I Love You, Daddy Pillowcase: Simple Gift

With Father’s Day quickly approaching, my little one and I have begun creating some fun, from-the-heart gifts to give her daddy on his special day.  This first project, an ‘I love you’ pillowcase, is extremely simple and will remind the hardworking dad in your family just how much he is loved each night as he lays his head down to sleep.

What you will need:

• a plain white pillowcase
• a pencil
• fabric markers
• a piece of cardboard to fit inside your pillowcase

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Instructions:

1. Start by placing your cardboard inside the pillowcase.  This will keep the fabric taut and prevent the fabric markers from soaking through.

2.  Next, invite your little one to write 'I love you, Daddy' in pencil across the middle of the pillowcase using big, clear letters. You can, of course, switch out the word ‘Daddy' for whichever name your children call their father (in our case, ‘Papa’).  If your little one is still learning to print, providing the sentence on a long strip of paper as a reference will probably be very helpful. And  don’t worry if some mistakes occur along the way—simply erase them the best you can with a white eraser and continue along.

3. When ready, carefully trace the letters using a fabric marker. This part can be done by the child or by you—just keep in mind that fabric markers do stain. If desired, have your child add some decorative touches. We kept it very simple and added a single red heart next to our sentence.

4. When you’re happy with the way your pillowcase looks, set the fabric marker by ironing over it or putting it in the dryer for a little while (specific instructions will be located on the package your fabric markers came in). 

5.  With the marker set, throw your pillowcase into the wash to remove any unwanted pencil and eraser marks. Dry it afterwards and have your little one stuff their daddy’s pillow inside before placing it on the bed for him to discover!

That’s it — a simple, but sweet gift for the daddy in your family!