ArlaJo

I've been ask to make a T-shirt quilt and need input. I have never made one and have only a vague idea as to how to make one. I know I have to use a stablizer on the back but then do I need to use a fabric too? All the shirts are not the same size ( the picture anyway ). Can I add borders to the small ones to bring them up to size? Someone suggested that I sew the shirts to a quilting fabric and then make the blocks from that but I want the shirts to be a part of the seams. I have watched You Tube until I am really confused. I think this will be a 2 sided quilt as I have 16 shirts and the blocks are going to have to be about 13 inches to use the larger pictures. Also some I will be using the front and the back. This is not a " tomorrow" project but I do need to know where to start. May I see pictures of some you have made? Thanks

maryb119

You will cut the tee shirts at the shoulders and the side seams. Then fuse interfacing on the back. I use a light weight Pelon interfacing. I lay the tee shirt face down on a teflon pressing shirt and steam the interfacing to the wrong side of the tee shirt. Then and only then, cut the tee shirt to the size blocks you want. Yes you can add strips of fabric to make them all the same size if you want to. Tee shirt quilts are a good time to use your imagination. You can add patches and appliques and pretty much anything you want. I added a picture of the tee shirt quilt I made for my son for graduation. I will be happy to answer questions if you need help. I hope this helps. You can see the scout patches I added. I made this in 4 "strips the length of the quilt and put them together with a sashing. There are strips between the tee shirts for some stability.

Billi

Just to give you another option this is how I like to make mine shirts sewn to each other without the use of sashing. I do use light weight pellon the only thing I would do different is cut the shirts all at sizes divisible by 3. Ie 6.5 x6.5 *or 6.5x9.5 12.5x12.5. It would have made putting the puzzle together easier. . This is pieces and parts of more than 60 shirts.

ArlaJo

Thanks and I thought 16 shirts were a lot... I loke both options...

ManiacQuilter2

I would do an advance search on T-shirt quilts and look at all the t0shirt quilts that have been posted. So many interesting but simple designs. Just watch your iron from touching any of the paint on the front of the t-shirt.

ckcowl

Remember there is a difference between fusible interfacing and double sided fusible used for applique. You want lightweight interfacing which is a thin fabric ( some look like dryer sheets) that has fusible on one side. The interfacing keeps the knit fabric stable while working with it. And, instead of utube watching until your head is spinning just google T-shirt quilts images and browse the pictures for ideas/ inspiration see how others have had fun making them

meyert

I second ckcowl's suggestion .... go google and get ideas. These pictures submitted are very nice.. I have made some that look completely different. Its all in what you want

Billi

It is kind of a hot mess but it's exactly what she wanted. It belongs to my oldest daughter and the shirts date all the way back to kindergarten and through her under grad graduation. . I wanted to have it quilted but she wanted it tied and very puffy. . About a month after I finished it we were cleaning out a closet and found 12 shirts we missed arghhhhhhh I'm either going to make patches for the back or a scarf I found on Pintrest. .

maminstl

here's the one and only tshirt quilt that I've made, and was very happy with the way it turned out - not a typical approach.

SusanSusan33

I made four tshirt quilts earlier this year from my XHs shirts for the children. I used this tutorial (a QB member)>> http://www.seamstobeyouandme.com/201...for-beginners/ It was sooo easy to understand!