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| Kyle's tee squares |
Engineering a T-shirt quilt
Save t-shirts forever
Give t-shirts to Granma by 11th grade
Last call for t-shirts mid 12th grade
Wash t-shirts
Cut out designs to be used
First draft laid out on floor
Decide on layout and sizes
Iron on fusible backing
Cut out squares
Decide on color for strips
Sew together top
Get fabric for backing
Take to quilter
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| Kyle's t-shirt quilt first draft |
Kyle's t-shirt quilt, started!
I have the squares cut, and am looking for fabric for the
strips and backing. I have been looking for a while now at different colors and
designs. Kyle wants to use SPSU colors so green and/or gray will be the strips.
As far as the backing, the only stipulation is NO flannel, so I figured there
would be a plethora of choices in quilting cotton colors and designs. I have
been looking for a while now, just casually perusing fabrics as I shop for
other stuff. So far nothing has jumped out at me. Actually did you know that
most fabrics out there look girly, with flowers etc.? It is a challenge to find
something for an 18-year-old guy who will be going to college majoring in
engineering. But I have a 50% off coupon from Joann's in hand, maybe today will
be the day!
Just like fabric, a lot of machine quilting designs look
girly too, but I am sure my quilter lady will have something that will work,
something geometric or maybe just straight lines.
T-shirt quilts... the premise is to save tees over the life
of the child, tees that have a special meaning or memory, even stained and worn
out ones. The grandkids have been saving tees for a long time, and sometimes
they will get a tee just for the quilt, bypassing a big step - actually wearing
the shirt, but it still represents a momentous day or time in their life
whether they wear it or not.
There is no pattern for a t-shirt quilt, each one is unique
and individual, just like the person it is for. There is a lot of engineering, design,
and construction that goes into this project. Like a woodworking project, the
tools include a drawing board and calculator, rotary cutter like a saw, pins
instead of nails, and in the end there are fabric scraps covering the floor like
sawdust.
Each of the grandkids will get a t-shirt quilt at high
school graduation, Sarah's last spring, Kyle this year, Racheal and Madison in
2015. The hard part used to be the ironing on all that fusible backing, but
this time it was getting up and down off the floor for the layout J,
maybe by next time I can get a BIG table?
Something to look forward to, keeps granma busy.
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| past t-shirt quilts |
