Thursday, January 22, 2009

Peter's T Shirt Quilt

I could have done a lot of things last night.


I could have kept up my streak of getting the house picked up before I went to bed, but I have all day today for cleaning, so I put it off.


I could have started reading my book for book club, but CS Lewis' Mere Christianity is such light reading, I can put it off a little longer.


I could have finished washing and folding my towels, but I already finished washing and folding the rest of my laundry so I was laundried out.


I could have watched the movies I got from netflix, but Peter kindly made a last minute shift trade with a friend, giving Peter the last Saturday of the month off, and I wanted to wait till he was home to watch them.

I could have finished every sentance with a prepostion, but that would be bad grammer.


I could have quilted Peter's T-Shirt quilt I made for Christmas. Since the kids have used it a couple times unquilted, it needed washed AND finishing it is on my to-do list for January, which is quickly coming to and end, so that is just what I did.




Here is the whole process:


Gather, wash and fold all Peter's saved T-shirts (some from when he was 10!). Measure the designs and decide on a square size (I needed to use 15 inch squares)




Cut out the sleeves and open the side seams. Iron interfacing onto the back of the designs (interfacing was 2 inches larger than the finished square size)





Cut the squares out. I used a template I made from cutting boards I bought at All A Dollar. Cut out sashing.

Go to store to buy more sashing material because you miscalculated. Then go again to buy more material for the backing because the miscalcualtion affected that, too. Then go back again because you ran out of thread. Try to make as many trips to the store as possible.


Combine designs too small into 15 inch squares. Piece the quilt top- first make rows with the vertical sashing and then connect the rows with horizontal sashing. Put quilt together by putting right sides together and batting on top of this and stitching around edge (pillowcase binding), leaving a space for turning. Turn quilt and wrap for Christmas.

Wait a month until quilt needs washed. Slip stitch opening. Fix top to bottom with quilting pins and quilt (I went up and down and across along the sashing edges).

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18 comments:

  1. I saw Peter's face when he opened that present. It was worth all the time and effort you put into it. It really is a neat quilt.

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  2. Awesome quilt! Good choice. I have thought about making one of those, but I still wear all my old t-shirts. Even the ones from when I was 10. They aren't that comfortable either. And have holes in unsightly places.

    That's what I do instead of making quilts.

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  3. I love that idea- I've been telling channing for a while now that I want her to help me do one but just haven't gotten to it... plus a bunch of my t-shirts I want are in the basement stored somewhere..... great job!

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  4. That turned out great! I actually just saw something like this the other day and I decided I wanted to do it... someday... when I learn how to quilt... and you are here to help me.

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  5. How can I finish mine 3 weeks before you and you still beat me at blogging it. Way to go. It looks really awesome. I love it. Good job on finishing it.

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  6. That is really cool. What a neat present. It gets harder and harder to find presents that mean something to someone. I'm sure he'll treasure that.

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  7. I love this t-shirt quilt. A friend of mine did this and I have always wanted to do one as well. Not sure if I ever will but I love looking at yours!!

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  8. I want to do this. Not at this moment because I'm feeling a little overwhelmed but soon. Channing promised me a tutorial but I'm still waiting. I need it to be really simple because I've never used facing before and I don't know what sashing material is.
    It looks really cute. Well done Charlotte.

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  9. What a nice wife you are. :)

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  10. That is a great idea. Thankfully you had the shirts. I must say you lost me in the process, but it's ok. Don't send me the more detailed instructions because I'm not going to make one anyway. Besides, if I had the instructions, I might have to think about making one. But I'm not. I have plenty of projects to do already...

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  11. Very cool quilt! My kids do the same thing with unfinished quilts. They become blankets if I don't finish them quickly.

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  12. I love the 'make as many trips to the store as possible.' This is Ray and I EVERY time we have a home improvement project! My mom made me a t-shirt quilt when I graduated (high school, I think), and I have treasured it ever since. (as will Peter, no doubt)

    Thanks for the note on interfacing behind the designs; my mom did NOT do that and it's starting to show. Note to self if I ever make them for my kids.

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  13. Oh I miss the days of early morning trips to the quilting store for instruction and free blocks. I never did finish the quilts we did there. One needs batting and a back. The other is still a pile of squares. I miss the quilting, but mostly I miss a monthly outing with you.

    I bet the T-shirt quilt is nice and soft. Perfect for actual use instead of just being a wall hanging.

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  14. I have seen these, and totally want to make one, but I don't have the shirts. Guess I'll have to encourage the kids to keep theirs!

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  15. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only person who sometimes gives gifts that are almost done! Rob is going to have a heart attack if I ever get around to finishing some of the projects I've started for him.

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  16. That really was a good present. It turned out looking awesome and I'll admit I used it once while I was there oops

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  17. That is so awesome. I love when people make quilts out of old cloths. They turn out so awesome.

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  18. OK, I loved seeing Pete open the quilt up for Christmas. It was cool and the quilt was great too. I don't see how you have time to do all you do.

    BUT, the thing that caught my interest was the Netflix movies? What were they? Did you like them? Did you ever watch them with Pete or did you sneak in a watch before?

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