kastolzm

I will have to try the Tricot next time. I am using a regular cotton backing and a think batting, warm and neutral or soemthing but I don't know the specifics of it, Its about a 1/4 inch thick or so. We live in FL so we don't need a thick quilt + my parents are planning on using it for display, but I am making it so it can be used too. It does get cold here in winter.

lakekids

Here is a picture of one of the T-shirt quilts I have done. It is actually a queen size quilt.

Denise S

[QUOTE=lakekids;4790296]Here is a picture of one of the T-shirt quilts I have done. It is actually a queen size quilt.

Wow, that is one the coolest Tshirt quilts I have seen! Thanks for posting a picture. I really love the layout..definitely makes it interesting.

Isn't it hard to sew the Tshirts without a stabilizer? Isn't it stretchy when you sew? How do you manage it?

frugalfabrics

**lakekids**... did you have to graph that out before you put them together. I think I would have to use a CAD design program to figure out all those sizes and arrange them together.

It's an awesome looking quilt...something I aspire to do in one of my future t-shirt quilts.

I'm such a "color inside the lines" type of quilter...I haven't found the creativity to go beyond that yet.

par4theday

I have made 2 t-shirt quilts and I used the light weight fusible pellon. It works great. I also used some medium weight, because I could not get the light weight, and it worked great also. Both quilts are soft, and displayed on the back of sofas.

lakekids

In a way I do graph it out - using Visio. I count the number I have of each size - for example 4 pieces that are 8x12 in, 10 12x12, etc. I bought the Too-cool t-shirt book when I started. It has a form in it that you can use to keep track of the different sizes. It also contains a formula for figuring out a starting quilt size based on the number and sizes of the pieces you have cut.

In visio I draw a box representing my starting quilt size. Then I size squares/rectangles to represent the number and sizes of pieces that I have. Then I drag an drop them around the 'quilt sized' box. If there are blank spaces these are filled with fabric leftover from the T-shirts that were used in the quilt. Once I have my layout on paper. I then play with the actual pieces - trying to spread the colors out around the quilt as much as possible. I take a picture of the placement before shifiting pieces around to determine the correct color placement.

Since I also have an embroidery machine I sometimes will embroider the person's name into one of the blank pieces.

lakekids

I have been sewing since I was 10 (more than 40 years now). I figure the T-shirt wasn't backed when it was made and it isn't any more stretchy now than it was then. Since all my pieces are cut in increments of 4 inches (plus seam allowance) it is easy to 'ease in' when sewing because you know the dimensions/proportions of all the pieces. I would think it would be harder if every piece was just cut some random size - since they were never designed to fit together.

b.zang

That is really nice.
How did you figure out the piecing with blocks all over the place in different sizes?
I'm at that stage right now and going crazy trying to figure out how to place blocks.