Create Colorful & Professional Pillow Shams with Sublimation Ink

Hello and welcome! My name is Linh from LVHandcrafted. Make a splash with this fun, effortless design on the December Blank of the Month Pillow Sham! Use bold colors and some fun stamp sets to create this very artsy transfer to personalize the pillow sham! You might this it looks so good, you could frame it! The design after it’s been pressed is gorgeous and vibrant, and will never wash out, fade, or peel. This pattern was so fun to make, I might just save it and make a card from it! How fabulous to give this pillow sham as a gift with a matching card!

**This post may contain affiliate links. That means that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated.** 
What are Sublimation Arts & Crafts Supplies? 
The word "sublimation" is a chemistry term that describes the process of a substance (like Iron-on-Ink) going from a solid state to a gaseous phase and skipping over the liquid phase. In the world of designing custom goods, sublimation offers a permanent way to transfer a design to a polyester surface. The result is a vibrant, custom designed product that is long-lasting and durable. If you’ve always wanted to try sublimation but thought you needed an expensive, specialty printer, you’re in luck because Artesprix makes it possible to sublimate without a sublimation printer! 

Supplies: 
Blank of the Month Pillow Sham
Artesprix Iron-on-Ink Ink Pad - Black
Artesprix Paint - Blue, Pink, Yellow, White
Sublimation Markers - Black
Paintbrush
Protective Paper 
Heat Tape 
Heat Tape Dispenser
Protective Project Mat 
Heat Resistant Gloves 
Heat Source
Copy Paper/Cardstock
Step-by-Step Tutorial: 
Step 1: Select your preferred paint colors at random and paint swatches across your paper. My paper is 11 x 11" but it can be whatever size you have. I tried to fill most every square inch of the paper since the blank is larger than the paper.

Pro Tip: Pick colors that will blend well together and not create a muddy brown.

Step 2: Choose multiple design stamps with no text. I love stamps that are “artsy”.  Ink the stamp with Black Sublimation Ink Pad and randomly stamp your design multiple times. I like to start with large design stamps and then use smaller stamps to fill in the gaps.

Step 3: Create a border edge your design in black. I swiped the Ink Pad across all four borders but to darken it even more, I went over it again with the chisel Black Sublimation Marker.

Step 4: I used the fine tip Sublimation Marker in Black to make little doodles to fill in the gaps even more and give it a more personal touch.

Pro Tip #2: Pre-Press your Pillow Sham for 10 seconds. This not only gets wrinkles out but it’ll also remove some moisture which will help get a better transfer. 

Step 5: Tape your design to the blank.

Step 6: Place a sheet of protective paper under your blank and a fresh sheet on top of your blank. It is also best practice to place one inside the Sham. 
Step 7: Press your design into your blank at 385°F for 60 seconds, ensuring the design is on top of the blank and closest to the heat press. 

Step 8: Without removing any tape or the design our of place, carefully take a peek to make sure the sublimation ink has transferred. It your transfer is not vibrant, re-check your time, temperature, positioning, and pressure, then re-press. 

Step 9: Allow to cool before personalizing the other side (optional). 

I hope you’ve enjoyed my project on the Artesprix Blog! Share your next sublimation project in the Artesprix Iron-on-Ink Inspirational Group on Facebook, we would love to see your creations. Be sure to use the tags #Artesprix and #IrononInk so we don't miss it. If you want to learn more about me and see more projects click here: @LVHandcrafted.  

Thanks so much for checking out my project. Have a fabulous day! 
Linh Van
**This post may contain affiliate links. That means that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated.**