T-Shirt Quilt Finished

This quilt is finally done and in the mail. Wow. It's taken longer than any other t-shirt quilt I've made. {Guess I'm out of practice.}

She wanted many t-shirts incorporated. They each represent an important memory. After choosing the twelve main blocks she then selected 20 pocket logos for posts. Did you notice the lower left block is actually two t-shirts sewn together?

Megan t-shirt quilt

Text bites and images from  the remaining shirts and leftovers from shirts already used were scattered across the surface and machine appliqued with matching thread or invisible nylon. These are usually placed in bare areas of the larger blocks and extend into the sashing. Two of them are actual pockets cut so the pocket still works. With so many layers, both sewing and quilting must be slow and careful.

And look at the binding. It's an older 30's reproduction plaid on point that I loved but never used. I think it goes very well with both front and back. Who'd have thought? {I love mixing styles unexpectedly.}

Megan's t-shirt quilt, detail of binding,
backing and free-motion quilting

 Quilting the border seemed daunting originally. How would I highlight the huge circles. I worried too much. It's a combination of spirals with echos to get to a new area. I used purple thread. The pink and blue threads were too severe on alternate colors. Purple blends pink and blue; perhaps that's why it worked here.

Border folded to half circle

We considered cutting the binding at half and three-quarters of the circles by the simple expedient of folding the border back.

Border folded to 3/4 of the circles

The half circles may be my favorite but overall, the border seems too narrow for the quilt. The partial circle is neither here nor there.

Quilt Details

Size: 77" x 96"

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Various cotton, Metler neon polyester, YLI invisible nylon

Quilting: Walking foot and free motion on a domestic machine

Enjoy the day,
Ann

Free Motion Quilting Designs

The narrow frame around the t-shirts needs quilting designs so I decided to practice a different one in each. The stitching doesn't show much from the front so these photos are from the back. I'm not sure it's any more visible.

These easier ones started it off: loops, hearts, Greek key, and leafy vine.

First set of linear free motion quilting designs

There are also some s-curves and circles on the black fabrics. Then I was running out of ideas but remembered Lori Kennedy's blog. I chose to attempt {with varying amounts of success} mistletoe, daisies (with too many petals), basic bow, and paper clip (which looks more like a spiral.)

Second  set of linear free motion quilting designs

This was a good place to try out so many different designs. None of them really show but I entertained myself. Now to finish the wide red sashing and the outer border.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Progress on the T-Shirt Quilt

Although I haven't written about it for a couple of weeks I'm still working on the t-shirt quilt. Of these three backs, M chose the zigzag pattern. (Pink is her favorite color - as if you couldn't tell.)

Three possible quilt backs

Next step is to pin baste - probably my least favorite part. As usual this involves moving folding tables, digging out pins and clamps, pressing front and back and letting the batting relax. It's so tightly cramped in the bags there are lots of creases.

My tables are long but narrow so I move the quilt package several times while basting. I used to pin on the floor but can't do that anymore. Weird late night colors.

Pinning the quilt

Then I ditch stitched the seam lines. I worry that the mixture of knit and woven may cause the seams to ravel. Also it helps consolidate smaller sections to quilt.

Now to fill it all in.

Enjoy the day, Ann

T-shirt Quilt Top Finished

There wasn't a single fabric that could frame all the t-shirts so I used a variety. Although each post is a pocket label - twenty of them - there were still more. They are scattered across the top along with other sections from the shirts.

Center of t-shirt quilt sewed

Then I sewed the border. I cut the fabric to include the entire circle but am considering cutting it partway off. I just need to maintain the proportion of the overall quilt.

Partial view of t-shirt quilt with borders

My tenure as program chair is finished but still looking forward to Lisa Boni's lecture and workshop next week. I plan to make several Christmas presents using her design to decorate Altoid tin boxes.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Starting Another T-Shirt Quilt

The desire for t-shirt quilts never dies. A friend wants one from her college shirts and I finally have time to start. Because her college and sorority colors are cardinal red and black or white I first pulled the two fabrics on the left. Although I like the multi-colored floral, it dies against black so the heart-printed paisley will be the sashing.

Sashing fabric possibilities on the left.
Border, sash, frame choices on the right.

M. has so many pocket t-shirt prints I decided to use them as posts. They all finished 4-inches. That meant the sashing had to be wider than normal {for me.} And that caused the shirts to start fading into all that sashing. So I added a frame around the shirts. Problem solved.

The blue circles create a fun border.

Preliminary layout for this t-shirt quilt

Coming along!

We travelled through Phoenix recently and had time to visit a small National Park Service museum at their airport. Now I want to see more of Arizona's stunning parks and monuments.

Among the artifacts was this cast of Smilosuchus gregorii, the top aquatic predator of his day (220-230 mya.) Just as impressive to me was the woven textile by Walnut Canyon cliff dwellers in the 1100s. So intriguing to see some of their pottery designs woven into this piece.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Vintage T-Shirt Quilt

We are traveling again, more family time. One unexpected advantage is the opportunity to see some older family quilts as well as some from my distant past. :-)

T-Shirt quilt front

While my son was in college I finally finished his high school t- shirt quilt. There were two reasons it took so long.

1. My previous t-shirt quilts were made for girls. It took a while to figure out "fun and masculine."
2. I couldn't choose a back.

During a cleaning fit I found the perfect back. When my kiddos were young they glued appliqué tops while I was at a meeting. Of course they used what they liked best {my favorites} and cut everything from the middle of each piece. They were so proud of their artwork who could be upset?

I learned a valuable lesson: DON'T SAVE THE GOOD STUFF. Really. Our work looks better with the best.

Here's the back. Always my favorite. He added inked details on the basketball and skateboard wheels. He did a great job freehand cutting his name. How did he keep the letters so consistently sized as he changed fabric for each letter?

T-shirt quilt back.
Applique glued by son in elementary school.

Now for a bit of geology. This view might look like snow, but it's diorite (a type of igneous rock.) The smooth surfaces and sharp peaks show where glaciers moved through Yosemite.  There's almost no soil here but trees find a way to grow in every crack.

Yosemite from Olmstead Point

Tuolumne Meadow is filled with soil where retreating glaciers dropped their loads.

Glacial till fills Tuolumne Meadow

I found this photo of Mono Lake from my last overflight. It's almost circular. The old shorelines show how the water's dropped since the 1960s.

Aerial view of Mono Lake

Enjoy the day, Ann

It's Even Better to Finish Quilts for Young Friends

Two easy finishes! Both the t-shirt quilts are done and gifted.

Baseball t-shirt quilt

Because each shirt was cut to the size of the printing on it, there were some "shortages" when it came time to sew them together. Those areas were filled with t-shirt tails. The green square printed 2006-2007 in the quilt below was short on two sides. Those two tails are very successful {in my opinion.}

Black and white t-shirt quilt

A meandering pattern was the easiest way to avoid the "rubbery" parts of the t-shirts. (Poking needle holes in the rubber just makes it peel off.)

Baseball t-shirt quilt detail

Even the bindings came from stash. {Keep that fabric moving, is my motto.} The lengthwise stripe on the baseball quilt was very easy; just cut WOFs. The zigzag ran WOF so I cut binding lengthwise on a half-yard. Many joinings. Barely enough to bind the quilt. But worth it to me.

Striped binding on two t-shirt quilts

However, the level of my stash has not been noticeably reduced. Doggone it.

Enjoy the day,

Ann

It's Good to Have Young Friends: Thoughts on Improv Quilts and Over Dyeing

We have two darling young neighbors in Houston. Guess what they wanted? Yes, t-shirt quilts. All the shirts are interfaced and cut using a ruler. They belong to someone else so I'm trying to be careful. But I plan to piece them improvisationally using only my stash.

In the past, I cut or sewed the shirts to a uniform size, sashed them, and created a grid. This time each was cut to the size of the printed design, then arranged randomly. I'm  estimating the space between two shirts, cutting strips of fabric about three-fourths that width, then sewing them to a t-shirt. The widths range from two to four inches. Some will be cut down further to fit together but I want room to maneuver since there's no pattern.

Baseball t-shirt in progress.
Each shirt will be sashed a different width.

One neighbor plays baseball. The other favors black. I've pulled every bit of fabric that meets either of those requirements and there is plenty to make the quilts.

Original layout for the future black and white t-shirt quilt.

It occurs to me this is roughly similar to Kaja's simple shape - I'm using a square like she did. (Of course, the t-shirts are a coloring book compared to her sophisticated masterpiece.) Mine are large; the printed designs are the centerpiece. Hers are much smaller; she created her squares from two smaller pieces. You could use large scale prints or novelty fabrics to create squares.

You could also improvise using old workshop samples and leftover blocks. (Dip your toe into the water before you jump in.) Lay them out, sash around them, and trim to fit pairs together. Don't worry if the fabrics of your blocks don't match. Years ago a speaker at our guild did something similar. I can't recall her or her name, just the memory of this quilt. She used all her old class samples and orphan blocks. Nothing matched until she over dyed with a tan. Voila! It all blended together; everything was suddenly "reproduction."

Chawne who blogs at Cauchy Complete has been over dyeing her quilts with indigo. It's a much more modern look. The link points to one post but she has made several this way. Be sure to look around her blog.

If neither of those colors suit, what about cheddar yellow? [Americans use annatto seeds to color cheese a bright orange. I always thought it was another crazy-yankee idea but this National Public Radio article places blame for the practice back on the British. Could it be true?]

Now I'm really on a roll. Take a look at Lynn's Scrap Vortex. She incorporated orphan blocks with her scraps to make a very creative improv quilt. No overdyeing needed here.

Kaja and I have gotten several messages from people planning to join us. If you are still on the sidelines, jump right in. We all have different styles; when you share, there will be even more methods.

"Do what you can, where you are, with what you have." 

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th U.S. President

Enjoy the day, Ann

Take Your Pick

Do you prefer Texas Mink or no Mink on the border?

The quilt with Texas Mink.

The same quilt before Texas Mink.

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

A Quilt of Baby Clothes

Look what my sister made! A friend wanted to display her daughter's baby clothes so my sister made this wall-hanging. She framed the t-shirts squares to set them off and sewed some headbands on, too. Then she very cleverly appliqued the cutest outfits on the quilt, hand tacking the skirts to add dimension.

Baby Clothes quilt by my wonderful sister

And she added Texas Mink in pink. I snapped this photo at the quilt show last year and just found it again. 

Congratulations, Sis!

Ann

Model T... T-Shirt, That Is

T-shirt quilts are highly individual but here's my basic plan, subject to all types of variation. A three by four grid of twelve-inch blocks with 3-inch sashing and a 4.5 inch border finishes 57 inches by 72 inches. I like wide sashing for three reasons: it adds color, it allows room for part-pieced/part-appliqued blocks and it gives more placement options for small applique pieces.

University of Texas Delta Gamma t-shirt quilt

• The sashing needs 31 rectangles cut 3.5" by 12.5". I buy 1.25 yards.
• There are 20 posts cut 3.5" square. I buy a quarter yard or a fat quarter.

The sashing can be wider or narrower. Sashing on the pastel quilt in the Texas Mink post is much wider to include an entire bird while that on the Grumpy Cupid is slightly narrower (the width of one repeat.) Changing the size of the t-shirt blocks also changes the length of the sashing.

Borders with Texas Mink are 4.5" wide. Since the Mink covers the underlying fabric a pieced, un-mitered border will not be noticed. I buy 1.25 yards and cut seven strips the width of the 40" fabric. If you use a stripe or you don't want the lengths pieced you will need to buy more.

Default layout of t-shirt quilt. Border is not this wide.

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

Fill 'er Up: What to Add to a T-Shirt Quilt

T-shirts collections are scrapbooks of our past. The shirts spark memories - reminders of friendships and happy, meaningful occasions. The best loved, most significant t-shirts are the most used so they may be the most faded. I think t-shirt quilts look better with sashing and "full" blocks. Lovely new sashing fabric pumps color into the quilt and freshens the shirts.

Full blocks are also easy to achieve. Create a collage with a variety of shirts but don't forget the cutouts, stickers, ribbons and fancy paper that sets off photos in a lovely scrapbook. How does that translate into fabric?

     1. Logos
Collect all the pocket, sleeve and collar logos leaving lots of blank t-shirt around them. Iron a generous amount of non-woven fusible interfacing to the back of all knit fabrics. Ask the recipient for favorite or meaningful shapes. For example, most fraternities and sororities have symbols such as kites, keys or stars. Create a significant shape and use it cut the smaller logos. Alternatively just cut around the logo. Or frame the logo with ribbon or fabric to really set it off. Then scatter them decoratively across the quilt surface.

     2. Photos
Scan a photo onto fabric. Create a picture frame with colorful fabric and applique it to the quilt.

     3. Conversational fabric
There are fabrics for every sport, pet, musical instrument, food, method of travel, etc. If you know their interests, add them with a snippet of special fabric.

     4. Stuffed dolls or bears
This doll rests inside a shirt pocket. A ribbon with a snap keeps the doll on the quilt but allows removal for washing.

     5. Varsity letters, team patches, dance costumes, ball caps
Check Pretty in Pink and Writing with Thread. Carefully unstitch the letters and honor patches on a letter jacket. Add them to the quilt top. Zig-zag or blanket stitch with a regular or quilting thread (40-50 weight) to ensure they stay on. Quilt around these thick items, not over them.

     6. Practice shorts, boarding shorts, preschool shirt, swimsuit
Who'd have thought? You must plan ahead with something that will fill most of a block. Pick a plainer t-shirt like this and cut it with more space above or below the logo to allow room to add the shorts without covering interesting designs on the shirt. Cut the shorts in half; pin to the top; pin a very generous seam allowance. Go back and increase the seam allowance of the shorts. When you reach the point where shorts look ridiculous, let the seam allowance out a bit. Clothing wraps a three-dimensional figure and you're reducing it to two-dimensions. Believe me, she'll thank you!

     7. Award ribbons
Despite encouraging people to use anything on a quilt, I am very wary of using award ribbons. They are usually printed on acetate and do not hold up well in the wash. If you choose to add them, make them removable like the doll above.

I'd love to see what you create.

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

Where Not to Quilt a T-shirt

Sometimes colors are printed into the fabric and these can be quilted without problems. Other times the design is stamped on with a rubbery substance. Do NOT quilt over this. The needle hole may cause the design to peel off the shirt. Just quilt as close to the design as possible. The top left block, the rose love, and the "theta to the rescue" blocks are examples of shirts handled in this manner. 

Baylor University Theta

There may be other areas too heavy to quilt through. This young woman had a football jersey shirt  and a sweatshirt with her sorority letters in heavy fabric (bottom left and top right.) Notice they are added to the quilt but only quilted up to the lettering.

Because of large, irregular unquilted areas, I prefer an 80-20 (cotton/polyester ratio) batt for t-shirt quilts. I use regular sewing cotton thread (40-50 weight) or nylon monofilament. I think a size 80/12 or 90/14 universal needle works best on this combination of knit and woven materials.

I linked up with the Free Motion Quilting project.

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

Racing Out of the Block

Do you remember Pretty in Pink? I also made a quilt for her sister who wanted her favorite nightgown included. It was very faded and worn so I cut it into hearts, put pink fabric behind and scattered them across the surface. Names of family members and favorite pets were machine stitched onto some of the hearts.

Nightgown hearts near pieced & appliquéd block

This t-shirt block required the most applique... and the most effort to keep the quilt flat. I think racing the car out of the block looks pretty good, though. I pieced two and a half sides and left "flaps" that I pulled through to the front and machine appliquéd onto the sashing. See Part Piece/Part Applique for a short tutorial on this method (although a smaller flap would be easier the first few times.)

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

Part Piece/Part Applique T-shirt Block

Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, some t-shirts are too large, some are too small and some are just right. The "just right" ones are easy; you know what to do. But what about the others?

If they're too small, use several to make one block. I sandwiched three narrow logos below. After each is stabilized with fusible interfacing, cut them generously. Because they are so thick I use a half inch seam allowance when sewing two knits together. Trim the new block to the correct size afterwards.

It's really fun when they are too big! Piece and applique the shirt. Draw the normal finished size on the back with washable marker. Then sketch where you want the seam around the extended part. Carefully cut the normal (pieced) section with its seam allowance and hand cut around the extension (applique.) Pin to the sashing and sew as much of the block as possible.

Piece the rest of the quilt as usual including the other blocks, sashing & posts. It will look like a regular top except for some unsewn places. Press the top.

Carefully cut the shirt to the end of the sewing line.

Cut carefully to the point where the sewing line ended

Turn the quilt so the top faces up. Gently pull the unsewn portion to the front and pin in place.

Check that the quilt is flat. Check again! Machine applique the t-shirt flap to the sashing using zig-zag or blanket stitch.

A little of both? The photo at the top contains my two favorite shirts. This grumpy, little, cigar-chomping angel always makes me laugh. Since both designs were narrow I sewed them together. But look carefully. The heart point is appliquéd into the top of the Mother's Day shirt. Then the angel is appliquéd to the sashing. Double the fun.

I'd love to see what you create! Let me know if you use this idea.

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

Writing with Thread

When you want to write on a quilt, try thread writing instead. No need for a label; no need to worry that the ink will fade; this will last as long as the quilt.  I usually thread write after the quilt is sandwiched so I don't use stabilizer. Here are four ways.

A. Use the programmed alphabet on your machine. Punch in your name and the date to sign the corner. Try it on a scrap piece before stitching on the quilt to make sure the letters and spaces are entered in the correct order. Make sure your quilt has room to move with the stitching; feed dogs are up with this method.

B. Sew in cursive using a narrow free motion zig-zag stitch. This is my favorite way to write on a quilt. I do not try to satin stitch; I just want a thicker line than a single row of stitching. Unlike the programmed stitches, this can be as large as you like or as small as you're able to write.

Zig-zag with white Aurifil 50/2 cotton thread.

Want the words to stand out? Use contrasting thread. My favorite is Metler Poly Sheen in neon green (5940), neon yellow (501) or neon orange (1306). (These are the numbers on my current spools; check with the manufacturer.) The colors may sound awful and look harsh on the spool BUT... they aren't neon on your quilt and the zig-zag writing is readable.

Metler Poly Sheen threads.

Zig-zag with neon green thread.

Zig-zag with Metler neon yellow thread.

C. Recently I found the Graffiti stitch on Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting blog. The echo stitching is what makes this writing show up at all. It's another good way to sign your quilts. For an understated look, match the thread to the fabric.

Straight Graffiti stitch.

D. If machine writing isn't your style, try hand embroidery. Check out this very informative tutorial  How to Make an Embroidered Signature at Pretty by Hand. Kristyne's color combinations are a treat for the eyes and the workmanship is inspirational.


What could you write on a t-shirt quilt, or any quilt for that matter?

1. Nicknames
2. Names of family, friends, pets
3. Classes, activities, frat/sorority, clubs
4. Band, sports & instruments/positions played
5. Names of moves: wrestling holds, cheerleading jumps, chess moves
6. School name
7. Religious organizations
8. Offices held
9. Honors earned
10. Class year
11. Major
12. Mascot
13. Lyrics
14. Code phrases, cheers, chemical compounds
15. Poems, haikus, quotes

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

P.S. Paul Burega commented about thread writing on his quilts. He posted a photo on his blog A Dad who dyes fabrics and quilts. Click to see his photo. It looks great with the softly waving lines surrounding it.

Pretty in Pink T-Shirt Quilt

Here's a young friend's t-shirt quilt. Since her drill team was named Red Jackets, red was the obvious choice for the sashing or border. Wrong. She wanted pink only. All that pink needed some separation so I added a narrow inner border. But even that black fabric has small pink dots on it.

In addition to t-shirts, this quilt has part of her team jacket, a pocket from band practice shorts, the logo from a ball cap and the poodle from a dance costume. Anything washable can be included.

Ball Cap Logo

Practice shorts pocket (top right) & Poodle with leash

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann

Pink & Coral T-shirt Quilt

What can you do with seventeen t-shirts and one woven button-down? Make a t-shirt quilt, of course! Here's the one I made for my daughter's roommate. Her favorite was the woven button-down honor guard shirt. It absolutely had to be included so I appliquéd the parts with text onto the quilt.

T-Shirt Quilt in Pink, Coral and Green

I used the colors in the sashing to select colors for the Texas Mink. This time it's limited to coral, pink and green with a bit of yellow. Practice improved the Mink; this border is much fluffier and fuller than the first one.

Fret not; enjoy the day.

Ann