reindeer games

Back before Thanksgiving, I had the plan to update our couch with a holiday pillow or two. After searching Pinterest, I spied this idea and knew it was perfect for me! I wanted to make a pillow that was Christmasy, without being too over-the-top. I also decided this would be a perfect Christmas gift for several of my good friends. So I gathered my supplies and got to work during Thanksgiving break. Here's what I used: 2 5X5 canvas drop clothes, several colorful scraps of fabric, iron on transfer paper, and 16 inch pillow forms. 

First, I cut the drop clothes into 18X18 inch squares. Then I free-handed a reindeer onto a extra piece of card stock (aka the back of an Anthropologie catalogue), to use as a stencil. 

Next I ironed on the transfer paper to the back of each of the fabrics, which makes it stiff and easy to work with, like so:

Then I traced my reindeer stencil onto the back of the transfer paper, and cut out each deer. 

Next, I peel back the paper on the back and ironed my deer on to the center of each drop cloth square. 

From here on out, I had a bit lot of help from my mom. She sewed around the outside of each deer, to make sure they stayed put on the pillow.  Then I just sewed up each side to finish up the pillow. This project has a lot of steps, but none of it is hard work, as long as you have an experienced sewer on hand (thanks Mom!).