How to Make a T-shirt Quilt

With today’s relaxed lifestyle who doesn’t have a drawer full of t-shirts? Some even collect or save t-shirts with special themes or representing certain occasions. Festivals are big here in Louisiana and every festival has their own t-shirt, so we are bound to have a few shirts from the sugar cane festival or the jazz festival, to name some. Or maybe your child or grandchild played sports and there’s a drawer full of sports jerseys somewhere. Eventually we grow out of these t-shirts but hate to part with them for sentimental reasons-why not save the memory in a soft and cuddly t-shirt quilt? Here’s the how to:

Materials Needed:

• T-shirts –the number depends on the size of the quilt
• Fusible interfacing
• Cotton fabric for the sash strips (optional) and backing
• Batting (optional)
• Scissors
• Cotton sewing thread
• Sewing Machine
• Template

Instructions:

Wash and dry the t-shirts to be used in the quilt. Do NOT use fabric softener as the interfacing will not adhere. Remove the sleeves and un-do the side seams (if any). Make a template the size you want to cut your t-shirt panel. Use clear plastic or a thin cardboard. Place the template over the t-shirt logo/ design you want to use. Cut out your t-shirt quilt block adding ˝ inch all around for the seam allowance. Cut a piece of fusible interfacing the same size. Iron the interfacing to the wrong side of the t-shirt panel following the manufacturer’s instructions. Repeat for all t-shirts to be used. Decide on design placement of your t-shirt panels. Add 2 inch sashings of 100% cotton fabric between the blocks. Add a border and anchor the corners with 2 inch square blocks. Or opt to sew the t-shirt blocks directly together without any sashings. Cut batting and backing to fit your finished quilt top. The quilt can be assembled without batting if you like. Tie or machine quilt the quilt sandwich together. There you have it.

T-shirt Quilt themes