DIY Holiday Pillows + Fa La Llama Christmas Cut File

Looking for playful holiday decor? These llama-themed pillows created with my fa la llama Christmas cut file are just the ticket!

You guys! With Thanksgiving now in the rear-view mirror, I finally feel safe to post about some of the fun holiday stuff that I’ve been working on behind the scenes. Today I am sharing my first holiday post as part of a larger group of holiday vinyl projects, sponsored by Expressions Vinyl. I have a sneak peek at all of the projects being shared down below and you’ll be able to hop over to Expressions and vote for your favorite! I am hoping it’s mine, but honestly there are so many…My llama-themed holiday pillows are project #3!

One of the first rooms I tackled for the holidays was the guest room. If you’ve been around for a while you’ll remember that I recently updated the guest room, swapping out the large queen bed for two twins (extra beds!). Since the room is used most by my boyfriend’s two teenage daughters and my nieces and nephews, I went with a playful travel and adventure vibe, featuring llamas. I love it!

The update was recent, so I didn’t want to purchase a bunch of new decor for the holidays…One of the easiest ways to change-up a space is with DIY pillows. I am a huge fan of place mat pillows like the ones pictured on the beds in the photo above, but I also like to use inexpensive Ikea covers to create larger pillows (like this popular Valentine-themed pillow). I created two llama-themed holiday cut files for the pillows I was making and I am excited to share them with you today!

Fa La Llama Christmas Cut File

To recreate this project, you will need:
Fa La Llama cut file PNG or SVG
Fleece Navidad PNG or SVG cut file
Pillow cover (I love to use inexpensive Ikea covers, but you can also use something like this. It comes in tons of colors!)
Silhouette
Heat Transfer Vinyl (I used this gold foil, from Expressions Vinyl)
Iron or Heat Press (I just got one of these small crafting presses and I love it!)

Download the llama-themed holiday cut file you’d like to use (Fa La Llama or Fleece Navidad).
Upload the design to your design software and create the appropriately sized layout. I sized my designs 12×12.
Mirror the image so that the text appears backwards on the screen. Feed the heat transfer material into your machine with the glossy side down. Select HTV in the media menu and cut.
Peel the negative space in the design off the plastic backing, leaving only the words and shapes on the clear plastic transfer sheet.
Pre-heat the fabric you’re planning to transfer the design on for about five seconds and crease the center for reference.
Position the design on the pillow cover face down so that you see it through the clear transfer sheet. Your text should be facing the right direction at this point.
Place a this cloth or parchment paper over the design and place a heated iron on top PRESSING FIRMLY into the design for 45-60 seconds OR if you have this amazing little portable hat press 15-20 seconds!
Remove the iron and cloth. Gently peel up the transfer sheet (Note: Follow the instructions on your HTV to determine if the transfer sheet should be pulled back when the vinyl is still hot or if you should wait until it’s cooled.) If the HTV continues to stick to the transfer sheet, replace the cloth and iron again making sure to apply pressure.

One of the things I love about making pillows is that it’s literally 15 minutes to a newly designed space! I can’t wait to share the full room design with you next week when I share my Christmas home tour!

Don’t miss out on all of the other great projects being shared in partnership with Expressions Vinyl today. Hop over to the Expressions Vinyl blog to grab links to the other projects AND to vote for your favorite! My llama-themed holiday pillows are project #3!