Fat Quarter Projects

Personalized Wedding Pillows for Under $10

January 24, 2017

Like many creatives, I often find myself daydreaming about my next big sewing project even before my current project is complete. Whether in the car, walking my dog or even brushing my teeth, custom fabric projects are always on the brain. While on a trail run, I dreamt up my race bib running top. Most recently, while getting the mail, the lightbulb went off for custom pillows inspired by vintage envelopes.

These pillows look great on Linen Cotton Canvas, Eco Canvas and Heavy Cotton Twill, but I was excited to try Spoonflower’s newest fabric, Lightweight Cotton Twill. This lightweight fabric is both soft and durable, is easy to work with, and is a perfect addition to your couch when made into a pillow.

Personalize your next wedding gift with a Lightweight Cotton Twill pillow. Ready to Fly wallpaper by Meredith Macleod

DIY Reversible Bowl Covers

January 17, 2017

Recently I spotted some cotton bowl covers on an artisanal kitchenware website that were lovely yet pricey. After a bit of searching and some trial-and-error, I settled on an easy technique to make my own unique, double-sided covers using Lightweight Cotton Twill. These covers are perfect for resting your dough for baked goods, covering pasta or salad for a picnic, or even protecting your stand mixer bowl from dust. Read on for the full how-to! [Read more…] about DIY Reversible Bowl Covers

The Secret to Sewing Perfect Mitered Corners

January 10, 2017

You know those neat, crisp corners on quilts and professionally sewn napkins that you look at and say “I could never do that?” You’re not alone; we’ve been there! We’re pleased to report that mastering mitered corners is easier than you may think, especially when you’ve got the right fabric. Our brand new Lightweight Cotton Twill (perfect for reusable napkins and table linens) has just enough structure to make crisp corners, but is light enough to be easy breezy to work with. It prints vibrantly and is brilliantly wash fast, so your new napkins will hold up. Follow along as we reveal the secret to sewing crisp, perfect mitered corners.

Brand new Lightweight Cotton Twill is perfect for napkins

Design shown here is Onion Rings by Zoe Ingram

Learn to Make A Squeaky Dog Toy For Under $5.00

October 4, 2016

Did you know October is “Adopt a Shelter Dog Month”? My very own adopted shelter pup, Olive, loooooves playing with absolutely anything that squeaks, and I’ve long had it on my list to make her a custom squeaky plush. I figured this was the perfect reason to quit pro-crafter-nating (totally a word) and finally make it happen! Now, I know what you might be thinking… “my dog is going to demolish that in seconds flat. So why would I spend the time to make my own?” Of course every dog has a unique “rate of destruction,” and I’m not saying these will last forever by any means, but by using durable Eco Canvas material, polyester thread, and reinforced stitches, your pup should enjoy some solid play time before this toy gives in (and uh, is my dog the only one out there who gets just as much enjoyment out of playing with the plain poly-fill and deflated fabric far after she’s already destroyed the toy?). This project is quick to sew up, it should only take you about 15 minutes per plush! I think your pup will agree that’s some time well spent (besides, don’t you have some Project Runway episodes to catch up on while you sew!?).

*Le sigh…* ennui has set in. Bored of her once beloved tennis ball, Olive is ready for a squeaky upgrade

You can really have fun customizing this project, and you know… your dog can definitely tell when you give them handmade stuff and they’ll love you more for it, trust me! It’s also more affordable to DIY, yes, even with custom-printed fabric. In this tutorial, we’re using a cut and sew kit from Wanart that will get you 9 plushies in just one fat quarter of Eco Canvas. That’s just $1.80 per plush (I dare you to find a cheaper, cuter store-bought option!). You likely have all the other materials already, except maybe the squeaky inserts, which are also super affordable (see what we suggest below). These can of course be customized with whichever fabric you feel suits your pooch’s personality best. Follow along with our tutorial and prepare to make your doggie’s day! [Read more…] about Learn to Make A Squeaky Dog Toy For Under $5.00

How to Get Festive With Scary Cute Halloween Placemats

September 6, 2016

Want to turn your table into a spooky setting for a Halloween feast? Heidi Kenney (our resident Queen of Halloween) is stopping by the blog today to share the how-to, using her cut-and-sew placemat template available in the Spoonflower Marketplace. Designed to be printed on 54″ wide fabrics (linen would also work), a fat quarter fits two placemats, and a yard gives you eight. Pick a FQ or yard up in Eco Canvas fabric, then follow her easy steps below to sew up these adorable placemats for a table-scape that’s fit for a family of goblins and ghouls!

Vintage Halloween Placemats by Heidi Kenney

design inspired by actual vintage paper placemats

Tutorial: Sewing Up A Summer Waterproof Washbag

July 12, 2016

Ever wanted to create a waterproof, wipe-able bag that’s super easy to clean? While Spoonflower doesn’t yet offer lamination, there are super simple hacks you can use to create the same effect. This week guest author Emma Jeffery from the blog Hello Beautiful shares a tutorial for sewing up a waterproof washbag.

5 Adorable Cut and Sew Fat Quarter Projects

July 6, 2016

They may be small, but a fat quarter is perhaps the mightiest cut of fabric. We’ve rounded up 5 all-star fat quarter projects from the Spoonflower Marketplace. From dolls to pencil cases to tea towels, the real question is what can’t you make with a fat quarter of fabric? Time to stock up on these adorable, fast projects!

Cora the Mermaid Plushie Pillow by Cerigwen

Llama Soft Toys by CjlDesigns

Custom DIY Dolls by Natitys

Bobbit Pencil Case by Woodmouse&Bobbit

Cut and Sew Dolls by StaceyIestHsu

Bonus: Recipe Tea Towels!

Pickles Pickles Pickles Tea Towel by Pixabo

Killer Guacamole Tea Towel by 1stPancake

Old-Fashioned Lemonade Tea Towel by Pennycandy

DIY Kid’s Canvas Art for Less Than $25

June 21, 2016

Looking for a creative, inexpensive way to showcase your little artist’s masterpieces or planning gifts for grandparents and friends? Try using Spoonflower’s Linen Cotton Canvas Ultra, Lightweight Cotton Twill or Eco Canvas to make canvas wall art for less than half of what it costs elsewhere online! And if you’re looking for a fun kid’s art table like the one featured in this post, check out Step2’s art desks, which are designed and made in Streetsboro, Ohio.

PART 1: How to Upload Kid’s Artwork for a Linen Cotton Canvas Wall Art
Skip to PART 2: Wrapping your Linen Cotton Canvas Wall Art

If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly Photoshop project, then this is perfect for you! First thing to do is scan your artwork at a very high resolution (300 dpi and above) and save to your computer. [Read more…] about DIY Kid’s Canvas Art for Less Than $25

Turn your Photos into Canvas Wall Art with Spoonflower

June 7, 2016

Are you looking for a quick, fun way to add some new art to your house or create a one-of-a-kind gift for someone special? Whether it’s pictures of a favorite vacation spot, a furry loved one or a family photo, the possibilities for DIY canvas wall art are endless with Spoonflower’s custom digital printing process. Spoonflower staffer Alex is here to walk you through the process, from teaching you how to stretch canvas to finishing the edges of your piece so they don’t snag. Follow along below!

This project can be completed in less than 20 minutes, for less than $30. We suggest using our Linen Cotton Canvas Ultra but you can also use our Eco Canvas. These sturdy fabrics provide a more natural and interesting texture, and help keep the image from warping as you stretch it.

If you like this tutorial, subscribe to our Youtube channel. Have an idea you’d like to see made into a tutorial? Let us know in the comments section below!

For this project you’ll need:

– a craft staple gun

– fabric scissors

– your fabric (I used a Fat Quarter of Linen Cotton Canvas Ultra but you can also use our Eco Canvas)

– canvas stretcher bars (I used a 16″ x 24″ frame)

As mentioned above, I used a fat quarter of Spoonflower’s Linen Cotton Canvas Ultra for this tutorial, but you could use our Eco Canvas, as well. Fat Quarters of both fabrics measure 18″x 27″, so the image I printed fit with room to spare. You want something sturdy that will hold up to being stretched without warping the design. I suggest sizing your photo to be a couple inches larger than the dimensions of your stretcher bars to prevent white space from showing around the edges when your canvas wall art is hanging.

Step 1: Assemble the Frame

We’ll start out by assembling the stretcher bars. Sand down any jagged edges to get the joints to slide together. Now, lay the frame onto your face down fabric. Position the bars centrally on your design and pull the fabric over the top edge and staple. Make sure to keep an even amount of surface area around all four sides of the canvas.

Use the leverage from the top staple to make sure that the fabric is pulled tight, tight, tight across the bottom. Repeat this process for the left and right sides, as well.

The first four staples on each of the sides are the most important part of the project to ensure even tension on your finished project!

Step 2: Stapling the sides

Start stapling around the sides, alternating one staple per side in a clockwise pattern. The number of staples needed depends on the size of your frame. Generally, one staple every 2-3 inches works fine.

Step 3: Finishing the Corners

Once you’ve made your way around the entire frame, it’s time to do the corners. You want the fold of the fabric to lie along the bottom edge of the frame. This is more attractive and keeps things from getting caught on your canvas. Fold the outside edge over towards the inside of the frame and staple. Repeat this for All 4 corners and trim away any excess fabric on the back when you’re finished flip it over and admire your handiwork.

Thanks for checking out this tutorial. For other ideas of fun DIY photo to fabric projects, check out this DIY photo pillow and this awesome canvas gallery wall.

Have a tip or suggestion that we left out? Let us know in the comments below!