Everyone has a pile of t shirts that have sentimental value, you may never wear them again but you hold on to them because they remind you of where you came from and all you have been through.
Storing and keeping those t shirts can often be a pain and what good are they serving being kept in the back of your closet where nobody can see or enjoy them? Don't let them keep collecting dust in your closet or dump them off at the local goodwill store, turn them in to a few useful household items!
Did you know you can make your very own t shirt quilt that will not only preserve those memories but it will also put them out on display for everyone else to enjoy? You don't need advanced sewing skills or special equipment either. You just need a sewing machine and some t shirts to transform.
Anyone can make a t shirt quilt, it is much easier than you thought. Just follow these easy instructions and you'll be cuddling up in your t shirt quilt before you know it!
First you'll start cutting those t shirts up! Don't cringe as you do it, just remember the end product will be awesome!
Just cut out the print and designs that are special to you but try to make sure they are same sized squares from shirt to shirt. Do this for all your shirts. Remember the size squares you cut will determine the size squares in your quilt so don't be afraid to make the squares much larger than the actual design you want to save, that will leave you plenty of room for you to make it just right!
Next you should take all your squares and lay them out in the order you want them for the quilt. You can group like colors or alternate light and dark colors. This will help you determine how many blocks you'll have per row and how many rows you'll have in the quilt. Take your time when laying it all out and make sure it is exactly how you want it, don't worry if your blocks are not all the same size you can fix this later. Don't cut them to make them more even, the smaller your squares the less wiggle room you'll have when joining.
Next make piles of squares for each row you want to have, you'll join squares one edge at a time and one row at a time until all the squares are joined. Take the first row pile and begin working. Simply take 2 blocks of fabric for the first row and place them with their right sides together. Both the sections you want to display on the quilt should be together and centered against one another (this is explained in the demonstration video I made) then you will pin them together. on only one edge.
Once they are pinned together open them up so the are both right side out and check to make sure the design you ant to feature is centered and just the way you want it. You can also mark your seam allowance on the back side of the joined squares if you want. When you are sure you like how they are joined you can sew the section you just pinned.
Repeat this process until you have joined all the blocks for the 1st row. When the 1st row is complete set it aside and repeat the process for each row until all your squares have been made in to rows that are all separate.
Once you have joined all your squares together to form several rows you can begin joining the rows in the same manner you did with the squares, one edge at a time. Simply pin one row face down and upside down to another row, sew and repeat.
Note: as you join rows you can check to make sure all blocks are lining up properly and evenly. If they are not you can fix them before the joining of the rows begins. Just remember to pin sections together and check them before you sew.
Once your rows have all been joined you will start to see how the quilt is coming together. The outside edges will still be uneven and unfinished but all the rows and blocks will be joined and even.
When I made my t shirt quilt I choose to use an old sheet for the back side of my quilt. I took the quilted section, placed the sheet right side down on it. Sewed a straight stitch all the way around the outer edges. I left a small gap that was not sewn so I could turn it right side out then I hand sewed the unfinished section to complete the quilt.
You can use interfacing or batting on the back sides of the quilt to make the it more plush if you prefer. You can also trim the excess fabric from the back side of the quilt before joining the front to the back, this is not mandatory though.
Once you join the front side to the back side you'll be ready to cuddle up in your homemade t shirt quilt and show it off to all our house guests. But wait! Do you want a craft idea for all those t shirt scraps left over from the quilt? Consider making your very own braided rug next.