It’s another season which means I’m making new decor! This time I came up with a fun idea using Artesprix Iron-On-Ink Pillow Case. You all know how much I love using my Cricut to make anything and everything, and this project is no different. Hang out with me as I show you how I created this fresh and vibrant addition to my daughter’s bedroom.
What is Iron-On-Ink?
Artesprix Iron-On-Ink is an excellent way to experience the sublimation process without having a sublimation printer. Their markers, stamp pads, and (this is my favorite) acrylic paints are made to use with regular copy paper. When transferred using a heat source at the correct temperature, you end up with a simply stunning and brilliant print.
As mentioned, Iron-On-Ink comes in a variety of mediums. For my pillow case, I used their acrylic paint. The paints come in the primary colors, red, yellow, and blue, as well as black. There is also a lightening agent. It only takes a small amount of paint to get amazing results.
Creating Your own Dream Pillow Case
Let’s get into how I created this pillow case. I’ll walk you through what you’ll need and then I’ll explain the steps. Ready? Let’s go.
Materials and Supplies
- Artesprix Iron-On-Ink Pillow Case Blank
- Artesprix Iron-On-Ink Acrylic Paint in your choice of color(s)
- 5 sheets of letter size copy paper
- Paint brushes or sponges
- Spritz bottle with water
- Artesprix Protective Paper
- Lint roller
- Siser TTD Easy Mask
- Heat Tape
- Cricut or Silhouette Cutting Machine
- Heat press or Easy Press
Making the Transfer Sheets
- Create a “watercolor spray” by adding water to a small spray bottle and then adding one or two drops of Iron-On-Ink to the bottle. Shake well.
Lay out the sheets of copy paper and lightly spritz with your watercolor solution. Allow to dry
Decide what colors you’d like to use for your pillowcase and add them to a paint tray. You can make more colors by mixing paint colors.
Use a sponge or paint brush to paint freely across each of the pages of copy paper. I painted in the middle so that I’d have the watercolor splatters on the edges. Allow the paint to dry completely
Add another light layer of spray solution on top
Once dry, cut a piece of Siser TTD Mask for each sheet of painted paper and adhere it to the back. I like to use a scraper and a brayer to make sure it goes on smoothly
Your transfer sheets are ready so now it’s time to setup your Cricut (or other cutting machine) to cut the letters for your pillow case.
Designing and Cutting with Cricut
- In Design Space, type in the word “DREAM” and change the font to something you like. I used the font “Bright Burn” from Creative Fabrica.
- Size the word so that each letter will fit on a sheet of paper and so that the entire word will fit across the pillow case (you have about 29” to work with)
- Ungroup your word to individual letters so that you can change the color of each letter to correspond to the color of paper you will cut it on
Send your project to cut and be sure to MIRROR each mat
Cut using the “copy paper” setting
Once cut, reverse weed your design, like you would a stencil. You’ll be removing the actual letters and leaving everything else behind
Use scissors to do a free-style kind of cut around the outside of each letter cutout. I chose a kind of scalloped cut. This could also be done using decorative scissors, which would look AMAZING!
Transferring the Design to Your Pillow Case
Set your heat press to 400 degrees for 45 seconds
Use a lint roller to remove lint from the pillowcase
Press your pillow case for a few seconds to remove moisture and wrinkles
Arrange your cut outs on the pillowcase, face down. You can use heat tape to hold them in place. It only takes one or 2 strips
Let’s make our sublimation sandwich by adding one sheet of protective paper to the bottom of your heat press, then your pillow case (designs on top) and then another sheet of protective paper on top. This will keep any of the paint from transferring to your actual heat press.
Press the pillowcase for 45 seconds.
NOTE: Because of the size of the pillowcase, I pressed in sections. To do this, I pressed the first 2 letters, lifting up the “E” so it wouldn’t be pressed yet. Then, I moved the pillow case over, and did the same with the remaining letters until I was finished.
Will You Try Making an Iron-On-Ink Pillow Case?
How fun was that?! And it doesn’t have to be the word “Dream”. You can add a name if you’d like. Or maybe you want to give it as a graduation gift, so you can add “Class of 2023…” Just have fun! I’d love to see what you create, so tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook if you try it. I am EJsFunCrafting everywhere.
Be sure to check out the Artesprix Inspiration section for more creative ideas on making all the things using Iron-On-Ink and the Blank of the Month, including more Iron-On-Ink Pillow Case.
Now, go make something DREAMY!
