Sublimating wind spinners is super easy and are perfect for adding a personalized touch to your outdoor decor. I’m excited to walk you through the entire process, from selecting your design to pressing your final product. Whether you’re creating holiday-themed spinners or just want to add a splash of color to your garden, this tutorial is for you. Let’s get started!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links, at no additional cost to you.

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How to Sublimate Wind Spinners

Materials You’ll Need:

• Wind spinners (8 inches wide is recommended)
• Sublimation printer (e.g., Epson F170)
• Sublimation paper
• Heat-resistant tape
• Heat press (set to 356°F)
• Canva (for designing)
• Creative Fabrica (for design selection)

I created a step by step video below:

Step 1: Choose Your Design from Creative Fabrica

When it comes to finding the perfect design for your wind spinner, Creative Fabrica is a fantastic resource. For this tutorial, I opted for a Christmas-themed stained glass design for this tutorial, but you can choose any theme that suits your style.

1. Visit Creative Fabrica and type “Christmas stained glass” into the search bar. Browse through the available designs and select the ones you like.
2. Additionally, Creative Fabrica offers ready-made sublimation files specifically for wind spinners. Simply search for “wind spinners” in the search bar to find options. Keep in mind that some of these designs may not fit your specific wind spinner, so you might need to make adjustments.

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Step 2: Design Your Wind Spinner Using Canva

After selecting your design, it’s time to create the template in Canva. This step is crucial for ensuring your design fits perfectly on your wind spinner.

1. Open Canva and create a new design with dimensions 8.25 inches by 8.25 inches. This will give you a canvas that fits well on an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of sublimation paper.
2. Upload your chosen design to Canva. Insert the design onto the canvas, making it as large as possible while keeping it centered.

Adding Circular Frames

3. To ensure your design is centered on the wind spinner, you’ll want to use circular frames. Measure the center of your wind spinner; for this tutorial, we used a 6-inch diameter. Insert a circular frame into your Canva project and size it to 6 inches.
4. Place your chosen design inside the circular frame. This will be the main image on your wind spinner.
5. Next, duplicate the circular frame and slightly enlarge each one to create layers behind the center image. Ensure that each circle is perfectly centered and that the layers are correctly aligned. This layered effect will give your wind spinner a visually appealing look once it’s sublimated.
6. Repeat this process as many times as necessary until you’re satisfied with the layering effect.

Creating the Other Side

7. Once you’re happy with the design, you can choose to either duplicate the page to have the same image on both sides or create a new design for the reverse side. For this tutorial, I chose to use a different design for the back. Follow the same steps to replace the design within the circular frames on the second page.

Step 3: Download and Print Your Design

Once your design is finalized, it’s time to download and print it.

1. Download the design from Canva in your preferred format. I recommend downloading it as a PDF for the best print quality, but you can also use PNG or JPEG if you prefer.
2. Open the downloaded file in Adobe Acrobat (or your preferred PDF viewer). Set up your sublimation printer (I used the Epson F170) according to the printer’s instructions. Print your design on sublimation paper, ensuring that your printer settings are optimized for sublimation printing.

Step 4: Prepare and Press Your Wind Spinner

With your design printed, it’s time to sublimate it onto the wind spinner.

1. Begin by removing the protective sheet from both sides of your wind spinner. This is an important step to ensure the sublimation ink adheres properly to the spinner’s surface.
2. Center the wind spinner on your design. Once it’s perfectly aligned, place the other side of your printed design on top, creating a “sandwich” with the wind spinner in the middle. Secure both sheets of paper to the wind spinner using heat-resistant tape.

Heat Press Settings

3. Preheat your heat press to 356°F and set the timer for 240 seconds. Place the wind spinner “sandwich” in the press and close the press. Ensure that the pressure is set correctly to avoid uneven sublimation.
4. Once the timer goes off, carefully remove the wind spinner from the press. Be cautious, as the spinner will be extremely hot. Allow it to cool for a few moments before handling.

Step 5: Reveal Your Sublimated Wind Spinner

After the wind spinner has cooled, gently remove the sublimation paper to reveal your vibrant, fully sublimated design. If you followed all the steps carefully, both sides of the spinner should be evenly colored and vibrant.

Tips for Success:

• If you’re making multiple wind spinners, you can prepare the next one while the first one is pressing.
• Ensure your heat press settings are accurate to avoid issues with the sublimation process.
• Be patient when layering designs in Canva; precise alignment is key to a professional-looking spinner.

I hope you found this this step-by-step guide helpful for you to create beautiful, custom wind spinners that reflect your personal style or celebrate a special occasion, too!

If you have any questions about the process or encounter any issues, feel free to drop a comment below.

Happy crafting!

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