Making a DIY Memory Photo Pillow

There are so many fun crafting products that include using your computer, on the market today. One is t-shirt transfer paper that feeds through your computer printer. You can easily scan treasured photos and print them out on the t-shirt transfer paper to create memory photo pillows for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Mother's Day or Father's Day. You name it, almost any special occasion would be fitting for a memory photo pillow.

Use fabric that is from special clothes or items that are special to the recipient or subjects in the photos. This added touch will only enhance the thoughtfulness that the memory photo pillow evokes. Add embellishments, such as, buttons, lace, ribbon and charms to your special memory photo pillow to give it a wonderful vintage effect.

Materials You Will Need:

14 inch pillow insert or Polyfil

Unbleached muslin

Assorted scrap fabrics

T-shirt transfer paper

Computer, scanner and printer

Sewing machine

Iron

Scissors

Matching thread

Measuring tape

Hand sewing needle

Pins

Memory Photo Pillow Steps:

1. Scan the photo you would like to use for your memory photo pillow. Crop it to fit within a five inch square.

2. Print the photo onto the t-shirt transfer paper according to the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Cut a 5 1/4 inch square piece of unbleached muslin. Iron the image, centered on the muslin, following the t-shirt transfer paper instructions.

4. Cut eight more 5 1/4 inch squares from assorted fabric scraps or special clothes. With the photo square in the middle, arrange the squares for a nine patch block.

5. Sew the squares together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press the seams open, being careful not to iron over the photo square unprotected. Protect the photo using the paper that was peeled off of the transfer.

6. Place the completed nine patch pillow top block face down on top of the backing fabric that is facing up. Pin the layers together and cut the backing fabric using the pillow top for a guide.

7. Sew the sides and the top of the memory photo pillow together using a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Turn the pillow right side out. Insert the pillow form. If the pillow insert is loose inside the pillow case, add Polyfil around the pillow insert or omit the pillow insert and stuff the pillow firmly, using the Polyfil. Sew the opening closed.

These instructions are for creating a basic memory photo pillow, if more photos are desired, simply exchange some fabric squares for muslin squares and transfer more photos.