We all have those t shirts that we just can’t get rid of. They may be old, ratty or don’t fit anymore but we hold onto them because we like them or they have memories attached to them. I have an old high school shirt, and shirts that friends and I made when we were teenagers, that I just can’t seem to let go. My aunt recently suggested making a t shirt quilt with them, which I thought was a great idea! Making t shirt quilts is a great way turn those t shirts into a memory keepsake, that will create space in your dresser drawers.
What You Need
First thing you need is a sewing machine, or a needle to sew with if you are able to sew by hand. Also grab all the t shirts you want to use in the quilt, or quilts if you have a lot of t shirts. Other materials you’ll need are interfacing, batting, thread and cotton fabric.
Interfacing will be used on the backside of the t shirt parts of the quilt to make it more rigid and to make the t shirt fabric non-stretchy to make it easier to sew. You’ll want to look for a lightweight, fusible interfacing. Batting is what will go on the inside of the quilt, it’s like a solid layer of the stuffing used in pillows. It’s easier to work with and you don’t have to worry about it clumping in areas like in home-made pillows. The cotton fabric will be used to make the back of the quilt, if you’re not making reversible t shirt quilts, as well as for the quilt border. It can also be used in sashing, which is using strips of fabric in-between all of the t shirts, kind like a frame for them.
If you’re unsure what to get or how much to get, ask someone at a local fabric store. They know a lot about the products in their store and what would work best for your projects.
How To Make T Shirt Quilts
The first thing you have to do is create the blocks that will be sewn together. There are many patterns available online that you can use to create a variety of blocks using your t shirts and cotton fabric, or you can just us the t shirts. For just using t shirts, cut the t shirts into equal sized squares, or just into square or rectangular shapes to make a less uniform looking quilt.
After cutting out the blocks, decide the placement of your t shirts and pin together where you are going to sew. When you start sewing, start by creating horizontal or vertical rows first. After creating all of the rows, sew the rows together and add the border, if you choose to do so.
Now it’s time to finish the quilt! To add the back to the quilt, we have to layer the pieces and then sew them together. First take the t shirt part we just made lay it right side UP, so the side with the t shirt patterns faces up. Then take the fabric for the back of the quilt and put it on top of the t shirt side, except put this piece face DOWN. The the right sides should be facing each other. The take the batting and put it on top of the two pieces. Sew three of the four sides, then trim the batting close to the seams you just sewed, but do NOT trim any fabric. Then you take the quilt and turn it right side out and sew the last side. Your quilt is now ready to enjoy!
T Shirt Quilt from tutorial on whiletheysnooze.blogspot.com
Making t shirt quilts is a great way to create a keepsake that you can use, out of t shirts you can’t seem to get rid of that take up all the space in your closet. I’d love to know how your t shirt quilts came out! Send me pictures or tell me about them.
Here are some other resources to help you with your t shirt quilts:
Learn How to Make Quilt Backing
DIY Basic T-SHIRT QUILT Tutorial- Part 1
Basic T-Shirt Quilt Instructions
How to make T-shirt quilts pg 1 of 5
Happy quilting!