Can you believe Spoonflower’s very first design challenge was held almost 8 years ago? The daffodils theme challenged the Spoonflower community for the very first time and holli_zollinger’s daffodils_yellow won the hearts of the community as she took home our very first grand prize. Since then, the weekly prompts have made Thursdays our favorite day of the week (after Saturday, of course!). We can’t wait to see what designs make it into the winners’ circle during our May and June challenges.
If this is your very first challenge, don’t forget to review how to submit an entry before you get started and as always, have fun!
Elegant Holiday Limited Color Palette | Results Announced May 24
The flowers might have just started blooming at the Spoonflower HQ but we’re skipping ahead to the season of merriment and holiday cheer. Using at least two of the colors from the palette provided (#2B061E, #5A001C, #AAB5A8) and optional accents of black and white, create a repeating design inspired by a sophisticated winter dinner party. As you create your pattern, don’t forget to think about how your design could be used to complete a picturesque winter party on Roostery’s finished goods like table runners, cocktail napkins and placemats. Though you can only submit one design to this challenge, consider creating a coordinating collection to decorate an entire soirée. Color variations and colors outside of this palette will not be accepted. Entries will be previewed at the fat quarter size: 21” x 18”. Submissions close May 15 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins May 17. See official rules.
Animals by Air | Results Announced May 31
From birdwatching to beekeeping to falconry, winged creatures have always captivated us. This week’s theme will have you soaring to new design heights after creating a repeating design inspired by everything from barn owls to bats and butterflies to bees. Entries will be previewed at the fat quarter size: 21” x 18”. Submissions close May 22 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins May 24. See official rules.
Animals by Land | Results Announced June 7
Explore the wildlife that inhabits the earth all across the globe be it in the jungle, desert, mountains or plains in this week’s Animals by Land design challenge. Sometimes cute and fuzzy, most often mischievous and untamed, terrestrial creatures will caper across your canvas when you create a repeating design inspired by your land-bound critters. Entries will be previewed at the fat quarter size: 21” x 18”. Submissions close May 29 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins May 17. See official rules.
Animals of the Ocean | Results Announced June 14
From the Pacific to the Atlantic, Indian, Arctic and Southern, this week’s Animals of the Ocean design challenge is all about the sea creatures that thrive in the great wide-open waters. Whether you skim across the surface or plunge deep into the ocean’s depths, create a repeating design that highlights what you would find within the lively underwater world full of mysterious marine life. Entries will be previewed at the fat quarter size: 21” x 18”. Submissions close June 5 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins June 7. See official rules.
Bauhaus Movement | Results Announced June 21
From 1919 to 1933, the Bauhaus School was the epicenter of architecture, art and design, and is regarded as the “most influential school of all time”. Once seen as a radical way of thinking, artists behind the Bauhaus movement paved the way for modern art. The Bauhaus movement had a core style including clean geometric forms, balanced visual composition, bold typography, striking colors and a futuristic yet functional look. Using these iconic elements, create a repeating design reflective of this art form. Entries will be previewed at the fat quarter size: 21” x 18”. Submissions close June 12 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins June 14. See official rules.
Four Wheels | Results Announced June 28
This week’s challenge will have you revving up your design engines as you create a repeating surface pattern inspired by your favorite set of four wheels. Do you picture the classic cars that ruled the road on Route 66 or find yourself on the farm riding a tractor through the fields? Whether it’s tractors and trucks, convertibles or collectibles, get those design wheels turning! Entries will be previewed at the fat quarter size: 21” x 18”. Submissions close June 19 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Voting begins June 21. See official rules.
Grand Prize
One Grand Prize Winner each week will receive $200 in Spoondollars. The winner will also receive additional exposure in our email newsletters, professional photography of their printed designs, and social media mentions.
Second Place
The 2nd place winner will receive $100 in Spoondollars.
Third Place
The 3rd place winner will receive $50 in Spoondollars.
The rest of the top 10
4th through 10th place winners will receive a $20 Spoondollar credit.
All of the top 25
Each of the top 25 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.
Below please find the rules for participating in our Design Challenge.
To Enter
- Log in to Spoonflower. If you don’t have an account, create one.
- Go to your design library. If you don’t yet have any designs, upload the design you wish to enter.
- On your design library page, pull down the Action menu underneath the design you wish to enter in the contest, then select the contest you wish to enter under Enter in Contest.
- Choose the layout option for your design, then click the button that reads “Enter Contest”. If you wish to change the size/dpi of your design, you can do so using the edit option on this page.
- Be sure to wait until your entry preview fully loads, with a message confirming your contest entry, before you leave the page.
- If you decide to enter a different design or make changes, you can withdraw a design by following the same steps, then entering a new design.
- You can only have one design active in the contest at a time. Once the entry period closes, we will ‘freeze’ the submitted designs. ****If you update your design after this point, you will break the image thumbnail and voters will not be able to see your design.
Themed Design Challenge Rules (updated 10/25/2016)
- Official rules may change depending on the contest, and will always be updated on this page as they become available.
Overview. The general idea behind our Design Challenge is that each week members of the Spoonflower community choose to submit designs and we put them up for voting to determine the Design Challenge. Designs can be entered by the designer via our entry process, but each month the winning fabric is selected by community voting. The winning fabric is then promoted through our weekly email, blog, etc. as a fabric for sale. In addition to earning up to 15% on any fabric sold, the winning designer receives a unique prize that will be determined by the design challenge partners and Spoonflower.
Voting. Each week we will take fabric designs submitted by their creators to the contest and open them to voting from the community. The design with the most votes is declared the winner unless stated otherwise. One vote per person is counted. Duplicate votes are removed automatically from the totals. The full results of voting are generally posted on the blog on the day the winner is announced.
Prize. Prizes will vary based on our contest. If you receive Spoondollar credit for winning, please note that this cannot be redeemed for cash. This has no effect on the commission you earn from sales of your winning fabric through our efforts to promote the contest.
If you enter your design, we may or may not offer it to the community for possible selection as the Design Challenge. The best motivation for submitting a design is the chance to share your work with an amazing community of your peers. Please note that all submitted designs must be original and comply with the Spoonflower Terms of Service.
As of July 7, 2011, we began making all ten of the top ten designs in each competition available for sale. By entering the contest, you agree that if your design is voted in the top 10 and is marked for sale that you agree to be bound by the terms of the Seller’s Agreement and become a verified seller. Designs must remain for sale for one week after the top ten designs are announced. Designers are free to change the for-sale status of their own designs at any time after that week. Please note that designs will remain visible in our past contest archive. Should you change the for-sale status of your design, please keep the design public to keep our archive complete.
Designers who sell designs via Spoonflower are required to supply tax information by filling out a W-8BEN or a W-9 form. Spoonflower will make all top ten designs for sale on the day that the contest standing is announced. If you have not completed your tax information at this time, we will automatically select the option to withhold 30% of the Spoondollars you make from sales for tax purposes.
You can complete your tax information at any point. Once tax information is supplied, we will no longer withhold your Spoondollars. Please find instructions for completing your tax information here.
Notes:
- All submitted designs must be your own (you cannot nominate other people’s designs or use designs based upon other people’s work)
- Designs must already be in your Spoonflower account. To have a Spoonflower account, you have to have registered on the site and uploaded a design. Doing so is free, by the way.
- Designs in the contests must be public (to edit which of your designs are public, visit the Designs page in your Spoonflower account.). Please submit no more than one design for each contest. Thanks!
While we do not require that a design submitted to the contest have been purchased first (by the designer), please consider that it’s a good idea to at least see for yourself what your design looks like on fabric before entering it in a public contest. Swatches are only $5!
More Q&A
What if I don’t want my design to be purchased by other people? We will never sell or offer for voting any design without explicit permission from its creator. Making your design public on Spoonflower does NOT mean that it will appear in a Design Challenge. In order to appear in the contest you must specifically submit a design using the process described above. Note that the top ten designs in each contest will be made available for sale.
Can I submit more than one design? Please submit no more than one design for each themed contest.
Am I giving up copyright of my design by entering it? You are not giving up ownership of your design, but by entering your design in the contest you give us the non-exclusive right to make it available for sale in the Spoonflower marketplace for no less than a week per the usual terms of the Spoonflower marketplace, which give you up to 15% commission on retail sales. You will always be credited for your design and you are free to continue to sell it on your own now and in the future. After a week, you are also free to remove your winning design from the marketplace.
Please always feel free to let us know what you think by emailing us.