You Did WHAT With my T-Shirts?

You Did WHAT With my T-Shirts?

10 Biggest Mistakes In Creating A T-Shirt Quilt 

T-Shirt quilts are a work of art. They are the scrapbook you can sleep under. You have a drawer full or a box of treasured tee shirts that you have been collecting over the years. Maybe they are school, sports or vacation shirts.

Is a Professional Making YOUR T-Shirt Quilt?

Is a Professional Making YOUR T-Shirt Quilt? 

Not All T-Shirt Quilt Makers are Created The Same 

WHAT? Some companies (or crafters) actually send their quilt projects off-site while their customers think that their special tees will stay at the place they mailed them. In many cases, the quilt-maker is sub-contracting some or part of the quilt process. Maybe they are piecing the quilt top, then sending it to someone else to quilt it. This happens because this place is NOT a professional business.

A professional t-shirt quilt maker is making your quilt start to finish. They have the equipment. They have the materials. They have the employees. They are not farming out any work to someone else. This happens for several reasons; see my post on Who Is Making Your T-Shirt Quilt. Look for a company that will complete your quilt 'in house' and reduce the risk of sending your treasured tees to someone else.

How does this affect your quilt?

Find out if your quilt-maker is actually making your entire quilt. There are several things to consider.

You send your tees to the quilt-maker. You should expect that they stay 'on-site' and not sent to another location. (This is different than a company having employees who work on your quilt.)

Using sub-contractors involve additional time and cost for the person making your quilt/blanket. A professional business will give you a price up front and there should be no surprises in the final cost.

A specific turn-around date. Industry norm is 4 to 6 weeks. Anything longer than that, should give you concern that the quilt maker is in over their head. (Ours is 4-6 weeks even during peak seasons - we just work the extra hours to get everything done)

Will a sub-contractor take the same care that a professional will give to your tshirts?

Does your quilt maker have business insurance?

What Questions You Should be Ask Your T-Shirt Quilt Company?

• Once my shirts arrive, do you ever send them off-site? Where is this off site (i.e. a neighbor or mailing it off somewhere).
• What is their quilting experience? How many years in business?
• Do they have business insurance to cover your project?
• Do you use subcontractors or full time employees? 
• Should You Risk Sending Your T-Shirts to a Quilt-Maker That Uses Sub-Contractors (or friends)? 

Ask yourself why your quilt project is being sent off site… Is it because they don't have the skills or equipment to complete your job professionally? Are your shirts being sent to a buddy to work on? Are they professionals? Are they doing this as a hobby?


At Shadywood Quilts we make all of our quilts in house. We have experienced employees that will work on your quilt and give you a quilt that you will treasure for a lifetime.

You Want Your TShirt Quilt When?

Wow, almost back into the swing of things after the big Christmas Rush.  First of all,  thank you to everyone that that trusted us with their t-shirts last year.  We are blessed.

That being said, we run into the same problem every year during peak times.  The customer believes that we will start working on their quilt the moment they leave our shop, and will do nothing else until it is complete.  Um, no. 

Our 'normal' turnaround time is 4 or 5 weeks.  Now, that seems like a long time, but that is just reality.  At peak times like graduation and Christmas, it definitely takes 4 weeks.  But why so long??


OK, let me list just a few reasons:

• The phone.  OMG.  Yesterday, I had 12 robo calls from the same number.  (I re-dialed it one time and it was some foreign voice saying they were Microsoft Support.  Really??  Fraud alert..... Microsoft NEVER calls anyone..... ), 3 other  'Private' callers, with no one at the other end, and multiple other phone calls from valid customers either scheduling a drop off or pick up.  Just a part of doing business.
• Backlog.   When you came into the shop, you even commented on how many tubs/jobs we had going on. We do the jobs in the order they come in.  We do NOT move YOUR job to the top of the list. All of our projects are important. Yours is also.
  
  We had one day last November where we received 18 T-Shirt/Memory quilt projects in ONE day.
   
• Customers. Yes, we love you. You love your shirts. You are excited about getting your quilt.  But please, don't call and ask 'how is my quilt coming along?'  Unless you have a deadline (that we know about up front), and it is getting close to the date.  Rest assured that your quilt is coming along just fine. 
  
  We do not work on one quilt from start to finish.  For the amount of quilts that we do; that is just not efficient.  We do process shirts as they come in, but that mostly means that we get it in the computer, and print paperwork.  If the shirts are mailed in, we shoot an email letting you know that the shirts have arrived safe and sound.   The rest of the processes are done in steps. 
• Your crisis is not our emergency.  We try to work with everyone so that everyone is happy.  If you call  four days after dropping off your shirts because you decided to celebrate Christmas on December 3, instead of the end of month.  Well, we might have a problem. The squeaky wheel does NOT get a quilt.  (Oops - did I say that out loud?)  
• Life.  Believe it or not, quilters have (or try) to have a life.  Ask my friends.  I disappear around Quilt Market time (end of October), not to be seen until the New Year.  That is because we  are working 12 to 14 hour days on your quilts the last few months of the year.  We then take off (as in not even turning on the lights in the shop) until New Years Day, when I generally host an all-day sew-in for my quilting buddies.

I am really not complaining, and don't want to sound rude - (which sounds rude), but just trying to explain the process. 

So if you are planning on a special t-shirt quilt for someone, try to plan ahead to ensure your quilter has plenty of time to get your gift back to you before your event.