Sublimation Sequin Pillows Tutorial (3 Steps!)

Sublimating onto reversible sequin pillows is far easier than you think!

The DIY custom pillows make a huge statement...but are really only three simple steps: print, press, flip!

How to Make Sequin Sublimation Pillows

You also need three things: a reversible sequin pillow cover, a heat press, and a sublimation printer with sublimation paper.  I used my Sawgrass SG400 sublimation printer and my mini pink craft press (which you can get as a sublimation-heat press bundle if you're in need of both).

The 16x16 silver sequin pillow cover is from Amazon.  After I made the first one, I promptly ordered 6 more. It was such a hit with my daughter ... she wanted to make them with her friends!

Setting Up and Printing Sublimation Designs in Silhouette Studio

The first thing you want to do is bring your design into Silhouette Studio. I am using this elephant mandala cut file because my daughter is obsessed with elephants.  It's available individually or as a mini set of mandala designs.

Since the beauty of sublimation is how vibrant the colors are, I filled the design with a colorful pattern.

I sized the design as large as possible making sure it would still fit on the 8.5 x 11" sublimation paper that fits in my SG400.

TIP: Putting it on a slight angle allows me to make it a little larger while still fitting on the sheet.  

If you want to print larger sublimation designs the Sawgrass SG800 prints 11 x 17" standard (and even larger with the bypass tray.)

For sublimation you need to reverse the image so don't forget to do that before you print. In Silhouette Studio, select the image > right click > flip horizontally.

I prefer to print sublimation through Sawgrass' VPM print manager because the color profiles give you the best results. On a MAC it's not accessible directly from Silhouette Studio. For this reason I have to save my design out as a JPEG (Silhouette Studio Business Edition is required).

Then the design can be opened in VPM to print. If you're on a PC you can access VPM through Silhouette Studio's print manager.

Select Polyester Fabric as the substrate and choose your sublimation paper then send to print.

Preparing the Sequin Pillow and Pressing

With your pillow laid out on a flat surface, swipe all the sequins in one direction so the white side is up. This is the side you can sublimate onto.

Take your sublimation print directly from the printer (no cutting necessary) and place it face down on the pillow. Use high temperature tape to keep it in place and help avoid shadowing/ghosting.

Make sure your heat press is warmed up to 400 degrees. 

Move the pillow to the heat press and position it so the zipper closure is hanging off the edge so it doesn't melt.

Protect the sequins from direct heat by covering the whole sequin cover with a teflon sheet.

Close the press and apply heat for 1 minute.

When the time is up remove the reversible sequin pillow cover from heat press and take off the sublimation paper.

That's it...you've created a custom reversible sequin pillow cover!

So cool right?!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

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