Photo Pillows, hmm... this might be cute

I saw this post from Martha today and it got me thinking... I like the idea of the image on the pillow, but I think it would be cuter if with binding, so it looked like it was in a frame. I have seen the quilts like this, but that's too many images for me, and too many colors. This is going to require more thought...

Photo Pillows:

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1 of 3

1 Silk prints and linen backings cut to size

2 Right sides facing inward before sewing closed.

3 Finished pillows - 2 with grandchildren and one vintage photo from her childhood.

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About 10 years ago I made my mother photo pillows for Christmas. It was before she had grandchildren, so I made them with some vintage photos from her childhood. Those pillows have definitely seen better days and this Thanksgiving she mentioned how much she loved them but that they were getting "a little ratty". The originals were made with iron-on transfers and I thought this time I would try something different. I had been wanting to experiment with Jaquard's line of inkjet fabrics - so this was the perfect opportunity. I opted for the silk habotai, it comes in 8.5 x 11 sheets as well as 8.5" x 120" rolls. The fabric is fused to a paper backing that is easily removed once you print. After printing and removing paper, I backed the silk with fusible interfacing to give it a bit more structure and then sprayed them with Scotch Gard (to make them water resistant). I cut heavyweight linen for the back of the pillow and sewed it on all 4 sides (leaving a hole in the bottom to stuff - which I then hand-sewed closed after filling.) For a project like this I much prefer the printable fabric to an iron-on. They were a bit hit with my mom as well- she definitely preferred the silk - but I think she was most excited that this time I used photos of my niece and nephew!