DIY French Grain Pillow

Make faux grain sacks to create designer throw pillows for your home.

Throw pillows made from grain sacks printed in French are a common sight at French flea markets and often occupy French-inspired rooms in designer homes. Finding these sacks can be difficult and, if successful, an expensive purchase. You can create your own faux sacks out of muslin or burlap and specially made fabric paint to achieve the same designer look at a fraction of the cost. After the paint has dried, you can make pillows in several different shapes and sizes to accent your furniture and give it an authentic French shabby-chic look.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Printer
• Paper
• Scissors
• Measuring tape
• Tape
• Burlap or muslin Fabric
• Fabric paint
• Paint tray
• Paint brush
• Pins
• Pillow insert
• Thread
• Sewing machine
• Iron

Instructions

1. Create a faux grain sack emblem and words or phrases using a word processing or publishing program on your computer. Set the font to an Old English-style font or other font that is wide enough to print out in a heavy and solid manner. Select emblems, such as a rooster or Fleur-de-lis, which are common in French décor.

2. Set the font and emblems or art so they are large enough to fit on your pillow and will print out on a piece of 8 1/2-by-11-inch piece of paper. Print them out and cut out each letter and all artwork on the outlines so that only the cut-out outlines of the fonts and artwork remain on the original piece of paper, which will act as a stencil for your faux grain sack print.

3. Measure the length and width of your pillow insert. Cut out two pieces of fabric measuring 1 inch wider and 1 inch longer than your pillow. Place one of your pieces to the side.

4. Place the remaining piece of fabric on a hard surface. Center your grain sack stencil on your fabric and tape it in place when you have it where you want it. Pour your fabric paint into a paint tray and fill in the cut-out areas of the paper, where you can see the fabric underneath, with the paint. You will be painting directly onto the fabric. Allow the paint to dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer. Remove the paper stencil when the paint is dry.

5. Place your pieces of fabric with the right sides together and pin in place. Sew around three edges with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Take the pins out and turn right side out. Turn the remaining open edges of the pillow cover in 1/2-inch and iron so they stay in place. Insert the pillow form into the pillow cover. Pin the edges open side of the pillow cover together so the ironed edges meet. Sew the edges with a 1/8-inch seam allowance. Remove the pins.

References

• Amanda Carol at Home; Faux Vintage Grain Sack Pillows; Amanda Carol; September 2008