Dressing up pillows for a new season

Hands-on time: About one hour per pillow
Skill: Moderate (basic sewing skills required)
Cost estimate: Cost for most of the materials is less than $8.00 per pillow cuff

Materials & tools

• Computer, printer, sewing machine
• Throw pillows, approximately 35 x 35 centimetres (use throw pillows from around your home, living room, sitting room, or bedrooms)
• Fabric remnants: a light colour for the photo-transfer centre panel, and other colours and patterns for the pillow cuff band. (I used a light taffeta with large square patterns in assorted shades of green.)
• Scissors
• Ruler, measuring tape
• Digital images of nature, or your choice of theme. Choose colours to co-ordinate with your throw pillows
• Photo transfer iron-on paper sheets that work with your printer (available at office-supply and art-and-craft stores)
• An iron and flat, heat-resistant surface, like a melamine counter
• Straight pins
• Thread (to match the fabrics)

Each season, nature offers a spectrum of colourful inspirations. Why not incorporate the changing of the colours and of the season into your décor details. In this project images of rich earth tone botanicals and foliage are transferred (ironed-on) onto fabric remnants to create stylish décor accents for fall. Liven up your throw pillows and welcome a new colour palette into your home by whipping up custom-made pretty pillow cuffs in an hour or less. The cuffs slip right over throw pillows for a quick seasonal switch to enhance a cozy corner.

Preparing the image: Check the transfer paper packaging to make sure it is suited to your printer type. Scan, download or use a digital image of your choice, and enlarge it if needed. Reverse it in order to print the mirror image, leaving a 5-centimetre white border on each side. Make printouts of your images on the photo transfer paper, (two or more, depending on how many pillow cuffs you want to make). Cut the images out around the border.

Prepare the fabric by machine or hand-washing it. Do not use bleach or softener, then machine or line-dry according to fabric type. Iron to remove wrinkles.

Cut a square or rectangle panel (or several) in the size needed for the centre panel using the light-coloured fabric, leaving a 2-centimetre hem.

Transferring the image: Work on a hard, smooth, heat-resistant surface such as a melamine counter or a heat-safe table top. Preheat the iron on the highest setting. Do not use steam. Press the fabric surface to warm it up. Position the transfer image paper face down across the centre area of the fabric panel. Use pressure to iron the transfer for a few minutes, until it adheres to the fabric. Remove from the pressing area and let the transfer cool completely. Peel off the backing paper. Place fabric with the image face down on ironing surface, and iron down the hem. (Fusion tape can also be used.)

Measure the fabric piece for the cuff band (the panel that attaches to the centre panel and goes around the pillow) to be the same width as the centre image panel, then double the measurement and add 1.5 centimetres for the seam. Measure around pillow to determine the length needed for the cuff band and add 1.5 centimetres for the seam. Cut the fabric to the necessary dimensions. Fold the fabric in half length-wise with the right side facing in and iron to make a seam line down the centre. Reverse the fabric and pin the hems together. With a sewing machine, use a straight stitch to sew along hem (the right sides facing together). Turn over and press the seam.

Pin the image centre panel to the ends of the fabric band and sew. Clip the corners, turn right side out. Taking care not to iron on the image, press the seams. Slip the decorative cuffs over the pillows. Display in groups or alone for a serene seasonal scene.

Quick seasonal switch décor tips: Celebrate the changing of the seasons with colours; cool-colours for summer and warmer tones for the winter. Simplicity is the key when it comes to changing décor details for a new season. Basic items such as throws, pillows, blankets, reversible duvets, lampshades, and even candles, floral displays to art work can be changed to create an inviting ambiance for each new season.

Variations

• Complete a décor theme for a child's bedroom by adding images to the curtains, pillowcases, sheets or fabric chair covers. To transfer images onto dark fabrics, use iron-on transfer paper labelled for use on dark fabrics.