Thread: t-shirt fabric backing

Originally Posted by GailG

I've done both.... I've made three tee shirt quilts without fusible interfacing. Those quilts were stitched in the ditch along the sashings. One was hand stitched/tied (did both because I was just recouping from a stroke and use this as part of my therapy) on the tee shirt sections. The others were hand stitched over the tee shirts. The last one I made was done with fusible lightweight pellon. This one was so large that I had it done by a long arm quilter. It was gorgeous. I think the most important thing is to have the sashings cut to a uniform length on the straight grain of the fabric. This helps to keep the blocks squared. And sew with the sashing at the top and the tee shirt under near the feed dogs. A beginner could easily tie a tee shirt quilt.

how did you handle the fabric without the interfacing, didn't the edges curl and stretch?

I have made two tshirt quilts and used Pellon 911FF (seems to be the lightest I can find around here) on the backs of the tshirts. I cut the fronts and backs apart equally leaving each as large as possible. I then cut the Pellon larger then the blocks I want (but not quite as wide a the tshirt). Smooth the tshirt face down on the ironing surface and center the Pellon on top (fusible side down!! lol). Then I dampen a larger plain tshirt backing wringing out as much as possible and lay it on top to fully cover the Pellon. Press with a dry iron on cotton setting 10 seconds in each spot starting at one corner and overlapping. By making them oversize, you can then center the design better when you cut with the design up and it also protects your ironing surface from the fusible. Both turned out great and the recipients loved them.

[QUOTE=laurlync;5534498]I have made two tshirt quilts and used Pellon 911FF (seems to be the lightest I can find around here) on the backs of the tshirts. I cut the fronts and backs apart equally leaving each as large as possible. I then cut the Pellon larger then the blocks I want (but not quite as wide a the tshirt). Smooth the tshirt face down on the ironing surface and center the Pellon on top (fusible side down!! lol). Then I dampen a larger plain tshirt backing wringing out as much as possible and lay it on top to fully cover the Pellon. Press with a dry iron on cotton setting 10 seconds in each spot starting at one corner and overlapping. By making them oversize, you can then center the design better when you cut with the design up and it also protects your ironing surface from the fusible. Both turned out great and the recipients loved them.[/QUOTE so if the instructions on the interfacing says to use steam, you would use a damp cloth instead, and i wondered how i would get to the front to cut out the part i need, and you just cut the side seam open,!! i'm getting good ideas from you all, thank-you.