Zazzle Fabric: More than just shirts #ZazzleFabric

The folks at Zazzle reached out to me and asked if I would do a write-up on their new Zazzle Fabrics products. It sounded like a neat thing to look into, so I accepted. Being a guy who generally does not see himself as all that crafty, I wasn't sure what to expect.

First of all, let's talk about the different types of fabrics. They have seven (7) types to choose from. I didn't even know there were 7 types, so for the other folks who are generally clueless about such things, like me, here is what's offered:

1. Combed Cotton
2. Pima Cotton
3. Cotton Twill
4. Polyester Poplin
5. Polyester Weave
6. Ivory Linen
7. Natural Linen

Their new Fabrics site, linked at the end, not only lists the different types, but they give you ideas on how to use the various kinds: quilting, clothing, decorating, upholstery, and even things like tablecloths and napkins. I had no idea people even made their own tablecloths and napkins. Well, maybe if you hadn't before, you can now. You can either choose one of their provided patterns or submit one of your own.

To me, the coolest part is that you can provide your own custom pattern. In today's age of customization and personalization, it shouldn't surprise me that you can do this, but it does. 

I took an image that I had created and used the online tool to make my own fabric pattern out of it:

The layout tool was pretty simple to use. I just selected the option to upload form my computer, found the image and then chose the pattern layout I wanted. There were a lot of options, but I settled for the one you see.

As you can see, at the time of this article, custom fabric is $22.95 per yard for the combed cotton. The fabric is 56" wide. To be honest, I have no idea how the price compares to other fabrics, but considering I cannot just go to my local fabric store (er, if there was such a thing for me, which there isn't) and tell them to print up some fabric with my design on it.

The custom designs can appear on any of the fabrics Zazzle offers in this section. Depending on which type of fabric you pick, you get varying widths at different prices. For example, the same pattern on Ivory Linen is $56.90 in a 54-inch width.

Now, for those of you that DO know what I'm talking about (What the heck is a "Fat Quarter!?"), here are some pics of the blank cloths:

Combed Cotton:

Natural Linen:

Polyester Poplin:

Here are some sample pre-existing designs:

So, if you are looking for some new material for your projects or you want a place that take YOUR pictures and patterns and make fabric out of them, check out Zazzle Fabric: www.zazzle.com/fabric

*Note: *NO* payment was promised nor received for this post.