For years we’ve been buying Adam t-shirts when we’re traveling and come across a Hard Rock Cafe and we picked one up for him in Jamaica earlier this month.
I promised him I’d make a t-shirt quilt from them “one day” and I’ve had a bunch of them for a while (at least 4+ years!) so obviously Adam is a pretty patient person but he did bring it up when he was here a few weeks ago and Chris got his map quilt so I guess it’s time to actually make the quilt.
First I looked online for ideas (Google t-shirt quilts) and we agreed on a layout. Then it was time to go through the shirts I had and line them up in rows. I’ve done some quick math to get a general idea of the quilt size but I’ll have to get more detailed before I cut the shirts to the size I need to make sure each row comes out to the same length. The shirt blocks will be framed and then sashed.
Today, I got all the shirts washed and trimmed off the sleeves and backs. Tomorrow, I’m going to go to Joann’s to buy the non-woven fusible interfacing I need and then I’ll be working on this project in the coming months … I don’t like tight deadlines so I told him not to expect it before his next visit in July!
I have made two t-shirt quilts. Not my favorite because of the prep work involved but they turned out great. My daughter and granddaughter who I made them for loved them. Your knitted hat was very pretty. You make it seem so easy. I guess I need to learn how to knit in the round. I might be able to do that. It seems like a quick project and I have kids and grandkids who always need winter hats.
It’s a great deal if work to make these shirts. I hope to never make one. I once was handed about 200 bags from Crown Royal whiskey and asked to make a quilt from them. Wow, what a job. The quilt turned out gorgeous but I will never do that again. Good luck.
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Hadn’t intended to make one – ever, but my son requested one for his very special friend. Of course, the friend wanted king-size. Hubby has quilted a lot of them for others and has made one for himself. He starched his shirts instead of using interfacing. Worked well. So I roughly trimmed my shirts, liberally sprayed the wrong sides and then cut, using the June Taylor t-shirt transformation ruler. If I ever make another, I will starch and dust off that fabulous ruler! The only way I would consider it. But I’m not considering it
I haven’t done a T-shirt quilt yet, but I have done totes. Some day I’ll come across the plastic tote that I have t-shirts stored in and the mood to make a T-shirt quilt will hit me.
xx, Carol
He will enjoy this quilt.. I’ve never done a T-shirt quilt. My younger daughter gave me a stack of t-shirts from basketball to make one for her. But it didn’t happen because the shirts she gave me were the ones she had worn for practice all through high school and were torn, stained, and generally good for cleaning rags. LOL!
Hi Mary! I have a Harley Davidson t-shirt quilt to make, and just took all of them out of the tote they were stored in. I hope you share your process with us as you move through each step. I’ll try and do the same! ~smile~ Roseanne
Can’t wait to see your progress. I have been asked to make one, first time for everything!! After 25+ years of quilting, this will be a new experience for me!!
This is going to be a neat quilt! No pressure, but I can’t wait to see the finished product.
Please share your experiences with this quilt. I have been collecting leukemia/cancer shirts from my gray nephew’s journey with leukemia. Parker was diagnosed at 22 months in 2016. He underwent treatments and came home Christmas Eve that year. Exactly a year later he relapsed. This time he had to undergo a bone marrow transplant and amazingly, his brother wh is only 16 months older, was a 100% match! That happened in October of 2017 and he celebrated his one year new birth in October of 2018. Each checkup so far has been excellent. At his most recent checkup, the head of pediatric leukemia stopped in and told them how very fortunate we were to have a normal little boy. And each time you see the “wave” during the Iowa Hawkeye games, know that our super hero was one of the first at the new Steed Children’s Hospital in Iowa City cheering on the Hawks and his personal hero Josey Jewel.
This quilt will be a labor of love. It’s SUCH a process!! Also such a rewarding one, as they are always loved.
Hi, I made a Hard Rock shirt quilt for my daughter from her collection. I laid them in columns with sashing in between the columns. I used a variety of black and white prints to space the shirts out, as they were all the same width (12.5 inches) but were of different heights. If I can find a photo I’ll send it to you. It was a fun one to do. Oh, if you know someone with a commercial t-shirt press (like they use at stores where you pick the design and they iron it to your shirt) that makes the fusing go extremely fast. Only 12 seconds per shirt as opposed to hand ironing the fusible. I’ve done it both ways and the commercial press is the way to go for speed. Good luck!
I just did 2 tshirt quilts, one is gifted, the other one waiting to go to the quilters. My quilter is a good friend, so we do it together, she on one side of the machine, me on the other. This one is huge, she brought a lot of her deceased husband’s shirts and I used most of them. It got so heavy. We will put just a light batting in it and I have Cubs flannel for the back. And I love the butterfly quilt. Pet Finn for me.