This Valentine’s Day heart pillow was made using Mod Podge photo transfer medium! You can adapt this technique for any holiday. There’s a free printable for the geometric heart; get it by scrolling down to the supply list.
Skills Required: Intermediate. I would have prior experience with photo transfer medium before attempting this project. Try it on wood first, since you only have one shot on fabric.
Okay, here’s the deal. I have heard all about Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium before, but I have never used it. In my experience, it was for wood (not fabric) and just for actual photos. I had no idea that you could transfer any print to a surface using a laserjet printer and printouts.
What?? So cool.
I love the idea of having pillows that I rotate out for holidays, but I don’t want to spend a fortune to make them. I think Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium is just the way to accomplish the home decor I’m looking for.
Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I thought a heart pillow might be appropriate. I designed a heart that would work for the holiday, but I felt could also be suitable to keep out all year.
You just need a few basic supplies that you can see in the image above. You’ll want to select a cotton pillow form. I like the canvas type the best.
Pillow covers are so inexpensive to purchase, and you can find them at most craft stores or online. Sewing your own pillow cover is super easy too! Let’s jump into the tutorial so that you can get started.
Valentine’s Day Pillow
To make this festive Valentine’s Day pillow, here’s what you need:
- Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
- Laser printer
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
- 16-18” square pillow form
- Free geometric heart printable HERE
To get started, first print out the geometric heart pattern. Be sure to print the image as large as you can on your paper, so the heart covers as much of the pillow as possible.
After printing the heart, trim off the excess paper around the edges. You will want to trim off ALL of the white, because it will transfer to the pillowcase if you don’t.
Next, apply a thin coat of Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium to the printed side of your paper.
Be sure to cover the entire image with an even coat. You want to completely obscure the image so it can’t be seen clearly.
Next, flip the heart image onto the pillow cover – with the Mod Podge photo transfer facing down. Lightly tap and smooth out the image to get rid of any wrinkles or bubbles.
Carefully wipe away any excess photo transfer medium that comes out the sides. Be very careful not to drop any photo transfer medium onto the pillowcase. If it dries on the case, it won’t come off.
After the design is smoothed down, wait at least twenty four hours for the image to fully dry.
After you have waited a day, take a clean cloth and water, and apply it to the paper on the back of the heart.
Rub the paper on the heart in a circular motion, until it starts to come off the image. If the paper isn’t rubbing away, use a little bit more water on your cloth. Apply light to medium pressure. Rubbing too hard will start to remove the image.
Let your heart dry, and reapply water with a clean cloth if there are any additional areas that still have paper residue. Go slowly and be careful not to remove any of the image. It’s really fun to see the paper rub away!
As you can see, the image ends up being reversed. If you decide to recreate this project with different art (a quote, for example), make sure you reverse your print if needed.
That’s all you need to do! You don’t need to allow any additional time for setting or drying. You can go right ahead and put an insert into your pillowcase.
I just LOVE how my Valentine’s Day pillow turned out, and I can’t wait to make more for upcoming holidays. I think I might do a collage with favorite family photos for my next attempt.
Heart Pillow
Learn how to make a DIY heart pillow for Valentine's Day and beyond! This is simple to do with Mod Podge photo transfer medium.
Materials
- Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
- Square pillow form
- Geometric heart printable
Tools
- Laser printer
- Paintbrush
- Scissors
Instructions
- Print out the heart pattern to size.
- Trim off the excess paper around the edges using the scissors.
- Apply a thin coat of Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium to the printed side of your paper. Be sure to cover the entire image with an even coat. You want to completely obscure the image so it can't be seen clearly.
- Flip the heart image onto the pillow cover - with the Mod Podge photo transfer facing down. Lightly smooth out the image to get rid of any wrinkles or bubbles.
- Carefully wipe away any excess photo transfer medium that comes out the sides.
- After the design is smoothed down, wait at least twenty four hours for the image to fully dry.
- Take a clean cloth and water and apply it to the paper on the back of the heart.
- Rub the paper in a circular motion until it starts to come off the image. If the paper isn’t rubbing away, use a little bit more water on your cloth. Apply light to medium pressure. Rubbing too hard will start to remove the image.
- Let the image dry, and reapply water with a clean cloth if there are any additional areas that still have paper residue. Go slowly and be careful not to remove any of the image.
- Add an insert to the pillowcase to finish.
Notes
If you decide to recreate this project with different art (a quote, for example), make sure you reverse your print if needed.
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Happy crafting friends, and let me know what you try in the comments!
XOXOXO, Natalie
If you’d like to check out some other project ideas for Valentine’s Day decor, here are some suggestions:
- Tissue Paper Heart Vase
- Modern Valentine’s Day Wreath
- XOXO Valentine’s Day Sign
- Tissue Paper Heart Frame
- Love Note Valentine’s Day Decor
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