Tee shirt quilt top
 

My best friend just passed away after a battle with cancer,befor she became so weak she told her granddaughter they would make a quilt from all the girls sport tee shirts.(she loves sports) so tonight after church the young lady; who is a friend of my daughter ask me to help her to make this quilt top.Now I need advise, how hard is this to do? Any helpful comments will be welcomed.

T-shirt quilts aren't hard to make. Best advice I can give you is to read a few online how-to articles. Here's one link for you to check out: http://quiltbug.com/articles/Tshirt-quilts.htm

Definitely use a stabilizer on the shirts before you start putting the blocks together. It will make it easier to work with...and if you sent it to a LA'er (or quilt it yourself), they/you will find it MUCH easier to quilt.

Be sure to post pics when you've finished it :)

Christine

if my husband can make them so can you here's a new one he just made. He used the leftover back and sleeve for the sashing. you can do a search on the computer (search t-shirt quilts + tutorials or t-shirt + free pattern) you will get so much. I do the search under images that way I can see the top first. Hope this helps and good luck.

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there is something wrong, here why fusible web (like Steam a Seam or Heat n Bond) to make a T-shirt logo into an iron-on patch. I never heard this, doing this will make the quilt stiff. I have made many of these, I only use a good fusible stabilizer. This is the most important part on making a t quilt.

I have used stablizer and it makes the quilt stif and heavy. I have also made them just using starch. It keeps them stable with out the stifness after washing them and they are much lighter when sewing them together. Much perfer the last option.

Check out "How to Make a Too Cool T Shirt Quilt" by Andrea T. Funk. You do not use a stabilizer and can use different-sized logos. Here's one my DD made for me using this book. She found it on Amazon.
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With or without stabilizer a T-shirt quilt IS heavy.

Regarding stiff, well it totally depends what kind of stabilizer you use. I have used the .99 cent a yard super el cheapo stuff JoAnn's sells and it was OK. I prefer the Pellon lightweight fusible for knits. I'm sure starch, if you use enough of it or a not so diluted mix if you mix your own would also work quite well. But no matter what you will have a very heavy quilt.

I have soccer jerseys I'd like to make into a quilt. I appreciate the above comments and links. My concern is that the jerseys are not tee shirt material but a slicker fabric; would you still use cotton fabric for the sashing, etc? Thanks.

I have used both cotton and jersey in a quilt with a cotton batt. I interface with Tricot (a knit fusible interfacing I buy at JoAnns) but I have friends who have used a light weight non woven fusible with good result. Here is a picture of one of my quilts.

My first T-Shirt quilt I made with a med weight fusible to stabilize the T shirts. My quilt was a little on the heavy side. Instead of the sashing, I did the tie method. Here is a picture:

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This is the size of a lap throw and really easy.

I agree with Beth on the use of the fusible Tricot from JoAnns - just put the stretch of the tricot sideway/perpendicular to the stretch on the t-shirt material - keeps it soft and won't wear as fast.

I did my first one last year and am starting another one next week. These are for my friends GD's. It was not hard. Just make sure you get a good stabilizer for the back of the t shirts. There are lots of free patterns on line and that is how I chose mine. And remember, don't iron on the top of the t shirts. The writing or pics will smear. Good luck.

To make a tee shirt quilt, cut the whole front off a tee shirt. Then fuse a lightweight fusable interfacing to the back. Some prefer a woven interfacing, or a tricot interfacing with the knit lines going side to side and the tee shirt knit line going up and down but I prefer a light weight non woven Pelon. After the interfacing is fused on the back, then and only then, cut the tee shirts the size blocks you want then. Then, add sashing between the blocks and machine quilt it. I like to use just an overall stipple pattern to quilt it. I have made several quilt and hanve another one to make for my son's high school graduation in May. They are fun to make and they are one of a kind for the person recieveing them.

I agree that a T-Shirt is heavy to begain with, I did use a very light weight pellon and just found it to be stiff and extra heavy. (used spray starch) I didn't have to starch to heavy and it worked just find. Saying this I am an experenced sewer. So that may make a difference also.

I just finished a quilt for my oldest DG...I used Pellon fusible featherweight to iron on the backs...this was my first t-shirt quilt..I have the other DG. 's started got all the blocks shadowed and ready start filling in around them...Missouri Quilt Co..has the fusible for $2.50 a yd...hope this helps..[ATTACH=CONFIG]392842[/ATTACH]

Here is the completed tee shirt quilt & the recipient, my nephew. It was a big hit for his graduation party and really was fun to design & make!

Curly, you did a great job! And the best part? that GRIN! well done...

I have made two of them, quite large. Use a lightweight stabilizer and cut out all the squares before you start. I actually found it more helpful to put the t shirt on the stabilizer and then cut into the size I wanted. It is easier to cut the t shirt this way. Otherwise, the edges curl up. Good luck.