How to Make a T-Shirt Quilt

Preserve your memories of special events with a quilt made from T-shirts. Athletic events, schools, concerts and favorite children's wear combine to provide unlimited possibilities.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pins
• Rotary cutters
• Sewing needles
• Threads
• Quilting needles
• Fabric for backing
• Quilt frame
• Scissors
• Fabrics
• Cardboard
• Sewing machine
• Rulers
• Batting
• Irons

1. Decide how large a quilt you want to make.

2. Collect, wash and dry T-shirts that contain images that you wish to include in your quilt.

3. Sort the shirts by the size of the images.

4. Add a 2 1/2-inch border to each side of the largest image. This frame will determine the size of all of the quilt squares and will allow you to figure out how many squares will fit on the quilt.

5. Make a cardboard template using the dimensions from the previous step, then cut all the T-shirts to this size.

6. Apply fusible non-stretch interfacing under each image to keep the edges from curling. Leave the interface about 2 inches larger than the fabric square.

7. Lay out all of the squares on the floor or a table so that you can see how the quilt top will look.

8. Sew each square to the next one, forming rows. Add sashing if desired.

9. Sew the rows together and add borders made of woven cotton, flannel or non-stretch fleece.

10. Cut and sew (if necessary) a durable, cotton-blend fabric or flannel backing or, if you have enough shirts, use shirts on both sides of the quilt.

11. Fill the quilt with polyester batting.

12. Finish the quilt by tying, or quilt in a hoop or quilt frame.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan your design on paper before you begin cutting.
• Incorporate small logos, pocket art and sleeve art into blocks of 2 or 4 per square. Sew the small images together or onto a fabric square of the same size as the larger ones.
• Pick a backing fabric that has little or no stretch.
• Keep your scissors sharp to prevent fraying.

[amylaine]

on 6/11/2009 Thanks for the tips, with your help and a little bit of creative thinking I made one with my kids for a gift. I posted pictures in the I did it section in the upper right hand corner on this article.

[starpenguin]

on 2/19/2008 you need to use a ballpoint needle for knits. you can find it anywhere like joann's.

[Cricket45]

on 10/16/2007 Anyone ever make a t-shirt quilt using the whole tee shirt? I just can't bear to cut them, and wondered if I can sew them on fabric backing with some sort of edging stitch, then use about a 2 inch strip between them. Think that's possible? Please email me at [e-mail]

[pmewolb]

on 12/20/2006 If you get stuck, there are plenty of companies to help you. I got all of my t-shirts pieced but used Campus Quilt (www.campusquilt.com) to do the quilting. They did a great job. Just google "t-shirt quilt" to find people who do these.

on 11/22/2005 A t-shirt quilt is most striking if you have lots of "white space" around the logos. You can't use as many t-shirts, but it won't look so cluttered and each t-shirt you use will gain added import.