Tee shirt quilt
03-17-2020, 03:53 AM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,535
The reason you use fusible on the back of T shirt blocks is so they don’t stretch when you sew them together. You can just sew them without but it but it will be tricky. If you have a serger, you could serge them together like any knit fabric. You could also sash them with regular quilting cotton to limit the edges stretching if you you use tons of straight pins.
03-17-2020, 05:11 PM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
T-shirts quilts became the bane of my quilting life when I started making them for others, post-retirement! I started first cutting the logos out of the shirts(front or back)with at least 4" extra (more if I'm doing multi-size blocks using pocket sized logos, etc).
I suggest you either use graph paper or a computer design program like EQ8 to plan a multi-size blocks quilts before you start cutting so you know how they will fit. If you have some pocket-sized logos you can sometimes applique them onto a related shirt. If you don't to bother with work of the multi-size blocks, try to find t-shirts that the logos are either same or multiples of your largest blocks (i.e. all 14" blocks. Or some 12" and some 6" blocks in same quilt)
2nd I apply the fuseable--favorite is Pellon ShapeFlex and 2nd is Pellon 911FF or similar. I then trim these down to the size that I plan to use to piece.
While piecing the blocks/sashings I work in either rows or columns to avoid Y seams.
Quilting is difficult when you have 2 layers of t-shirts and fuseables and batting to go through by hand or machine. If you do decide to use t-shirts on the back, I suggest you tie the quilt instead of either hand or machine quilting. Good luck--fun memoirs!
I suggest you either use graph paper or a computer design program like EQ8 to plan a multi-size blocks quilts before you start cutting so you know how they will fit. If you have some pocket-sized logos you can sometimes applique them onto a related shirt. If you don't to bother with work of the multi-size blocks, try to find t-shirts that the logos are either same or multiples of your largest blocks (i.e. all 14" blocks. Or some 12" and some 6" blocks in same quilt)
2nd I apply the fuseable--favorite is Pellon ShapeFlex and 2nd is Pellon 911FF or similar. I then trim these down to the size that I plan to use to piece.
While piecing the blocks/sashings I work in either rows or columns to avoid Y seams.
Quilting is difficult when you have 2 layers of t-shirts and fuseables and batting to go through by hand or machine. If you do decide to use t-shirts on the back, I suggest you tie the quilt instead of either hand or machine quilting. Good luck--fun memoirs!
03-17-2020, 05:31 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pikesville, MD
Posts: 720
I made a t-shirt quilt using the fronts of the shirts for the front and the backs for the back. It came out great. Of course I stabilized all the t-shirts, and I even used small leftover pieces of the shirts for fillers, and borders. I used a thin batting, and it turned out to be a very heavy quilt. My grandson loves it! I had no trouble machine quilting it, except for the rubbery logos on the shirts which I learned (from this board) to quilt using tissue paper so that the presser foot didn't stick.
03-18-2020, 09:06 AM
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Waterford Michigan
Posts: 7,241
I don't see why you can't use them on front and back as long as they are well stabilized on the pieces you are using.I would include stabilizing the sashing on both sides with this just to insure there is not any movement. This would make the quilting easier. I don't know about LA quilting both sides. FMQ if the quilt is basted with Elmer's Washable School Glue should hold in in position while you quilt.
