I’ve got so many great patriotic decorating ideas for you on Today’s Creative Life. I love creating my own decor that I can use for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. These fabric-painted star pillow covers are a great patriotic craft that is also perfect for DIY decor year after year.

Patriotic Decorating Ideas

Painting on fabric is a great way to create your own custom look for any holiday, but super cute for patriotic decorating ideas. All you need for this 4th of July craft is:

White Cotten Blend Pillow Covers ( I used this same technique for making a fabric-painted patriotic table runner.
Star Stencil
Red and Blue Acrylic Paint
Fabric Medium
Paint Dauber
Piece of cardstock or cardboard
Iron

How to Make Patriotic Pillow Covers

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Active Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Difficulty: Easy

Learn how to make fabric-painted star-stenciled pillow covers

Materials

White cotton blend pillow covers
Star Stencils
Paint Dauber for Stenciling - you can also a craft paint brush.
Red Acrylic Paint
Navy Blue Acrylic Paint
Fabric Medium
Piece of cardstock or cardboard
Washi-tape or Fabric Tape

Instructions

Gather all your supplies.
Lay out the pillow cover and slip the piece of cardstock or cardboard inside so any paint will not bleed onto the back side of the cover.
Place the stencil where you want it. I used washi tape to secure the stencil.
Following the directions on the bottle, mix paint with the fabric medium in a small cup or right on a paper plate.
Load the paint dauber with paint and carefully daub up and down until the space is filled with paint.
Repeat until you have the design you want. Clean the stencil before using another color.
Let it dry for about 30 minutes before removing the cardstock from the inside.
When it's completely dry, place a tea towel or piece of parchment paper over the design and iron it with a hot (no steam) iron to set the design.
Place a pillow insert inside and enjoy!

Notes

This method can be used with any stencil. Use only cotton blend fabrics that are not textured.

If you use fabric paint, you do not need the fabric medium.

More Patriotic Decorating Ideas

Fabric Painted Patriotic Table Runner
Easy Patriotic Table Decor
Patriotic Star Paper Garland
DIY Patriotic Wall Art
Patriotic Door Decor

Patriotic Decorating Ideas with a white pillow with blue and red stars. Pillows on a red outdoor chair.

Can You Wash Painted Fabric?

Yes, you sure can wash painted fabric. That’s why we add the fabric medium to acrylic paint. You can also skip that step and just purchase fabric paint. To set a painted design, you’ll want to iron it with a hot, no-steam iron before washing and drying.

Patriotic Decorating Ideas for Your Porch

It helps that I have a red door and 2 red chairs on my porch, but even without the extra color boost, you can still give your porch a quick patriotic makeover! You can add a simple red, white and blue wreath and grab a few mini American flags to stick in your flower pots. Simply hanging an American flag is great too! Adding accents like my new star-stenciled painted pillows is a great 4th of July craft for home decor that you can use for all the patriotic holidays.

4th of July Craft Ideas

As mentioned, I love making my own seasonal holiday decor. Many times it’s more budget-friendly, but I can customize it to what I love for a more original look.