Many years ago I saw a picture of a t-shirt quilt in a magazine, so I started saving the kids' t-shirts - remnants of summer camp, vacations, events. I cut them out and made them into comforters with thick batting tied together with yarn, and gave them to the girls one Christmas when they were grown. Carrie's is packed away, nice and safe, she likes to 'save' things.
Not long ago I was at Melissa's house watching the kids, and when I was tucking Madison into bed, there was the t-shirt quilt, obviously well-used and much worse for wear. The batting was all lumped up in the bottom, the yarn ties had made holes in the shirts. I was at the same time glad they were using it and disappointed at the state of disrepair. I brought it here to the quilt hospital.
I searched the internet for t-shirt quilts, and found a LOT of pictures and even directions. I am working on fixing it up, hopefully doing it right this time, using a fusible stabilizer for the stretchy shirts, and backing it with flannel for even more coziness.
The kids love the reminders of their past (this one represents elementary school, middle school, Grand Canyon, gymnastics, summer camp, girl scouts) so if you have little ones, start saving those shirts and by the time they are ready to leave home, you will have plenty for a quilt too!
