What to Do with This?
 

So, the friend that took me and my fiance to our vaccination appointment last week gave us some items from her father, who had passed away at the end of December from Covid. When we went through everything she had dropped off, we found these plaid shirts. My fiance, the 'always thinking of quilting, even when I'm not' blurted out that I should use them to make a quilt from them. After looking them over, I realized that would be a good idea, but now, I'm stuck.

My original thought was a scrappy Double Wedding Ring, but after handling the fabric, there's just not enough bias in them. I'm leaning towards an Irish Chain with a white background but wondered if anyone else is seeing a different pattern than me.

I'm also going to have to break these down carefully. Every one of them is short-sleeve so to get the most out of the fabric, I'm literally going to have to take a seam ripper to them.

Any thoughts?

The quilt is going to be for us, I asked the friend if she would like a memory quilt and she told me that she already has several quilts that she's keeping.

You might want to check the shirts for fiber content.

Some people will use "only" 100% cotton fabrics.

I prefer to have everything on/in a top or backing to be "the same" for fiber content - but that's just one of my preferences.

Also, have they been washed?

I agree with Bear to make sure all are of the same fiber content and, hopefully, 100% cotton - but that's just a preference, as she already has said.

As for patterns, if you're looking for a scrappy type look then I would take a browse through the Quilted Twins - Free Patterns site here ------> Quilted Twins FREE PATTERNS

Other sites... GE Designs by Gudrun Erla (I love her Kira pattern), Jordan Fabrics (lots of patterns/tutorials/videos to browse through and if you really want to go down the rabbit hole try this site 30+ Awesome Quilt Pattern Sites which links to tons of fabric manufacturers & designers.

Keep us posted on your progress!

I also want to see you progress on this!

There are many options out there, if you do a search on "memory quilts from shirts" you will get a lot of pictures and links back to this site!

I count shirts as 1 FQ -- the backs usually have a piece about that size in very good condition. There are the front and sleeves and pockets, too.

Blue Chambray or Oxford fabrics (both shirting types) are easy to buy as yardage. Or, if you need to fill out what you have, the thrift stores are full of more shirts, particularly basic tones. Around here, all the different stores (Goodwill, Salvation Army, Value Village) have a colored tag model where basically things only stay around for a month, and then go on a super sale price. The stores also have different days for things like Seniors or other discounts.

Como se llamo esto
 

Como se llamo esto i am from SPAIN.

I registered a lot time ago. Can i see this web without adblocer?

thanks )

I checked the tags, all but one are 100% cotton, I've pulled that one out and I'll find something else to do with it. They all have been washed.

My thought exactly. Also Bonnie has a video on youtube on de-boning a shirt.

You get bias by cutting the fabric on the bias, usually at a 45-degree angle. Most men's shirts have 2 1/2 yards in them.
They should make a lovely quilt.

I've seen photos of great men's shirts made into quilts. some with the whole front, buttons and all. Take a peek online and get more ideas that way too.

Another sight for shirting patterns is Jo's Country Junction. She uses shirts in a lot of her quilts.

You're right. That is one awesome rabbit hole, and I have bookmarked it for a all day lookhttps://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/smile.png

if all have been washed, the fabric content won't make a difference. You could try ding some truly improv piecing - check out Victoria Findlay Wolfe's "15 Minutes of Play". She does it with small odd shaped scraps but you could do the same concept with larger pieces.

Marcia Hohn has a free pattern, "Grampy's Shirts" on Quilters Cache. I just love it for the small triangles where you can add little pops of bright colors. I have it in my bucket of someday stuff, so no, I haven't made it yet and can't vouch for it.

Probably a more important criteria - can all the components be cleaned/washed the same way?

It does bother some people to mix pure cottons fabric with "blends" -

As long as one is aware of what one is doing - - -

I checked the tags again just to be sure, but they all came from the same company and can be washed the same way. Her dad took excellent care of his clothes, we found some sweaters that are probably pre-1980s and they look like they just came off of the rack. No snags, no holes, no stains, no color fade. I also knit when I can, whatever sweaters are too small, I'm going to unravel and use the yarn for something else.

See, this is why I love this forum so much and everyone that is here - all of you have asked questions that I never would have thought about in a million years. All the sites you've given me are definite rabbit holes, I'm going to have to be careful when I cruise them or I'll lose a day or two in them, lol. I certainly didn't know that most men's shirts are made with that much fabric, I've definitely got enough with these four to make a queen-size quilt!

I am a hst person when it comes to memory quilts. There is a block pattern in the Quilter Caches https://www.quilterscache.com/D/DepressionBlock.html . If you have enough fabric from your shirts this could make a nice lap quilt or throw or even larger quilt. Just something to think about.

This is a great - not so difficult to do - bock/pattern that always seems to finish so beautifully!

I've never worked with old shirts before, but I would consider applique. You could make flower petals and the middle circle with the shirts. This would give you some flexibility for background fabric as well.

Use the pockets! I made them the center of a quilt made from my 'grands' shirts. Looked cool.

Would this work for you? It is a free pattern from Marcus Fabrics:
https://marcusfabrics.com/cgi-bin/fa...?patternID=336
( I hope that it is ok to publish the pattern photo since they have given permission for its use.)
https://marcusfabrics.com/images/pro...olor_crush.jpg

What immediately comes to mind is a "Hobo Quilt." I started one years ago, but alas...it became a UFO. I don't know where it is now, but I thought it was really cute and rustic looking. There is an official pattern out there for a Hobo quilt. You might try searching online.

Oooh....I really like that! So simple, but it has lots of personality!