T-Shirt Quilts

Here are photos of a Texas A&M t-shirt quilt, wall hanging and onesie pillow. The mother had saved her son's onesie that he wore as an infant; she didn't want to cut it up, so I created a "TAMU Onesie Pillow". We had plenty of t-shirts left over from these projects, so I also made a wall hanging the young man could display on the wall.

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T-shirt quilts are memory quilts. As the term implies, they are made from your saved t-shirts -- perhaps from vacations, school activities, church activities, or a family reunion.

T-shirt quilts do requires a lot more effort than your standard "fabric" quilt top. There is some preparation involved in the t-shirt panels before I begin making the quilt. This is a rather time-consuming stage; if you wish to prepare the t-shirt panels for your t-shirt, it will not only save me time, but it will save you $$ as well.

T-shirt preparation (whether I take the time to prep them or whether you do) involves doing the following:

1. You will need to wash and dry your t-shirts before you bring them to me. Be sure they are in good condition without any worn spots, stains or holes.

2. Cut apart your t-shirts. You will need to allow at least 15-16" for each panel when you cut up the t-shirts. This is also when you decide if you want the front and/or back panels used in your quilt.

3. You will need to purchase fusible tricot (a type of lightweight knit interfacing) to stabilize the back side of each t-shirt panel. Be sure the interfacing is applied in the opposite grain of the t-shirt so there will be no stretching when I piece your quilt top.

4. Next, you will need to resize your t-shirt squares to a finished size of 12-1/2" square or 14-1/2" square. Please note: it is extremely important that each square is resized to the identical size. If these squares do not measure the same, I will have to go back and resize everyone to a smaller size so the quilt top will look balanced. This will also involve an extra expense for my labor, even if you have resized them incorrectly the first time.

5. When you bring me your resized t-shirt panels, please have a definite idea of how you want your finished quilt to look. The better communication we have in the planning stages, the better chance you have of seeing your finished quilt become a reality -- just the way you want it to look. Bring me sketches or even photos of t-shirt quilts if you have them.

6. I normally piece a 4" finished outer border to your t-shirt quilt; I can also add fabric "frames" (sashing) around each t-shirt panel, or all of the t-shirt panels can be pieced edge to edge, into one entire quilt top. It's all up to you.

7. If you want me to apply the binding to your t-shirt quilt, be sure to let me know this when we first visit. This will be an additional fee to my labor charges, as it is very time consuming -- similar to the t-shirt preparation at the beginning.

8. The average t-shirt quilt, which is usually a twin or standard bed size, requires between 20-24 t-shirt panels. If no sashing is applied between them, I can use more t-shirt panels for the top.

9. A $75 deposit will be required at your first visit if you decide you want me to proceed making your t-shirt quilt. At this visit, you will also need to advise me when you need the completed quilt. If you have contacted me after Sept. 1st, please be advised I will need 4-6 weeks to complete your quilt -- so plan your due date accordingly. I work on jobs as they are taken in. If this quilt is for a Christmas present, I will not accept any Christmas quilts after November 1st. This guarantees not only that I have the time to finish your project, but that you receive your quilt on time.

10. T-shirts require an all-over quilting stitch, such as a meandering stitch, to anchor the three layers of the quilt sandwich. If desired, I can quilt a different design in the side borders. This needs to be discussed at our first meeting.

My t-shirt quilt fees are as follows. Please be aware that this is a ball-park estimate, as everyone has a different idea of the finished quilt. Special quilted areas (i.e., borders) may involve more time on my part.

Preparation of T-Shirts
- includes fusible interfacing
- involves 3-4 hours @ $50/hr... $150-$200
- (Customers are encouraged to tackle this if they are at all fabric savvy. It's not difficult -- just time consuming.)

Applying Binding to Quilt
When I bind the T-shirt quilt edges, I normally apply the binding entirely by machine. These quilts will most likely be washed quite a lot, and machine-stitched binding holds up very well to daily use on such a quilt.

The following estimated fees listed are for quilts with a 13" drop, to be used with a dust ruffle and does not cover the bed pillows.

Twin Bed T-Shirt Quilt (65"W X 88"L) Labor: $225-250

Standard Bed T-Shirt Quilt (80"W X 88"L) Labor: $375 and up

Queen-Size Bed T-Shirt Quilt (86"W X 93"L) Labor: $475 and up

King-Size Bed T-Shirt Quilt (104"W X 93"L) Labor: $625 and up

As listed in the previous "fabric quilt" section, I do have some quilt materials in inventory.

Warm & White 90" wide quilt batting: $12.25/yard

Moda Marbles 44/45" wide, 100% cotton fabric: $10.95/yard

Email me for a current list of fabric colors in my inventory. These do change during the year.

Moda 200-thread count bleached or unbleached muslin, 90" wide: $11.95/yard

This muslin makes a great quilt backing. It has a very smooth appearance.

These fabric prices are effective 4/21/12. If there are any price changes the next time I order materials, I will include the changes in this section.