The Romantic.com

Gifts Under $40

SEW SPECIAL

submitted by: Dave Hewitt

 

For a special gift for my wife, I made a pair of matching pillows. One had a hand drawn picture of me, and the other had a portrait of my wife. I put the pillows on my wife’s chair an hour before she arrived at work on Valentine’s day. She loved them and all her coworkers thought she had the greatest husband in the world.

The pillows looked like a professional had drawn them. However, they were actually quite easy to make. I am no artist, but if you can trace and color within the lines, you can make them yourself. My knowledge of sewing is also limited to reattaching buttons on my shirts.

Here is how to make the pillows. Find two flattering pictures of the two of you. Photocopy them larger by adjusting the magnification. Enlarged the photocopies and repeated the process until they are life size. The result is a black and white actual-size picture of each of you. The features, lines and shadows are black and the rest is white. The shadow portions made the face appear three dimensional – and make you look like an artistic genius.

Next, trace the photocopied likeness onto white cloth. Simply put a line on the material where the black changes to white. To avoid slippage, pin the paper to the material. After outlining the boundaries, fill them in using an Indian ink marker. This type of marker will not bleed.

When the pictures are complete, cut around it. Cut out a matching piece for the back. Put the front and back on top of each other, with the picture inside. Sew most of the way around the edge. This hides the seam. Turn it right side out and fill it with fiberfill. Sew up the remaining opening. You have made a hand drawn pillow of you and your loved one.

The markers are available at any craft store for a couple of dollars each. Buy two, as you will most likely drain one. The cloth is inexpensive and you will need only a yard or less. When purchasing the material, also pick up a bag of fiberfill. The entire project cost me less than ten dollars, and I completed it at work during several lunch hours.

My three-year-old daughter recently adopted the pillows. She enjoys cuddling up with mommy and daddy at night.