I’ve been wanting to use chevron somewhere in my home but didn’t want to fork up the money to order fabric. I loved and pinned this post on block printing a chevron print from Prudent Baby, and although it was cheap, I needed something free.
I dug back into my memories of grade school art class, American Girl magazines, and a certain sleepover party – sorry, no pics 🙁 – where we made veggie stamped pillowcases.
Potatoes! I’ll use potatoes to make new throw pillows!
Cut your potato in half and use a kitchen knife or x-acto to cut your shape, one was for me, the other for Lily to use on paper.
Grab some paint (I used my favorite brown - Deco Art’s Raw Umber), a moist sponge, a paper plate, your favorite two-year-old helper, and your ironed fabric. I used an unbleached canvas material that I found at Hobby Lobby a while back and never used, my squares were 18” by 18”.
Squeeze paint, dab potato into paint, line up, and stamp away!
Whatever potatoey juice stuff is in there will bleed out and create a great spotted texture here or there.
On the first pillow, I wanted the chevrons dark and dipped the potato after every stamp, and it took me 1.5 hrs to print (left).
The second one, I realized how much I liked the differing shades and textures (ombre-esque?), and used the potato 2-3 times before dipping into the paint, that one took me a half hour (right).
Totally worth the time saved, here’s the more faded, ombre, half hour chev’s:
Sewed the fabric up into a basic pillow, but you don’t need/want a tutorial on sewing from ME! 😉
and while I thought that I wanted a cool, calming color scheme in here…
this gal and this gal have led me to question that, and fall head over heels for another option
Source: houseofturquoise.com via Ann Marie on Pinterest
*le swoon* – totally have warm colors on the brain since seeing that pin, used this pillow to be the deciding factor, and yeah. I’m going against the familiar and jumping into something new! I have bought fabric, have a few started, and there are more pillows to come.
Yes, I will be adding color.
I need to be more daring. I need to go with what I love, and I love this pillow. 🙂
Are you taking new leaps into decorating your home?
If you haven’t yet, read this post from the Nester on decorating fears.
linking up to:
jbr
That's awesome!
allenaim photography and design
How fabulous! Love thee gradations in color...pretty!
Anonymous
This is a really good idea.
Meredith Resnick
This is so cool! And I am totally obsessed with Chevron. LOVE it!~ Meredith From A Mother Seeking Come find me on my blog, A Mother Seeking...
Kelsey @ Tattered and Inked
Love this!! It turned out stunning!! Totally pinning it and sharing it on my FB page- you did a great job!
Kelsey
Um. WOW! I am majorly stunned at how beautiful that turned out! I would have never guessed that a potato could make such a great stencil! Fabulous job!
Pam@OurAdventuresInHomeImprovement
Beautifully done!! What a fun project!Pam
my3tartlets.com
I am so grateful that Tattertots and Jello posted this on FB! She led me to your site and I love it! You have so many great, practical ideas, and I can't wait to try them!
Megan
This turned out awesome! I wanted chevrons and couldn't find them. What a fun way to add texture too! Just love it. Well done.
beckaboots
This is so great! It's good to know that I can use a potato if I need to! I would have never thought of that. Amazing!Bekah
Tanya
I am loving every bit of that pillow. Simple genius!