Central Ohio Quilter

When making a t-shirt quilt, should one use the stabilizer on all of the fabric, including the sashing and borders, so that all of the fabric in the quilt is approximately the same weight? Or does one use the stabilizer only on the t-shirts since that is the only fabric that needs to be stabilized?

Do you have any favorite stabilizer to use? Or any brand that you have tried and didn't like?

Any other hints on making a t-shirt quilt you can share with me? I am about to start my first!

Thanks!

Bree123

I only stabilize the fabrics that need stabilizing. By adding a featherweight stabilizer like Pellon 911FF, you will add almost no thickness to the tees.

Be careful not to leave the iron too long in one place where you have vinyl decals or it will melt the vinyl. Have at least a couple extra tees on hand just in case. Once you've stabilized the tees, they are no longer true "knits" so you do not want to use a ballpoint needle to stitch them together. I like a Microtex needle because it is super sharp & easily able to pierce through the t-shirt & fusible interfacing.

Happy quilting!

gramajo

Check out "The Too-Cool T-shirt Quilt" by Andrea T. Funk. You do not have to use a stabilizer under the shirts, so saves you time. She also shows you how to lay out the shirts when they are not all the same size. DD made mine using this method. She has made 7 or 8 more for family/friends. She is becoming known as the T-Shirt quilt maker in our area.
Here's mine.
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ManiacQuilter2

I used Pellon featherweight interfacing only on the t-shirts to keep them from stretching. When quilting, do NOT quilt thru any of the paint on the t-shirts. You could damage your DSM.

bernamom

I do very simple t-shirt quilts. I use feather weight fusible, cut all of my shirts to 15in (that happens to be the size of my biggest square ruler) I sew them all together, add fleece backing (birthing method) Then I Stitch in the ditch using a 'fancy' stitch.