wildyard

Thanks for this information, I'll see what I can find on it.

patricej

i'm in the process of making a t-shirt quilt. i'm not using any stabilizer at all. i've simply spray basted the t-shirts to the batting. each block is backed with scrap muslin. since i'm stippling around the motifs, the shirts remain flat.

i'm making it up as i go along, so i have no idea yet what the final layout will be. it'll be a quilt-as-i-go. these are a few of the "blocks" so far.

once the top is cobbled together, i'm going to flip it over and use turkey tracks to fasten the pieced back. the stitches will go through the muslin and batting, but not show on the front.

SueDor

Let us know what you decided to do.

jetnica

joann's has super cheap stabilizer. I mean cheap. Like black Friday it was $1 a bolt.

I bought it to use for purses, but it is WAY to thin and flimsy. Turns out it is PERFECT for tshirt quilts. It stabailizes the shirts just enought so they don't stretch, but its so thin the shirts are still soft.

The last two tshirt quilts I made I used this cheapo stabilizer and they turned out great.

ckcowl

the fusable stablizer is just an (assistant) to help control the stretch of the t-shirts, if you are going to use cotton in the center of the quilt, using it like a foundation for your t-shirt blocks would work just like the interfacing...it is your interfacing...just without the fusable added. you could (baste) your t-shirt blocks to your sheet, or you could (window) fusable. so it is just around the edges to hold it until stitching. some sort of interfacing is needed. it does not have to be a fusable one....you could do a type of quilt as you go and (quilt) each t=shirt block to the sheet then join the fleece/flannel back pillow=case style ...and just tack in places to hold everything to gether

ktbb

my favorite stabilizer is a knit iron-on...it still allows the knits to drape well or "flow" so they're softer than the woven stabilizers when finished. The muslin being used by some posters is a stabilizer...just a sew-in one and if that gives you the feel you like, go for it. The sprays will probably wash out after the first laundry, so determine if that is a problem for use of the quilt.

I suggest that you ask the customer how much the quilt will be used. If it's only to be hung and for show, you may not need a stabilizer at all - except maybe the spray style to keep it in place while you sew it. If it will be used a lot, I encourage you to use some kind of stabilizer because even after sewing the knit fabric can and will stretch when being used and will wear away faster that way.

dakotamaid

The lite weight at Joanns is called Tricot stabilizer and it is what I use on my t shirt quilts. It also stretches so I just put it on the t shirt block with the stretch going in the opposite direction. Works great and keeps the blocks soft. My LAer has had no problems quilting these.

clem55

Pellon did have a very thin fusible interfacing that I used years ago as a backing for appliques. It kept edges from raveling, cutting designs easier, etc., and didnt add any stiffness. I think , if still available, it would work great.

featherweight

Sorry, I would not attempt to make a t-shirt quilt without some Tricot stabilizer. The shirts are hard enough to work with with stabilizer let alone not using it. I think it is a lot more work to not use it.. JMHO

Shelley

Same here!! The stretch in the t-shirts need to be controlled or you will end up with pleats and tucks.

I would also think twice about combining difficult fabrics in your top with a difficult fabric in the bottom. I'd seriously consider a really good quality flannel for the back, and go with a batting like wool. That combination will give you the 'cuddle' you seek without asking for trouble.

I have used minkie and fleece for backs, but all of those quilts had tops that were not trouble-makers, like t-shirts can be.