Family Pet Craft Project: Specific Dog Breed Pillows You Can Print Yourself

Looking for some custom pillows that match your dog breed. You can make this simple custom pillow using a collie, Scottish terrier, bull dog, Boston Terrier, Boxer, and well almost any dog breed.

Silk printing is a great way to make a lot of Specific Dog Breed prints on your pillow fabric from one piece of art. You do need a large open work surface to create silkscreen art, but beyond that, the rest for the materials are generally affordable and easy to find at any art supply store.

I love these simple silkscreen printed Specific Dog Breed pillows because you can make a large number for them and give them away as homemade gifts to anyone else who has the same dog as you. I know lots of people who get together with other dog owners to walk their dogs.

You can find most for the supplies your will need to create silkscreen art at the local art supply store. If you do not have an art supply store in your city, then try visiting www.dickblick.com or www.pearlpaint.com. Their websites are awesome and they sell everything online that they sell in their retail stores.

To make your Silk Screen Printed Specific Dog Breed Pillow Covers you will need:

Solid colored fabric

Newspaper
Pre Made Silk-screen

Exacto Knife
Squeegee
Vellum
Pencil
Painter’s tape
Design
Fabric paint

No Sew (optional)

Sewing Machine (optional)

The first step is to draw the desired Specific Dog Breed design on vellum. I recommend going online and typing in the name of your specific dog breed. You will find tons of photos. Look for one that is a profile. That will work best. You could also trace a photo of the profile of your own collie, bull dog, boxer, or Boston Terrier.

You can transfer your design by placing vellum over the Specific Dog Breed design and tracing it with a pencil. You can easily see through vellum by placing it on a lighted artist tables or even in a window when there is daylight outside to shine through.

I like to use a simple profile to make this custom pillow. You can complete this design in one step since there is one color.

Now, if your Specific Dog Breed silk screen printing pillow cover design is going to have more than one color then you will need to have more than one screen. Basically, you use one silk screen for each color. Beginners may find it easier to start out only making one color and one silk screen.

Now, if you are using multiple colors go ahead and draw out those screens as well. So, just to clarify, if you were doing a Boston Terrier you would cut out one screen that is for the white parts and one screen for the black parts. The second screen should line up over the first screen.

Now, Cut out the Specific Dog Breed designs on each piece of vellum with a sharp craft knife. Sort of think of this like creating a stencil.

Now, you need to attach the first vellum design to the back of the silk-screen with painter’s tape.

You can buy pre made silk screens at the art supply store. You could also build yours out of wood.

Now, you need to place several paper towels or layers of newspaper print out on the work surface. This is important because you need to absorb paint. You will also need a padded work area.

Place solid pillow cover fabric on top of the paper towels, and put the silk-screen on the fabric.

I like to make marks on the fabric at each of the four outer corners of the silk screen. This is important if you are using multiple colors and multiple screens. You can later use these marks to line up the frame.

Now pour some fabric paint onto the silk-screen. You should pour this along the top edge. I recommend making a nice size puddle of paint.

Next, Place the squeegee in the paint. You need to pull it slowly along the screen toward you. You need to hold the squeegee at a 45-degree angle. This is important.

Once you have reached the bottom of the screen Reverse the angle of the squeegee. Push it back to the top of the silk-screen in one smooth motion.

Now, remove the silk screen and the squeegee. Let your wet fabric paint sit and dry completely.

Once the paint is dry you can cut a second square of the same fabric. Face the silk-screened Specific Dog Breed design inside. Pin three sides for your Specific Dog Breed pillow together.

Turn the pillow cover inside out. Insert your pillow.

Now, fold in the rough edges of the open side of the Specific Dog Breed pillow cover. Pin it closed with straight pins.

Now, sew this side shut with a sewing machine, new sew, or by hand.

Cut off any lose threads and you are finished.