T-Shirt Quilts - Should I or Shouldn't I????

At Shadywood Quilts and T-Shirt Quilts of Texas, we have literally made thousands of T-Shirt and Memory quilts since 2006.  Suffice it to say, that we have a bit of experience in the  of making a successful T-Shirt Quilt.

While we are busy making T-Shirt Quilts for hundreds of folks every year, we have several people that bring us the T-Shirt Quilt TOP for us to finish.  We love taking care of you, but sometimes we cringe when we see the top that the customer wants us to work a miracle on.  Here are some suggestions.

STABILIZER

Usually, the problem is that they have not STABILIZED the T-Shirts before piecing them together.  We use a high quality 100% cotton fusible to stabilize all T-Shirts before including them into a quilt.  This prevents the block from stretching or looking "saggy" in the finished quilt.  While we don't suggest using a heavy-weight polyester, that is still better than NO stabilizer at all.  If you do decide to not use a stabilizer, we will require a stabilizing 'waste' border be added to control the stretching.

SASHINGS

We also always include Sashing and Cornerstones at no additional charge.   We always press the seams away from the T-Shirt towards the sashing to reduce bulk.  The cornerstones help us line the blocks up nice and even.

BATTING

The finished T-Shirt Quilt does not have to be heavy and cumbersome when it is complete.  Use a high quality 80/20 (80% cotton, 20% Polyester) batting.  Don't go 'cheap' on the batting (or any of the fabrics) when making a T-Shirt Quilt (or any quilt for that matter).   Make sure your quilter does an 'all-over' pattern or 'pantograph'.  There is no reason not to quilt through the T-Shirts.   You want the quilt to be securely quilted so that it can hold up after years and years of loving use and laundering.  Our favorite battings are Hobbs and Legacy brands.

In most cases, stitching through the emblems does not cause any problems for the quilter.  However, sequins and crystals can wreak havoc with the longarm machine and it's needles.  Be aware that the 'hopping foot' cannot go over these items and may cause the stitching to go around the 3-dimensional object and corrupt the quilting.  'Puff' paint also causes problems, and if you think about it, is not very pleasant if you put your face on it!!

THREAD

We have been asked to use 'invisible' thread.  First of all, no thread is invisible.  It might a translucent shade that blends really well, but we really don't know how well the nylon or polyester thread will hold up to repeated washings and visits to a hot dryer.  We always use neutral colored thread, more on the light side that won't detract from the shirts.  Most popular colors that we use are a light grey or a light tan color. 

QUILTING

Be realistic.  If you are not familiar with machine quilting on your domestic machine, let a professional quilt your quilt.  PLEASE don't tie your quilt or just stitch around the squares.  We have had so many people bring their quilts to use to fix after well meaning moms, aunts or grandmothers have tried to do.  It really does not cost that much, and the recipient will be much happier with the result.

NEW Favorite Quilting Tool !!

After previous post indicating rotary cutter WAS my favorite tool, I chopped off the end of my finger - and it's all the fault of the stashbusters!!

That's right! I put a brand new blade in the rotary cutter yesterday, set up a table in the living room so that I could spend some quality time with hubby ans started cutting a bunch of scraps into to strips (ala Bonnie @ quiltville) Anyway, about the third slice, I sliced off the end of my little finger! OOUUCH! which is all I can repeat from what was said last night...

Hubby was not very sympathetic, and kept telling me to 'tough it up!, as he was cutting the circulation off with the bandaide (which wouldn't stick because of the dripping blood.). Took some Tylenol, finished cutting up my scraps and went to bed.

This morning, I take a shower and proceed to change the dressing. It's STILL bleeding! I'm supposed to go on a quilty Birthday shopping trip for friend Michelle. But before I go, I call Gail who is actually an xray tech, and ask - "Are you a nurse?"She says no, but it's obvious to her that I need to go to the emergency room if its still bleeding! Well duh. . .

So I make arrangements to meet up with them for lunch and I head to the emergency room. 3 Hours later, and several explanations as to what is a rotary cutter, and WHY DIDN'T I COME IN LAST NIGHT??? I have giant bandaide, antibiotics and pain meds, all suitable to garner sympathy. My 'friends' threaten to buy a klutz glove for me, but they were all small sizes. I told them that I didn't think the klutz glove would have helped much. The slice was over an inch long and 1/4 inch wide, including quite a bit of my fingernail bed. The nurse said I "cut into the meat" !

Anyway, think my NEW favorite tool (s) have to be the rulers that you can get in all the sizes. I think I have at least one of every size made. I absolutely love to square up blocks with the exact size ruler.

Favorite Quilting Tools

The Stashbuster Topic of the Week is Your Favorite Quilting Tool. Mine is obvious, the rotary cutter, but not just any rotary cutter. The OMNIGRID ROTARY CUTTER. The pressure of cutting opens the blade, and when you release the pressure, the blade is hidden again. My daughter bought me one a year or so ago, because I was always leaving the blade open and getting knicks (or dropping on my toe). Now, the only holes are from the new puppy that is teething!

Now, if we could only get Omnigrid to make a 60mm rotary cutter. Currently I'm using Clover's 60mm, but I still forget to shut the blade.

The 60mm cutters are great! When I went to Judy Neimeyers class the first week of February, she was cutting through 40 layers of fabric, and cut out that Raindrops quilt 'entirely' in less than 20 minutes!!! I was certainly impressed. Of course, you do need a sharp blade to do that. I do try to stock them in my ebay store, but the 60mm blades keep getting backordered from the distributor.

I am a sucker for trying (and having) all the new and latest tools. The stiletto is way up there on the list as well. I've got the brass one like what Elenor Burns uses. Tried other items, but it is still the best.

Oops, the studio is calling me. I need to finish quilting some customer quilts for our quilt show that is just around the corner. I think they would like some time to bind it before they turn them in on Saturday.

Betty

More Progress - Thread is out of the Bathroom!

Finally got hubby to put up somes shelving that I've had for a little while. Really great as I was storing thread in a box in the shower stall in the bathroom in my studio. (don't generally take showers up there, so it was handy- but not easy to get to).

Anyway, have now emptied 2 mores boxes, and found logical places to put a bunch of other stuff.

The other thing I've been organizing is my fabric. The batiks are all together, but not sorted. The 30's/40's type of fabric are in a antique ARROW SHIRT display chest. (Really cool, about 10 drawers with glass fronts, and about 6 foot tall). The solids and tone on tones (blenders) are stacked on a shelf - by color- in the closet. Batting is easier to get to. (Two most used on the bars under the table), the rest in the closet. Flannels are sorted and in their own area. Projects are all labeled and in plastic see through boxes or project bags and neatly on shelves.

Also extended the anti-fatigue mats under the table, so that I don't keep scooting it back and forth (depending on if I working from front or back of table).

And last but not least, got my design wall up! I think I am most excited about that. It's not exactly where I would have liked it, but it IS up, and I can start using it instead of the floor.

I have the next quilt loaded for tomorrow. So, my reward for all this hard work this weekend is to take at least an hour (rather than 15 minutes) to sew on whatever I want!