How To Make A T-shirt Quilt With Borders
If you have a drawer filled with old T-shirts, you can make a quilt with them. A T-shirt quilt will preserve your T-shirts uniquely rather than have them fill up your drawers. A T-shirt quilt just like any other quilt will take you some time to complete. Thus you need to be fully prepared to start the project.
How Do You Make A T-shirt Quilt With Borders?
To make a T-shirt quilt you need several T-shirts that you will fix to fusible webbing. The start sewing your quilt. Pin the panels of T-shirts according to your quilt design and complete your quilt. It is much easier to use a sewing machine to make this quilt than sewing it by hand.
When making your T-shirt quilt, make one in a regular size. Don’t make it too large as it may end up being too heavy.
Step 1. To make a T-shirt quilt, you need to have the following materials. Several T-shirts, lightweight non-woven fusible interfacing, sashing for the borders, and batting. You also need a ruler, a rotary cutter and mat, and matching quilt fabric. You also need a measuring tape, pins, and your favorite sewing machine.
Step 2. Assemble the shirts that you want to use for your quilt. Select T-shirts that you love and have sentimental value to you. Making a quilt with these T-shirts ensures that you will enjoy these T-shirts for longer.
As you decide on the T-shirts to use, also consider the size of the quilt you want to make. This will determine how many T-shirts you want to use. To make a blanket size quilt, you will need about 17 to 20 T-shirts.
Also, make sure that the T-shirts you want to use are in good condition. They should not have holes. They should also be washed and ironed before they are used to make the quilt. They should also have a theme. For instance, you could use sports T-shirts or contrasting T-shirts.
Step 3. Cut the T-shirts. You will do this when your T-shirts are clean, dry, and properly ironed. Cut the shirts so that you can have proper squares for your quilt. Start by taking off the sleeves with sharp scissors.
Then cut off the front part of the T-shirt, separating the back from the front by cutting at the shoulders. Cut all the hems and the necklines. This leaves you with the part of the T-shirt with the design or logo that you want to incorporate into your quilt.
When well cut, you can easily use both the front and the back of T-shirts that have logos on both sides.
Also, cut your T-shirts into blocks you can use to make the quilt.
Step 4. Arrange the blocks in the way you want your quilt to look. If you have a theme, you can arrange your T-shirts to communicate it. You can arrange them according to their color or according to their ages and the memories they rekindle in you. You have the freedom to arrange your T-shirts in any way you want.
When arranging, lay the T-shirt blocks on the floor until you have the desired look and design of Step 5. Fuse interfacing on the T-shirt blocks that you want to use. You can use any of the available fusings you can find. Make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to use the fusing.
Ensure that you have enough fusing for all the T-shirt blocks you plan to use on your quilt. Also, when fusing, make sure that you place the fusing properly so that it doesn’t form wrinkles on the T-shirt block. This is because once you have ironed the fusible and then it cools it will leave wrinkles on the T-shirt blog.
Use a lightweight fusing that ensures that your T-shirts don’t curl when making your quilt.
Step 6. When you have fused your T-shirt blocks, trim them so that you have even-sized T-shirt blocks. Place them on your mat and cut with a rotary cutter so that you have a fine edge. Leave about ½ inch around the T-shirt block for the seam allowance to sew it on the quilt.
Step 7. Start piecing the blocks to form your quilt. Piece the blocks according to the design that you had decided on earlier. Lay your quilt on the floor and stitch the T-shirt blocks together. Sew your shirts in rows. Stitch your rows together to complete the front of your quilt.
Step 8. Cut and sew sashing strips. Cut the sashing to about 2.5 inches wide. You will sew the sashing along the rows of the quilt.
Step 9. Finish sewing the quilt. Bring your quilt to the sewing machine and finish sewing the rows on the quilt. Add the sashings after every row. Also, pin the intersections in place and continue until all the rows are connected.
Cut or fix the batting and backing fabric according to the size of the quilt top. Layer the batting and the backing and sew them together with the front.
Also, remember to press your rows and sashing every time you complete one. Press your seams towards the sashing. Also, press from the back to avoid damaging the logos on the T-shirts.
Step 10. Add borders to your quilt. First, trim any excess fabric on the quilt to ensure that it maintains a proper square shape. To fix the borders, ensure you have the right measurement on your border strips, bast the border on the quilt, then sew it permanently on the quilt. Ensure that you cut the borders to the right length to ensure that your quilt top maintains a flat form and structure. Sew the borders all around and complete your T-shirt quilt.
To add borders, place your quilt on the floor or a flat working surface. Trim one of all the borders. Then, place two strips along the middle of the quilt with the trimmed edges touching. This helps to get the correct length of the quilt on the border strips.
Pin or baste the top and bottom borders in place. Then sew them into the quilt top. Then repeat for the sides.
When adding your border to your T-shirt quilt, you can either use T-shirt material or you can choose to use quilting cotton.
Borders on your T-shirt quilt make it look better. You can use a colored border that blends with the theme of the T-shirts you used for your quilt. Borders also stabilize the quilt and ensure that you use fewer T-shirts than you expect on your T-shirt quilt.
How Do You Take Care Of Your T-shirt Quilt?
T-shirt quilts are not difficult to take care of. The first thing about taking care of a quilt is to make sure that you use it regularly. This ensures that you can see it more often and you can tell when tears are coming up.
The other thing you need to consider in taking care of your T-shirt quilt is washing it. T-shirts are easy to launder. As such, you can easily wash your T-shirt quilt in a washing machine without having to worry that it will be damaged.
After washing it, make sure that it is completely dry before you start using it again. You can also iron the quilt to ensure that it is presentable without wrinkles. T-shirt fabric is easy to iron.
How To Make A Double Sided T-shirt Quilt?
You can make a double-sided T-shirt quilt as easily as you can make a single side quilt with the above instructions. One of the major differences between the two quilts is that you will use more T-shirts to make the double-sided T-shirt quilt.
The first thing you need to do when making any quilt is to determine its size and purpose. This will help you to know how many T-shirts you will need for each side of the quilt. When doing this, consider the size of the T-shirts too. If you are using adult-size T-shirts, you will need less than when you use child-size T-shirts.
Cut the T-shirts you need for your quilt into quilting blocks and lay them on fusible webbing. This prevents them from stretching too much. Then sew the T-shirts into a quilt top.
Prepare a fleece fabric that you will use as the middle of the quilt. The fleece fabric should be larger than the size of the quilt as you determined. Place it on the floor for a large quilt or on your working surface and stretch it out. Then, place the completed quilt top on this fleece, fix it with pins then sew it on.
Finish working on the other quilt top. Lay the fleece fabric with the quilt top on your working surface with the fleece fabric facing up. Place the second quilt top on the fleece fabric, pin it then sew it on.
Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years.
I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills.
It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.
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