Monday, May 6, 2013

T-Shirt Quilt Tips

Track season started and I fell off the face of the Earth. I apologize readers, for my absence, but I did find some inspiration while I was away.

What item do you think was most frequently used to wrap up in, cover up with, lay out on, or use as shelter during track season?

A Quilt of Course!!!



More specifically t-shirt quilts.
T-Shirt quilts are a wonderful way to preserve memories, show team spirit, and recycle old t-shirts into something beautiful. They are the perfect usable scrapbook!

Previously I wrote a tutorial for a T-Shirt Quilt Wall Hanging. Today I have a few tips for you to help make the process run a little smoother.

Tip #1: Run all t-shirts through a rinse cycle in your washing machine. This washes away any detergent residue, fabric softener or dryer sheet residue. It will help your stabilizer adhere better.

Tip #2: Dry all shirts immediately after washing without using dryer sheets. Some people don't dry t-shirts and they may shrink in the dryer.

Tip#3: Dry t-shirts inside out to avoid decals stinking to one another.

Tip#4: Cut the t-shirt straight up the middle of the back and iron stabilizer to the entire backside of the front. This way when you go to cut out your front block, it already has stabilizer attached.

Tip #5: When cutting out your front design don't worry if your block overlaps with the sleeve seams. Most likely they will get lost on the seam allowance and won't be seen once the top is quilted.

I hope these tips help as you begin your t-shirt quilt creations. I want to give special thanks to Cindy for her words of wisdom on this subject. Good luck and happy quilting!