t-shirt quilt help
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,168
T-shirt quilts are a set of skills and talents all unto themselves. Some people love them and are awesome -- I try to avoid making them, but have because they are a great gift.
Currently, people are using t-shirts for mask making (you can make ties by cutting rounds from t-shirts), but in general, other than the logo or pocket or whatever you are keeping from the shirts, they are mostly just scrap.
The big thing is in preparing to turn your shirts into fabric, and not be concerned about what is left but what you want to use. I like to keep the shirt whole until I put on a massively oversized piece of fusible interfacing, only then do I subcut it down. The way I work, not only are the shirts 75% or more waste, but I probably cut away/trash almost as much interfacing as I use.
Currently, people are using t-shirts for mask making (you can make ties by cutting rounds from t-shirts), but in general, other than the logo or pocket or whatever you are keeping from the shirts, they are mostly just scrap.
The big thing is in preparing to turn your shirts into fabric, and not be concerned about what is left but what you want to use. I like to keep the shirt whole until I put on a massively oversized piece of fusible interfacing, only then do I subcut it down. The way I work, not only are the shirts 75% or more waste, but I probably cut away/trash almost as much interfacing as I use.
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 3,111
I have used the left over pieces (backs, sleeves, ect..) for the border. Sometimes I have enough to make the border all one color and sometimes the border is scrappy with different colors. Sometimes I don't use the left overs for borders - not enough or things don't look right. (I end up using regular quilting cotton for borders) If I can't use them for borders I usually just pitch the left overs
I would just go to YouTube and search making tshirts quilts. there are as many different opinions on how to make a quilt as there are people making them. You can pick up a little from several videos and use what makes you comfortable
I would just go to YouTube and search making tshirts quilts. there are as many different opinions on how to make a quilt as there are people making them. You can pick up a little from several videos and use what makes you comfortable
Last edited by meyert; 07-08-2020 at 06:44 AM.
#6
I've made several t-shirt quilts. I save the "scraps" for rags. I'm a retired elementary math teacher, and I still love to teach. I'll create a tutorial in the proper forum: tutorials. I started out making a border for each panel, but now I prefer putting the panels together like a jigsaw puzzle. Furthermore, the last 2 t-shirt quilts were backed with super soft minky. I didn't use batting because the bag of minky fabric was so heavy, I thought the quilt would end up super heavy if I uses batting also. Here is a pic of my cousin's graduation quilt.
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Maumee, OH
Posts: 291
I have used the scraps for cornerstones in tee-shirt quilts, but have also interfaced the backs, cut them into squares, and used them to back the quilts without lattice. This makes a very heavy quilt which my grandsons both prefer.
Last edited by MsHeirloom; 07-10-2020 at 07:54 AM.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: wisconsin
Posts: 489
Very nice quilts, all. MsHeirloom,the quilts are gorgeous and a great looking grandson too. I made a t-shirt quilt for my daughter(I haven't figured out how to post pics) I used her late husbands warm up pants with logo going down on both sides of pants for borders, it turned out really nice.
Last edited by laurilli; 07-11-2020 at 09:18 PM. Reason: add comment