Another T-shirt Quilt

Play T-shirt

     I recently had a client that wanted a T-shirt quilt made from her daughter's CYT play shirts.  She wanted something simple so we chose one size for all the squares and no sashing or binding.  This is the easiest way to do a T-shirt quilt.

Cutting up the side and around the sleeve

       We determined that a 12 1/2 inch square would be an ideal size for the shirts.  They also provided me with the layout they wanted so that made it go even quicker for me.

Cutting across the shoulder

     I first cut all the T-shirts to prepare them for the interfacing.  I cut up one side, close to the sleeve, then across the shoulder, around the neck and then the other shoulder, sleeve and side.

Interfacing all cut

     I then cut all the pieces of interfacing I would need.  I use ShirTailor to stabilize the T-shirts.

Cut T-shirts

     Then it is an assembly line for the next step.  I iron the T-shirt front from the wrong side to get out all the wrinkles.  Then I fuse the interfacing to the back of the shirt.  After it cools I place it on the cutting table to wait for the next step.  I do this for all the shirts.

Fusing interfacing to T-shirt

     Then I cut each one using my 12 1/2 inch square ruler and rotary cutter.

Sewn together

     Then I sewed the rows together using a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  I then sewed the rows together making sure I pressed the seams open at every step.

Top of quilt on the backing

     I then laid the backing on the floor smoothing out all the wrinkles.  We used fleece for the backing which makes for a nice snuggly blanket.  

All pinned

     I then laid the quilt top with the right side down on the backing.  I pinned all around with my pins parallel to the edge and the heads all facing in the same direction.  This allowed me to cut the backing to size without hitting the pins and then to sew with the heads facing me for easy removal at the machine.

Pinned for quilting

     I then sewed all around the edges with a 1/4" seam allowance leaving an opening for me to turn the quilt right sides out.  I pressed the seam, turned, pressed again and pinned the opening closed.  I then stitched close to the edge.  

Stitching in the ditch

  

     I then used my quilting pins to secure the back to the front and then stitched in the ditch to keep it in place.  Another fun T-shirt quilt is done.