Welcome back to the craft room and today’s Best Sublimation Kitchen Towels: Michaels vs Hobby Lobby post. I have been looking at the sublimation kitchen towels at both Michaels and Hobby Lobby for a couple of years now. I’ve often wondered which would have the best results, or if there would be any difference at all. It’s finally time to put that to the test!
Today I will be using the exact same design, sublimation paper, and heat press settings on all three towels. The only difference will be the towels themselves. Join me as we find out which one comes out on top.
Comparing Sublimation Kitchen Towels from Michaels and Hobby Lobby
For today’s comparison, I purchased two towels from Hobby Lobby and one from Michaels. Just looking at them, you can immediately see some differences. Let’s take a closer look at each one before we start pressing.
Price-wise, both towels from Hobby Lobby cost $1.99 each, while Michaels sells a two-pack for $8.99, making them about $4.50 per towel.
Hobby Lobby Waffle Weave Sublimation Kitchen Towel
The first towel we’ll look at is the Sublimation Blanks Waffle Weave Kitchen Towel from Hobby Lobby. This towel is 100% polyester and measures 18″ x 28″.
Compared to the other two towels, this one has a yellowish tint rather than a bright white color. The fabric feels very stiff to the touch and is quite thin. As you can see in the image below, the colors from the Hobby Lobby tag show through very easily.
Hobby Lobby Smooth Kitchen Towel
I also purchased the Smooth Sublimation Kitchen Towel from Hobby Lobby. This towel is also 100% polyester, but it has a completely different look and feel.
To me, this 17.875″ x 27.625″ towel feels similar to a pressed linen napkin. It is bright white and feels thicker than the waffle weave version, although you can still see the colors from the label through the fabric. I do like that the bright white color won’t affect the final colors of the sublimated design.
Make Market Waffle Weave Sublimation Kitchen Towel
Finally, we have the Make Market Waffle Weave Sublimation Kitchen Towel from Michaels. This 16″ x 24″ towel is the smallest of the three, but it also feels the most like an actual kitchen towel that could dry dishes.
It is bright white and made from a polyester and nylon blend. This towel is noticeably thicker than the other two. While you can tell the Hobby Lobby tag is underneath it, you can’t see any of the colors from the tag through the fabric.
Preparing the Sublimation Design
There are so many images I could have chosen for this test, but I absolutely love the designs in the Sunflowers Watercolour Clipart Bundle from Creative Fabrica.
After choosing one of the sunflower bouquets, I uploaded the image into Microsoft Word, which is my preferred program for printing sublimation images.
Because the three towels are different sizes, I resized the image to 5.75″ x 7″. All three designs were printed on A-Sub sublimation paper using my Epson SureColor F170 sublimation printer.
If we use the image exactly as printed, there’s a good chance the finished towel will have a visible press line from the edge of the paper. To help reduce that possibility, I ripped around the image and pulled the excess paper toward me to create a feathered edge.
The close-up image below shows how ripping the paper softens the transition between the sublimation paper and the towel. It also allows me to get much closer to the actual image, making it easier to center the design on the towel. I repeated this process for all three prints.
Sublimation Heat Press Settings for Kitchen Towels
To keep this comparison as fair as possible, all three towels were pressed using the exact same settings. For this test, I used my HTVRont Auto Heat Press so that each towel would receive consistent temperature and pressure throughout the pressing process.
Of the three towels, the Michaels Make Market towel was the only one that included pressing instructions. According to the packaging, the recommended settings are 374°F (190°C) for 60 seconds, with a warning not to exceed 400°F (204°C).
While I usually follow the manufacturer’s recommendations, I have found that sublimation blanks don’t always perform best at the suggested settings. After doing some research, I decided to press all three towels at 400°F for 60 seconds.
For this comparison, I used the following process:
- Pre-press for 10 seconds at 400°F
- Use a lint roller to remove debris from the fabric
- Secure the image with three pieces of heat-resistant tape
- Cover with white uncoated butcher paper
- Press for 60 seconds
- Remove the image immediately and use a lint roller to fluff the fibers
Sublimation Results: Michaels vs Hobby Lobby Towels
The first towel I tested was the smooth Sublimation Blanks kitchen towel from Hobby Lobby.
While it sublimated fairly well, there was still quite a bit of color left behind on the A-Sub paper. The finished image looks nice, but I think it could have been slightly darker. If more color had transferred, the fine texture of the towel might not be quite as noticeable.
The second towel was the Sublimation Blanks Waffle Weave Kitchen Towel from Hobby Lobby.
It produced a pretty image, but it also left quite a bit of ink behind on the sublimation paper. The waffle texture is much more noticeable in the finished design, and the towel’s off-white color gives the image a warmer appearance overall. That worked nicely with this sunflower design, but it could affect other projects depending on the colors used.
And today’s winner is the Make Market Waffle Weave Kitchen Towel from Michaels.
The colors are bright, vibrant, and transferred beautifully. This towel pulled the most color from the A-Sub paper, resulting in a noticeably richer image. The waffle texture is only visible in a few small areas, and even then, I mostly notice it because I’m actively looking for it.
Bonus Project: All-Over Butterfly Kitchen Towel
Since I had a second Make Market towel on hand, I decided to create an all-over design as well.
I downloaded the Watercolor Autumn Butterfly Clipart from Creative Fabrica and selected 15 butterflies. After resizing them to 2 inches in Microsoft Word, I printed them and did a little fussy cutting before taping everything in place.
To cover the entire towel, I sublimated one half first and then pressed the second half. Rather than having all the butterflies face the same direction, I rotated the layout for the second half. That way, no matter which side hangs over your oven handle, the butterflies are always right side up.
Final Thoughts: Which Sublimation Kitchen Towel Should You Buy?
Thank you so much for joining me for today’s Best Sublimation Kitchen Towels: Michaels vs Hobby Lobby comparison. This was a really interesting test.
When I purchased these towels, I had high hopes for all three because they are all made with a high percentage of polyester. It was surprising to see just how differently they performed under the same conditions.
Michaels vs Hobby Lobby Towels at a Glance
- Best Color Transfer: Michaels Make Market Waffle Weave Towel
- Best Fabric Feel: Michaels Make Market Waffle Weave Towel
- Most Affordable: Hobby Lobby Towels
- Best Overall Choice: Michaels Make Market Waffle Weave Towel
If I were purchasing sublimation kitchen towels again, I would personally choose the Make Market towel from Michaels. It produced the brightest colors, transferred the most ink, and feels the most like a functional kitchen towel.
That said, I don’t think either of the Hobby Lobby towels was a failure. Both produced attractive finished projects, and the lower price point may still make them a good option if you’re creating decorative towels rather than towels that will see regular use.
One question I still have is whether increasing the pressing time on the Hobby Lobby towels would improve the color transfer. Since I didn’t want to risk scorching the fabric, I wasn’t willing to increase the temperature beyond 400°F.
I also don’t believe pressure was the issue. Not only did I use the original pressing pad that came with my HTVRont Auto Heat Press, but I also added a silicone pressing pad underneath. Even at around $2 each, I’m not sure it’s worth purchasing additional towels just to continue testing.
Now I’d love to hear from you. Have you sublimated kitchen towels before? If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. And if you haven’t, is this a project you’d like to try?
If you are interested in sublimation, you can check out my other projects here: Sublimation Crafts.
Until then, I hope you have a wonderful week ahead and I will see you back in the craft room again soon!
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