Need Advice/Suggestions for T-shirt quilt
 

I’m making my first t-shirt memory quilt, for someone who is graduating from high school in 2 months. I’ve always rented a machine quilter and quilted my quilts in the past. Because this is made from t-shirts, I had planned to only sew in the borders – maybe stitch in the ditch on both sides, then maybe once in the middle of the border, so there would be 3 rows? My question is – will this work? The t-shirt blocks are 14”, or 13.5” after sewn. Is that too much space to have without any stitching? If so, what suggestions do you have to quilt this, without taking away from the shirts? Here is a pic of what I have done so far – 3 rows of 6.

You need to quilt some inside the blocks or your batting will bunch up after a few washings. How about a larger, meandering stitch inside the blocks or follow what you have inside some of the blocks -- like outline the football several times larger and larger, do the same on the circles (baseballs, basketballs, etc), quilt the '2012' in several places, etc...?

Thanks for the response, I appreciate it. I was afraid that I'd have to hand-sew some - I am SO SLOW at doing that! But, I want it to be good quality.

Sorry - I have one more question. What color thread would you recommend that I use for inside the t-shirt blocks? The color to match the shirt (which wouldn't match the maroon back), or use maroon thread to match the back, but wouldn't match the t-shirt?

I would match the background with the same color thread.

Yeah, if you DO do quilting on the t-shirts, do not plan to do much. I did one a few months ago, and my thread kept breaking on the t-shirt part. MADDENING!

Why don't you use invisible thread on the top and on the back you could use the maroon thread to match. Then you won't have to change the top thread each time the t-shirt color changes.

I think I would just do some "echoing" around the outsides of the figures/letters/pictures in each block. I would match the thread to the color of the background to do the echoing. Please show us again after you're finished! :)

I made a T-shirt quilt that some blocks were 14 some up to 17". We did an all over design for quilting it and it turned out wonderful. The neice that received the quilt for her graduation from HS is graduating from college and going on to Grad school. The quilt is still going strong and shes used it all 4 years and says it will be on her bed at the next apt. I know your quilt will be loved. :thumbup:

If you are doing it on a longarm you can do a meandering, with outlining or shadowing around the main design inside the t-shirts. Thread - either invisible or top thread to match the shirts, and maroon to match the back, but watch your tension so that either color doesn't show on the opposite side.
Your main goal in a t-shirt quilt is to show off the t-shirts and not the quilting, while holding the quilt together and enough stitches so it doesn't bunch.
Have fun. It looks good so far.

Phyllis
QuiltingGrannie
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