I think it’s safe to say that I am in love with the look of old grain sacks and all the creative ways people have started using them. What I’m NOT in love with however, are the price of them. I’ve been looking on etsy and whenever I go thrifting or antiquing and they can add up real quick, like around $75-$100 or more! As much as I love the look of them I can’t justify paying that much so I recently decided to get a little creative and make my own.
Using muslin, a drop cloth, making tape and grey paint, I was able to create a couple faux grain sack pillows and I really love the look they bring to our living room. I made these a couple weeks ago and they still make me smile when I walk into the room.
They were easy and quick to make. I first sewed a basic pillow and then ironed them out. I stuck a piece of cardboard in between the two layers to make sure the paint didn’t soak through.
Then I used masking tape to make my outlines. I knew I wanted stripes on two of the pillows and then I debated between doing some kind of heat transfer image or a medic cross and I chose the latter.
It was really important to me that the paint look light and patchy. I wanted to create the effect that they were older then they actually were so I used a dry paint method where you dip your paint brush then removed most of the paint and lightly brush it on the fabric. It worked like a charm!
It dried pretty quick and I removed the tape and had my faux grain sacks. All that was left was to stuff them with pillows and sew them up!
I am excited to play around with the dry paint method on a few other projects coming. What do you think?
I’m linking up to some of the following found here as well as TipJunkie, The Shabby Creek Cottage, Today’s Creative Blog, Home Stories A to Z, The Shabby Nest, My Repurposed Life, Funky Junk Interiors,Thrifty Decor Chick, Between Naps on the Porch, Live, Laugh, Rowe
They look so nice! Great job!
I am always on the lookout for pillow ideas – and I love these pillows! Visiting from Happy Hour.
Gloria
They look fabulous. I’m making new pillows and also doing a few faux grain sacks. I agree the real ones are way to expensive.
I was just a the local antiques faire here in Northern CA. http://abowlfullofsimple.com/alameda-antiques-faire/ There were so many beautiful grain sacks. I was wishing I was better at sewing for just this reason. I’d love to make pillows from them. you’ve inspired me to give it a try.
You definitely should! Try the dry paint method. It really works!
These are great. Thanks for sharing.
loving your pillows! I would do this if I ever get around to slip covering my sofa. Great tutorial. “catching” you this week on CCC
gail
Thank you again!
Coming by from Gail’s blog…ove how your DIY pillows turned out…marking them on my favorite list.
Blessings,
Linda
Hi Linda! Thank you so much! Have a fantastic weekend!
Thanks so much for the tips! Your pillows look so great!