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Sunday, April 12, 2015

Spoonflower custom-printed fabric review

Spoonflower printed fabric, new vs. worn
Spoonflower printed fabric: original swatch on left, 3 months use on right
For Christmas this year, I wanted to make a Dr. Who pillowcase for an avid fan. However, I couldn't find any licensed fabric. After some research, I found several threads referring people to Spoonflower, a website where you can order custom printed fabric, wall paper and gift wrap.  Many users have uploaded opensource designs inspired by The Doctor, which are available for anyone to order.

I happily ordered one yard of the higher quality cotton. Overall, I only have good things to say about the ordering process and delivery times. My package came in the mail several weeks later with a nice handwritten note thanking me for my order.

One yard was just enough to make a pillowcase and a matching sleep mask. There was some shrinkage, so make sure you wash and dry your cotton before sewing!

The pillowcase has been in regular use since January (3 months to date), and is washed once per week. For comparison, I matched up a leftover fabric scrap to the worn pillowcase. As you can see, there has been - in my opinion - above average fading.

Edit: After some more research, it appears the fading is to be expected. And probably my own fault.

"For best results, we recommend washing these fabrics with phosphate free detergent in cool or warm water using a gentle or delicate machine cycle. We also suggest washing before use.
 
Some fading as a result of cleaning is typical for these fabrics. This is most notable on darker shades. Front loading washers contribute to color loss due to the increased tumbling action during cleaning. Fading can be minimized through use of cool wash settings and gentle wash cycles."
 
- From the Spoonflower blog, "How to care for your Spoonflower fabrics."
 
I wash my sheets and towels together in a normal cycle using warm water and have a front loading washer. Also, the Dr. Who print was dark, with most of the background black or navy blue. Well then, use me as the example: if you do everything they tell you not to do, at worst you can expect the fabric to fade as much as mine has.

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