Spoonflower’s Weekly Design Challenges encourage creativity by inviting our community to submit designs around a theme and vote on favorites to win weekly prizes. See what design challenges are coming up and which designers were crowned grand-champion in past challenges here.

Be sure to visit this post to learn more about Spoonflower’s Design Challenge rules and moderation process.

East Fork: Night Swim & Molasses | Entries due by October 24, 2023

Text: Looking at a close-up cross section of underground soil and forest floor, dark brown pottery is displayed beneath the surface while dark teal pottery is displayed above the surface on a bed of moss and ferns. The scene is otherworldly with mushrooms, white flowers, and roots made of twine.
Image courtesy of East Fork Pottery.

Let East Fork’s cherished seasonal colors, Night Swim and Molasses, inspire your design this week. 

Night Swim and Molasses represent the earthy wilderness and fleeting nostalgia of seasonal change. As the air turns crisp and leaves begin to blanket the ground, we’re basking in our homes, creating spaces of sanctuary and connection. As you create, imagine your design adorning table linens paired with East Fork pottery. 

An Important Note About Your Entry 

Artists must: 
Use both East Fork glaze colors, Night Swim (#005E5D) and Molasses (#4C312D). 

A circle of East Fork Night Swim with the name “Night Swim” and hex code #005e5d next to a circle of East Fork Molasses with the name “Molasses” and hex code #4c312d.

Artists can: 
Incorporate neutrals, but we recommend keeping it simple with no more than 4 colors total. Selecting neutrals from East Fork’s core colors will ensure your design compliments the pottery: Eggshell (#DDE4E6), Panna Cotta (#EDE6D6), Morel (#948272) and Black Mountain (#212121). Honoring Night Swim and Molasses is key! 

The winning design, hand-selected from the top 50 by East Fork, will be printed on tabletop items and featured at a Spoonflower x East Fork Pop-Up Shop event. Any design entered in the Design Challenge is subject to be included in any East Fork or Spoonflower retail location (in-person or online) and included in marketing materials at the sole discretion of East Fork and Spoonflower. 

Entries will be previewed on a Fat Quarter, cropped to an 18″ x 18” (46 cm x 46 cm) square from the bottom left corner. Submissions close October 24 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins October 26. Winners will be announced November 2. See official rules. This challenge includes additional prizes, scroll to the bottom of this post to learn more. 

Submit a Design



Apricity | Entries due by October 31, 2023  

A woman stands outside in the winter with snow on the ground and bare trees behind her. She is bundled in a red sweater and brown hat, with eyes closed and a relaxed expression as the sun shines on her face.

Apricity: the warmth of the sun in the winter.   

Despite dating back to the 1600s, the English word, apricity, is only just now getting the attention it deserves. Referring to the warmth of the sun in the winter, apricity brings with it an optimistic and calming feeling of physical and emotional warmth, even during the darkest months surrounded by snow. Whether you find inspiration in literal sunshine or the hope it brings along, channel that feeling into this week’s design. 

Entries will be previewed on a Fat Quarter, cropped to an 18″ x 18” (46 cm x 46 cm) square from the bottom left corner. Submissions close October 31 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins November 2. Winners will be announced November 9. See official rules.

Submit a design



Surrealist Wallpaper | Entries due by November 7, 2023   

A yellow and blue two-seater toy plan with a young child in each seat flies through the sky, being carried by a whale.

Tap into your subconscious to create a surrealism-inspired wallpaper design.  

Surrealism provides an opportunity to take the mundane and transform it into something otherworldly, found only in your dreams. Incorporate your favorite novelty motifs or kidult themes with an elevated twist to create a design that is familiar yet unexpected. While designing, imagine your artwork on the walls of an awe-inspiring art studio, fantastic family room or curious kids room. 

Entries will be previewed on a Wallpaper roll. Submissions close November 7 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins November 9. Winners will be announced November 16. See official rules. 

submit a design



The Other Holidays | Entries due by November 14, 2023  

A top-down view of a bright yellow surface scattered with round rainbow confetti.

While you prepare your home for December holidays, prepare your Spoonflower shop for seasonal celebrations that take place the other eleven months of the year. 

December may be a popular time to gather with family and friends, but customers come to Spoonflower year-round to celebrate holidays and we want your shop to be ready for them. This week your challenge is to create a design perfect for these other holidays. Will your design adorn the table linens of a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner or a kid-friendly Mother’s Day brunch? Will it be printed on fabric for a handmade Father’s Day gift or St. Patrick’s Day apparel? We can’t wait to see which holidays you bring to life this week. 

Entries will be previewed on a Fat Quarter, cropped to an 18″ x 18” (46 cm x 46 cm) square from the bottom left corner. Submissions close November 14 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins November 16. Winners will be announced November 30. See official rules.

submit a design





Grand Prize

One Grand Prize Winner each week will receive $200 in Spoondollars. The winner will also receive additional exposure in our email newsletters and social media mentions.

The 1st place winner of the East Fork: Night Swim & Molasses Design Challenge, chosen by East Fork, will receive a $200 Spoonflower credit, a Big Potter’s Nesting Set in the glaze color of their choice (from currently available glazes), one set of East Fork mugs in Night Swim and Molasses, one Spoonflower tablecloth featuring their winning design and will be included in Spoonflower’s Pop-Up Shop within an East Fork retail location. 

Second Place

The 2nd place winner will receive $100 in Spoondollars. 

The 2nd place winner of the East Fork: Night Swim & Molasses Design Challenge will receive a $100 Spoonflower credit, one set of East Fork mugs in Night Swim and Molasses and one Spoonflower set of dinner napkins featuring their design. 


Third Place

The 3rd place winner will receive $50 in Spoondollars. 

The 3rd place winner of the East Fork: Night Swim & Molasses Design Challenge will receive a $50 Spoonflower credit, one set of East Fork mugs in Night Swim and Molasses and one Spoonflower set of dinner napkins featuring their design. 


The rest of the top 10

4th through 10th place winners will receive a $20 Spoondollar credit. 

Remaining top 10 designs of the East Fork: Night Swim & Molasses Design Challenge will receive a $20 Spoonflower credit, one set of East Fork mugs in Night Swim and Molasses and one Spoonflower set of dinner napkins featuring their design. 


All of the top 100

Each of the top 100 entries, determined as set forth above, not receiving one of the foregoing prizes will be automatically proofed for sale in the Spoonflower Marketplace (approximately a $5 value) (the “Runner Up Prize”) if winners are verified sellers.