Learn how to create a printed cushion using homemade stamps made from potatoes, with María Vázquez

An easy way to get the most out of your interior spaces is to inject part of your own personal style and personality into them. And doing so doesn’t have to be difficult! There are plenty of DIY solutions that will allow you to create pieces with unique designs, from homemade materials that are easy to both find and use.

If you want to learn how to make handmade stamps to print on a cushion cover using only ink and potatoes, don’t miss this tutorial by founder of Dr. Living Home, María Vázquez (@drlivinghome). Discover more below!

Materials

- Cotton cushion cover
- Potatoes
- Knife
- Fabric paint

Stamping Tutorial: How to Create Homemade Stamps with Potatoes 4 — Materials

1. Make your shapes

Cut a potato in half, so that the ends form a circle, then cut one half in two to create a semi-circle. These are the two shapes you will use to stamp your pattern. Dry your potato a little on a clean piece of cotton so that it's ready for printing.

Stamping Tutorial: How to Create Homemade Stamps with Potatoes 6 — Cut your potato in half, and then in quarters

2. Design your pattern

Dip the potato into the fabric paint. Before printing on the cushion cover, experiment with different ideas for patterns on a white piece of paper until you have chosen your favorite design.

Stamping Tutorial: How to Create Homemade Stamps with Potatoes 8 — Start printing on a piece of paper first

3. Begin printing

Now it’s time to use the potatoes with ink on the cushion cover. Maria recommends starting to print at the bottom corner, and then going up and down, creating vertical lines until you’ve finished printing. You’ll see that some prints look darker or more defined than others, but don’t worry, this variation is what will give your design a handmade look and feel.

Stamping Tutorial: How to Create Homemade Stamps with Potatoes 10 — Print in vertical lines

Stamping Tutorial: How to Create Homemade Stamps with Potatoes 11 — The variation is what will give it a hand-made finish

Finally, you can use some paper or an old towel inside the cushion cover to stop the ink sinking through the fabric. Once the ink has dried, turn the cover over and iron it to finish.

Stamping Tutorial: How to Create Homemade Stamps with Potatoes 13 — Allow the ink to dry, turn over the cushion, and iron

Stamping Tutorial: How to Create Homemade Stamps with Potatoes 14 — Final result

If you enjoyed this tutorial and would like to learn some simple decorating techniques to renovate your interiors on a budget, don’t miss María Vázquez’s course: Creative Home Makeover and Decor with DIY Techniques.