Spoonflower is revolutionizing the way you replenish your fabric stash! With Fill-A-Yard®, you can print multiple designs within one-yard or two-yard lengths. You can even print two half-yard designs in one-yard! We offer a variety of templates to customize however you like, including the ever popular Cheater Quilt!
Searching or Creating a Collection
Searching or Creating a Collection
Before starting your first Fill-A-Yard® project, you first need to create a personal collection from your favorite designs, or locate a collection created by another member of the community.
- Learn how to create a personal collection here: Collections Overview
- Locate collections from a search: Searching the Spoonflower Marketplace
Personal Collections
Once you have created your collection, hover over the person icon in the upper right hand corner of our site and link into Collections.
Alternatively, you can go through your Design Library and select the Collections option under the Show section.
Marketplace Collections
To browse for collections in our marketplace, select Collections in the search drop down menu once you have entered in the search term you are looking for.
Or, you can go directly to the Fill-A-Yard® page to Browse Collections.
How to Start
You can start a Fill-A-Yard® from within your Collections page by hovering over any collection and clicking on the Fill-A-Yard® logo, which is a small pattern square.
Or, you can go to the collection you would like to work with and then you will see a Start Designing button at the top.
Selecting a Template and Fabric
The Fill-A-Yard® page will contain the following options:
1. Collection Name (how many designs included)
You can choose a different collection or view the full collection within this option.
2. Choose a Template
We offer 6 template options. The Horizontal and Vertical Split Templates can be used for 2 designs with 1 yard of fabric (1/2 yard of each). The 1 Yard Cheater Quilt 6" Squares Template can contain up to 42 different designs. The 2 Yard Cheater Quilt 9" Squares Template can be used for up to 48 designs.
There are also project template options: Dinner Napkins (up to 12 designs) with 2 yards of fabric and Infinity Scarves (up to 4 designs) with 2 yards of fabric.
3. Choose a Fabric
The fabric option available for each template will depend on the one you have selected. Some templates do have limitations for the fabric type that can be used due to the printable width and template size.
4. Design Your Project
Once you have made all the selections above, click the Design Your Project button to continue with building your Fill-A-Yard®.
How to Design
To fill up the blank template you have selected, you will need to first select the design you would like to start working with (right hand side of the template preview). Once the highlight is visible around the design, you can start filling in any portion of the template by clicking into each space.
Keep in mind, there is not a way to customize each space of the template to have the design centered, or to change the scale and orientation. The template mimics the yardage of the design you are using. As the template can't be saved, edited, or viewed again later, it is best to finish the template in one sitting.
Once the template is finished, you can add the design to your cart with the Add to Cart button. You can also continue to shop or proceed through the check out process.
Common Issues and FAQ
▶ Can I save a finished template?
No. You cannot save a Fill-A-Yard® template to come back to later. Be sure to finish it all at once and add to your cart to purchase or to save for later. If you may need to recreate the same design later, or need to step away, be sure to take a screenshot!
▶ Why can't I see the full design in the shopping cart?
The thumbnail image in the shopping cart is only a base representation of the design you've ordered, and not the actual layout. If you're happy with the preview on the template page when you added the design to your cart, then you'll know how your design will print.
▶ Can I change the template after I've started?
It is not possible to change the basic template layout or fabric type after you have started laying out your designs. You will need to start over.
▶ Why won't the design show up in the template square?
Always be sure the design you are using is highlighted prior to clicking on a box in the template. It is not possible to click and drag a design into an empty portion of the template.
▶ Can I print 1/2-yards of fabric?
While you can't print individual half-yard pieces of fabric, you can layout out two designs to print, a half-yard each, onto one yard using the Fill-A-Yard® templates. The Cheater Quilt templates can be utilized in creative ways so that you can have small sections of multiple designs - if the same design is placed in two adjacent sections in one of the Cheater Quilt templates, it will print continuous.
See also: Our Top Tips for Making the Most of Fill-A-Yard®
See also: When A Yard is More Than A Yard