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jayelee 12-12-2010 06:48 AM

I was given about thirty cotton men's dress shirts for my husband but they are too big for him. Can I cut these up and make a quilt out of them. Many of them look like they have never been wore. They are a mans xl big and tall. Although dh is five eleven he only wears a large and that is a little loose so he suggested that I use them in a quilt alot of material there

amma 12-12-2010 06:50 AM

You sure can, it will be a wonderful quilt :D:D:D

pstoner 12-12-2010 06:54 AM

oh definately, and I would!!

JUNEC 12-12-2010 07:01 AM

Think they would be great.

MaryStoaks 12-12-2010 07:03 AM

Great quilt material, lucky girl! It takes a bit more time to cut but shirt fabric is very nice. :thumbup:

leatheflea 12-12-2010 07:05 AM

Sure can, I'm helping a friend put together a quilt with her husbands shirts.

Jenni M 12-12-2010 07:07 AM

You bet! I cut up vintage clothing from thrift shop even if I can only get a few squares. So If you can get a quilt out of free cotton fabric I'd go for it!

cjomomma 12-12-2010 07:09 AM

Definitely yes!!!

Tippy 12-12-2010 07:09 AM

Yep you can.. there are even patterns out there for a block that looks like a man's shirt and tie that are darling.. and there are patterns with boys and girls clothes. Or just cut into squares.. especially the larger sections.

grammy Dwynn 12-12-2010 07:10 AM

Another YES! Bonnie Hunter has a book "Scraps & Shirttales".

Maybe you LQS has the book or here is Bonnie's link;
http://quiltville.com/

FYI ~ not affiliated with Bonnie, just love her scrappy quilts. I have made a few from here site.

plainpat 12-12-2010 07:13 AM

Get to cutting :-)....They will make a great quilt or 2 & you can use them with most other fabrics if you want.


Originally Posted by jayelee
I was given about thirty cotton men's dress shirts for my husband but they are too big for him. Can I cut these up and make a quilt out of them. Many of them look like they have never been wore. They are a mans xl big and tall. Although dh is five eleven he only wears a large and that is a little loose so he suggested that I use them in a quilt alot of material there


DA Mayer 12-12-2010 07:16 AM

just add to your stash

jayelee 12-12-2010 07:43 AM

Thanks so much for everyones quick answers to my question I sure do love this board

jodimarie 12-12-2010 08:14 AM


Originally Posted by grammy Dwynn
Another YES! Bonnie Hunter has a book "Scraps & Shirttales".

Maybe you LQS has the book or here is Bonnie's link;
http://quiltville.com/

FYI ~ not affiliated with Bonnie, just love her scrappy quilts. I have made a few from here site.

***************************
totally agree with you about Bonnies site!!! I've made each and everyone one of her quilts....many more than once!! Her directions are so easy and tho she ''talks'' scrappy, her patterns also work up wonderfully with fabric controls

Enjoy the ''free fabric''.....maybe add a few dark or light solids for balance.

jodi in leavenworth

raptureready 12-12-2010 09:47 AM

Absolutely. One of my 2011 personal challenges is to make a Man Quilt out of only mens shirts that I find on garage sales and thrift stores. You can get fabric from the yokes, cuffs, sleeves, front and back---lots of yardage in 30 shirts. I'm going to design something so that I can have a rather large block every now and then. I want to put in a square here and there that still has the pocket attached. There was a picture posted here once that had clothing--uncut and sewn together to make a quilt. It looked like a really messy room but it was unique. I'm probably going to go for more of a traditional look.

Be sure and grab a baggie for the buttons--you never know when you'll want to use them for embellishing something or PIF to someone needing buttons for their projects.

jayelee 12-12-2010 11:28 AM

Great idea About five of the shirts are gorgeous colors turqoise , maroon , hunter green, red, and an autumn gold so I should be able to get a nice quilt out of them

pattypurple 12-12-2010 06:44 PM

this is a site that tells how to make a quilt from 7 men's shirts
<http://thethriftyquilter.blogspot.co...Shirts%20Quilt>

Pat

watterstide 12-13-2010 04:00 AM


Originally Posted by pattypurple
this is a site that tells how to make a quilt from 7 men's shirts
<http://thethriftyquilter.blogspot.co...Shirts%20Quilt>

Pat

http://thethriftyquilter.blogspot.co...Shirts%20Quilt

for some reason, the link would not work, so i will try it again.
if this link doesn't work, the mens quilt is listed on the right side of her blog..

calicocat 12-13-2010 04:26 AM


Originally Posted by jayelee
I was given about thirty cotton men's dress shirts for my husband but they are too big for him. Can I cut these up and make a quilt out of them. Many of them look like they have never been wore. They are a mans xl big and tall. Although dh is five eleven he only wears a large and that is a little loose so he suggested that I use them in a quilt alot of material there

bonnie hunt of quiltville.com wrote a book about it. Check out her website.

#1piecemaker 12-13-2010 04:53 AM

Go for it. Takes a little extra time but you can certainly use them.

quilt3311 12-13-2010 05:04 AM

Wow free fabric, sure you can use the shirts for quilting. I've already gotten plaid shirts from the Goodwill store for quilts. You can use the sleeves and tails etc of shirts that have been used, but lots look almost new. I cut a piece and "tear test' them. If they tear nicely I use them, if not I discard that in the rag bag.

AnnT 12-13-2010 06:08 AM

Sounds like that will make a nice quilt!

hoppyfrog 12-13-2010 06:47 AM

I've been recycling thrift store clothes for years. I even cut the pockets with about 1 to 1 1/2" of fabric on all sides. Someday I'll make a pocket quilt. I'll put sashing around each pocket then trim them all to the same size.

dixiechunk 12-13-2010 06:58 AM

Yeah, that would work. But part of me thinks a local men's shelter could put them to good use too.

unkin123 12-13-2010 07:31 AM

I recently made two quilts from old shirts from my friend who had recently died. One for his mother. I think they are going to become cherished memontos

GloBug 12-13-2010 08:47 AM

Yes they will work up wonderful. Have fun. :D

ruthieg 12-13-2010 09:39 AM

I agree with Annt. Great makings for a great quilt.

Quilt Mom 12-13-2010 10:23 AM

Shirts can yield 1 1/2 yards fabric, or more. If you choose to do a quilt from them, you will have more than one when you finish.

If you have a men's shelter near you, perhaps you could choose the shirts you want in a quilt, and share the windfall with the shelter.

MeMeX8 12-13-2010 11:17 AM


Originally Posted by Jenni M
You bet! I cut up vintage clothing from thrift shop even if I can only get a few squares. So If you can get a quilt out of free cotton fabric I'd go for it!

Jenni, have you ever been to the Scioto Ribber? They have some of the best ribs ever! I'm from Ashland and we come to Portsmouth every couple of months for dinner.

cbuchanan 12-13-2010 11:48 AM

You're lucky. I just went to the Goodwill Store recently and bought about a dz white shirts with blue pinstripes of various widths/designs. I'm mixing it with various shades of blue to make a blue and white quilt for my daughter's lake house that is done in blue and white. Just cut the two fronts, the back without the yoke and even the sleeves. Amazing how much fabric you'll get.

LAB55 12-13-2010 11:58 AM

I have used plaid flannels for squares with denim.
Clothing works great for an added POP in a scrappy quilt.

the lion 12-13-2010 12:04 PM


Originally Posted by jayelee
I was given about thirty cotton men's dress shirts for my husband but they are too big for him. Can I cut these up and make a quilt out of them. Many of them look like they have never been wore. They are a mans xl big and tall. Although dh is five eleven he only wears a large and that is a little loose so he suggested that I use them in a quilt alot of material there

If I were you, I'd find a homeless person who would have a use for some clothing & gave away some.

Rettie V. Grama 12-13-2010 01:25 PM

Yes, I would use them in a quilt. In fact I've already made several with men's shirts. Good ol' Salvation Army has loads of barely worn shirts. The percale white shirts are great for setting blocks together.

Carol J. 12-13-2010 01:38 PM

My uncle died a year ago and his daughter had my daughter make 8 small quilts from her father's shirts. One for each family member. My DD used the pockets on many of them, and has a way of folding a piece of fabric to make little shirts, used the button band and buttons on them. They were made in love and will be cherished forever by three generations of family members and still there is fabric left to make something else.
Use them up or give them away or do both, how lucky can you get?

Carol J.

ewecansew 12-13-2010 01:48 PM

Another site is www.ohfransson.com. Search for June17, 2009 for her clothesline quilts.

stitchofclass2 12-13-2010 02:46 PM

Great idea! Use them in a quilt. There isn't a better way of recycling unless you donate them to a shelter.

Olivia's Grammy 12-13-2010 03:26 PM

Years ago I used DH's out grown flannel shirts to back a blue jean quilt. All was recycled garments.

GrannyHanaDa 12-13-2010 03:47 PM

check this site out:

http://thethriftyquilter.blogspot.co...e-thrifty.html

There are several of us going to start this after the first of the year.

Good luck.

cimarron 12-13-2010 04:09 PM

COULD donate the extra ones you don't need to a ministry to folks needing clothing. That is a LOT of shirts. Maybe you don't need that many to make a quilt. Maybe some are to thin to really make up well in a quilt. Know what I mean, if they are "see-thru" your quilt's seams would show pretty bad. Anyway, just some thoughts. Blessings! <3 <3 <3

catmcclure 12-13-2010 05:09 PM


Originally Posted by jayelee
I was given about thirty cotton men's dress shirts for my husband but they are too big for him. Can I cut these up and make a quilt out of them. Many of them look like they have never been wore. They are a mans xl big and tall. Although dh is five eleven he only wears a large and that is a little loose so he suggested that I use them in a quilt alot of material there

You can use these for background (the light colored ones) for scrap quilting. They're great for that. I buy men's shirts at Goodwill all the time (Dollar day). There's about 2 to 2-1/2 yards in each of t hose shirts.


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