute idea for your piece to be bespoke. I think I would skip the paint by numbers part though and just go in for the kill and wing it though.
Sam
http://liveandlove.typepad.com
aw cute!
You could mix fabric medium into the paint so it isn’t crunchy — then it would at least be functional. Or paint the picture on paper,, get a high quality image and print the fabric from spoonflower. A DIY pillow is kind of silly if it isn’t comfortable to, well…use as a pillow.
This is a really great idea, and the end result is simply fantastic. I’d love to try this, unfortunately I am not as well acquainted with a paintbrush! 🙂
Lynsey
http://ljsx.blogspot.com
So adorable!
Super cute! I love the black and white striped back as well!
http://rivercitysammon.com
This is brilliant. I love it. Such an interesting idea!
Very neat 🙂
Great idea! how much do you think all the supplies would cost to make this? xxx
So pretty.
I love the landscape on a cushion!
Have a look at some painted fabric cushions i recently made:
http://perfectionist-nightmare.blogspot.de/2012/04/zig-zag-cushions.html
at
http://perfectionist-nightmare.blogspot.de/
All of your good crafts come from her! HAHA!
This is absolutely amazing! It looks stunning, and just this week I was wondering how you make a pillow cover, this is the perfect guide! Thank you for all your wonderful inspiration!
http://www.styleisalwaysfashionable.blogspot.com
This pillow is so beautiful! Awesome idea! Thank you for sharing.
so cute! 🙂
xoxo
Ida
http://asplashofida.blogspot.com
this is more than amazing, my mom would die for this!
grace
http://herumbrella.com
keely- to make this, i spent around $40. i got some nice stripe fabric from ikea and the paint is what takes most of the chunk. but then you will have more paint to make more!
nice
Val
http://valentinaduracinsky.blogspot.com/
Super great idea!!! Just love, it so so brilliant, Thanks for sharing and have a happy day
Ooh, I just love that idea!! Absolutely beautiful 🙂 I think I have to steel that idea and do it on silk scarfs 😉
This is SO gorgeous. I am a terrible artist but I might find the guts to try this out!
This is such a great idea! I love it! I’ve been trying to find pillow DIYS to make fun pillows for my new apartment :3 i might just do this one !
xo
http://kittysnooks.blogspot.ca/
That is a pretty brilliant idea! I can’t wait to try it out!
Xo
I love paint by number. I have a bunch in my studio. This would be a fun addition.
Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com
Such a good idea, and so beautiful! I’m not sure I’d be able to carry off something that good, and fabric paint is so expensive, but still going in my favourites!
Pip x
hah what a neat project!
It would be nice to be able to make a custom paint by number for the pillow (or just to frame), created from a personal photograph.
Actually, I may have to try to make my own paint by number now. Could be a funny but sweet little gift!
–Erin
predictionspast.blogspot.ca
What a lovely idea!
This is lovely
The Lovelorn
Wow wow wow! What an awesome idea. I used to absolutely adore paint by numbers when I was a kid. I tried to do one a few months ago and it just wasn’t as amazing… but this would be FANTASTIC! I’ll have to get something super cheezy like a dolphin or a tiger. 🙂
Thanks for sharing,
Trish
http://www.jellybonesblog.blogspot.com
This is such a wonderful idea! I shall definitely try it 😀
O.T., but from where is that chair? Loving it!
Oh my gosh I totally remember when I was really little having my parents tape tracing paper up on the window so I could trace things … aaah the memories.
Absolutely gorgeous!
Brilliant – I love paint by numbers – I was thinking of doing a wall in my daughters room, or even to get her to do it …
WELL HOW CUTE IS that?? IT LOOKS LIEK A MATISSE!
This is so creative. I never thought about doing something like this.
This is one of the neatest DIY ideas I’ve come across in a long time! Awesome!
So pretty…so brilliant!! I LOVED paint by number as a kiddo…this is like the more adult, sophisticated {but still AWESOME} version
Cheers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
So pretty!
Just want to say thank you for the information, you have to share.I will be your faithful reader.
What a lovely idea!
Love it! Could you print the paint-by-number guide right on some fabric?
I’m curious, where did you purchase the paint by numbers template? Did you just get the whole kit and sub the fabric paints?
LOVE this DIY! It’s perfect! I definitely need to try this.
jennybodell.blogspot.com
That looks so pretty!
thefashionplaza.blogspot.nl
This is one of the most unique and pretty DIY tutorials I have ever een, y’all are SO creative, great job Ladies!
I used to love paint by numbers when I was a child and this definitely takes me back! I can’t wait to try this out!
I love it!!! I’ll try!!!
http://thestelstyle.com
Cool!
http://hotcinnamon.blogspot.com.es/
laura- i actually drew out the template and then digitalized it so it would be cleaned up a bit. then, by trial and error i figured out which paints to go in what areas.
j. robinson- i know… isn’t the chair amazing?! i found it on ebay! it was a beauty and couldn’t pass it up!
I love this!! such a great idea x x
http://www.jodiesjunk.com
If not using fabric paint or fabric paint medium in regular craft paint, do you think it’s necessary to put a clear coat on top of the paint?
Love this idea and my mind is reeling with the possibilities for other things this could be applied to — Brittni over at Curbly.com suggested a Tote Bag (love that idea) – Also I’m thinking a decorative Kite to display (I’m in a kite phase right now…maybe it’s memories of summers on the Carolina coast as a kid).
Super cute idea!
interesting idea
Cool idea ! 😀
xo ,
Ana Catalarrana
http://Sinbowtie.blogspot.com
genius… absolute genius
– Sarah
agirlintransit.blogspot.com
I will definitely be doing this! So Cute! and So Fun! Thanks for sharing!
http://aliceandada.blogspot.com/
Eva,
Would you post the link to where Martha Stewarts’ website is linked to the DIY transform pictures to paint by numbers.
Could not find it on my own.
Thanks for including me among this great company of bloggers.
Great…. now I need to go out and buy cute socks 🙂 Love the pink ones!!