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How to Sew a T-Shirt Quilt

How to Sew a T-Shirt Quilt

Thank you so much for sharing!

Hi there!!

A few weeks ago, my Mom came to visit and we did a video together!  One of the projects that people ask me about all the time is t-shirt quilts!  I have never actually made one, but my Mom has made several, so while she was visiting I picked her brain and asked her for all her tips!! I also convinced my Dad to part with about 15 of his own shirts and I will be working on it, so I will share any other tidbits I gain along the way.

Here are a few of the t-shirt quilts my Mom has made!  This first one is the boy scout quilt she referenced in the video!

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Here are a few of the main things to consider when making a t-shirt quilt:

  1. Use 12-15 adult size shirts for a good lap size quilt.
  2. t-shirts are made of knit so they are stretchy… they need to be stabilized to act more like a woven fabric when sewing with the sashing and helping it to stay secure when being washed. See the video linked below for the tutorial on how to cut the shirts.
  3. Here are a few of the recommended stablizers/interfacing that my Mom recommends.  Test it out on a spare shirt and make sure that it creates the feel that you are looking for.  Lightweight or sheerweight is going to be better because otherwise it can get a little thick once you add all the layers.  Also, be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions on whichever product you choose and use a pressing cloth.  Many of the designs on t-shirts can melt with direct heat from the iron, so be careful about that.

4. Choose a sashing fabric that helps to “tell the story” of the shirts so that the memory shirts stay the focal point of the quilt.

Here are a few sample sizes that my mom drew out really quickly to help you with the math on figure out your sashing as well as some layout options for the front of your quilt.

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Hopefully this was helpful, here is the video tutorial with lots more tips and a demonstration.  I will share some of the tips for quilting the t-shirt quilt on a post tomorrow!

Mary Lou

Sunday 23rd of October 2016

Thank you so much for this timely post. I'm in the midst of my first t shirt quilt and this answered some questions I have ping forward. Excellent!

Jorge Salcines

Saturday 15th of October 2016

Great stuff here. Thank you for sharing!

Neva B.

Sunday 25th of September 2016

Thank you, for sharing! I'm in the process of making a tshirt quilt. This really helps!

Cindy kynes

Sunday 25th of September 2016

Thankyou Melanie & your mum for the great video. Im just a beginner at quilting so im a long ways of doing this but it was so helpful to know for the future. Best wishes to you both. Cindy Kynes.

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