T-shirt Rag Quilt problem
#1
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Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 72
T-shirt Rag Quilt problem
I hope someone has some advice for this problem. I am making a t-shirt quilt and the blocks are pretty large (19 x 19) because the t-shirts were large and the designs on them, as well. I did stabilize them and now it is time to make my sandwiches (I'm using a cotton backing and I'm debating on flannel for the middle.
I did start sewing one sandwich, with the flannel middle but my machine (Baby Lock Melody) will not sew over the t-shirt decal. It bunches up the fabric underneath and I've had to tear it out.
Next I tried doing a block w/o the flannel in the middle - same thing. I can sew up till I get to the design on the t-shirt and then I get the bunching again.
Some t-shirts have the design over the entire shirt.
Any suggestions on how I can make my sandwiches or how to sew over these decals? I changed my needle, cleaned the race and am using a longer stitch length, but no luck.
Thanks!
I did start sewing one sandwich, with the flannel middle but my machine (Baby Lock Melody) will not sew over the t-shirt decal. It bunches up the fabric underneath and I've had to tear it out.
Next I tried doing a block w/o the flannel in the middle - same thing. I can sew up till I get to the design on the t-shirt and then I get the bunching again.
Some t-shirts have the design over the entire shirt.
Any suggestions on how I can make my sandwiches or how to sew over these decals? I changed my needle, cleaned the race and am using a longer stitch length, but no luck.
Thanks!
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
Generally we do not stitch through the decals on the t-shirts, we stitch around the designs. If you feel you have to stitch through them I would use a New, Sharp needle in the smallest ( finest) size my thread would allow. Loosen the tension a bit. I don't think the layer of flannel is causing any proble!, its the rubbery substance the decals are made of.
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
The plastic-y surface of the decal is catching on the underside of your foot. Either try a Teflon foot (if you have one) or put a piece of tissue paper over the sandwich, quilt then tear the paper off. You will still be able to see thru the tissue and see the decal design.
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,538
The decals are rubbery and tend to stick and most quilt in between the decals. You can try tissue paper over top and sometimes putting scotch tape on the bottom of your foot will help it slide if you don't have a roller foot. If you are trying to FMQ through the decals, good luck.
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 72
I tried something a bit different
The tape worked. The only problem was that I really didn't want an X going through the t-shirt designs. So I decided to give something a try: I took the backing and the flannel and sewed the X on them. Then I took the t-shirt block and on the wrong side, I squiggled Aleen's ok-to-wash-it, let it set up for 3 minutes, and pressed it on to the backing/flannel block. Since I put sashing around the t-shirts, I made sure I didn't get any glue on that. Now my t-shirts are sitting to dry and it worked like a charm!
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