How to Avoid Messing-Up Your T-shirt Quilt

For the uninitiated, a T-shirt quilt is just a T-shirt quilt. You might think that anyone with a sewing machine can successfully make a T-shirt quilt. That’s just not true.

There are so many ways we have seen T-shirt quilts screwed up in the past 30 years.

Based on our experience of having made over 10,000 quilts and having remade so many others, our advice is to have your quilt made right the first time.

Here are some mistakes to avoid:

Avoid having a T-shirt blanket made if what you truly want is a T-shirt quilt

There is a difference between a quilt and a blanket. A blanket has two layers and no quilting. Whereas a quilt has three layers held together by quilting.

Before you hire someone to make a quilt, double check that they are actually going to make you a quilt!

Don't just ask, "Do you make quilts?" Some people making T-shirt blankets actually think they are making quilts. This is a sure sign of inexperience!

The better question to ask is, "Do you long-arm quilt your quilts?"

Read all about the differences between a quilt and a blanket here. 

Read about 10 questions to ask a quilt maker here. 

2. Choose an Experienced Quilt Maker to Ensure Quality

Not all novice quilt makers will screw up a T-shirt quilt on their first attempt. I look at my first attempt and cringe.

If someone has not made a T-shirt quilt before, they don’t have a track record proving they can be successful. Ask to see a quilter’s work before you give them consent to take your favorite T-shirts and make a quilt. Read about finding a qualified T-shirt quilt maker. 

3. Insist on High-quality Fabric for Your Quilt—It Makes a Big Difference

Quilting materials come in a wide range of quality. There are fabrics that are cheap crap and there are fabrics that are wonderful and with great longevity.

You can’t tell from a photograph what type of fabric is being used. You will need to ask what’s being used.  

One quick hint, the cheaper a quilt is, the more likely lower quality material will be used.

4. Skip 100% Polyester Batting; Opt for a Better Alternative Like Cotton

There are many different types of batting that can be used in a quilt.

The worst type is 100% polyester. This is because if the quilt is not quilted close enough, the batting will wad up during subsequent washings. This type of batting will also poke out the back of the quilt through the fibers of the backing material. You can actually pull-out fiber.

Look for 80% cotton/20% polyester or 100% cotton batting for the best results. Read more about batting here.

5. Consider Quilt Styles Beyond Uniform Block Sizes for a Modern Look

In any grouping of T-shirts, there will be large and small graphics. This means that a quilt made with just one block size will end up cutting off parts of graphics or leaving other graphics with too much space around them. 

If a design on your T-shirt is larger than the standard block size, then the graphic will be cut off. This can break your heart if it’s your favorite T-shirt.

Look for quilt makers using many different block sizes. Read more traditional style T-shirt quilts that use one block size here.  

And read more about puzzle style T-shirt quilts here. Here at Too Cool T-shirt Quilts, we invented quilts with different sized blocks in 1992.

6. Don't Choose a T-shirt Quilt Style with Rows and Columns

This is boring, lazy, and just makes your quilt look like a checkerboard. A puzzle style quilt with different size blocks is much more interesting to look at. Think about what will hold your interest over the years of looking at your T-shirt quilt. Read more about different quilt styles here.

Planning a T-shirt quilt?
Here are step-by-step directions for ordering your Too Cool T-shirt quilt.

7. Select a Backing Color That Complements Your T-shirts, Avoiding Clashing Tones

This is something you need to think about carefully. How do you explain the color you want for the back of your quilt?

If you choose a company with just a few color choices, you will have to take what they have. But be careful! For example, there are some companies that call a color maroon, while it is actually fuchsia.

Choose a company who has access to hundreds of colors. Then send a swatch of the color you like. Read more about backing colors here.

8. Be Careful You Don't Include a T-shirt That Doesn't Belong in the Quilt

This happens more often than you might think. This is on you. Please don't expect your quilt maker to catch this. 

Look carefully at the T-shirts you decide to send. If there is a part of a T-shirt that you would die if it got into to quilt, cut that part out and don’t even send it.

We have the most problems with the wrong T-shirt getting into a quilt when someone is having a quilt made for someone else. They just didn’t know not to send a particular T-shirt.

Read more about how we have you mark T-shirts for use in your quilt.

9. Trust Your Quilt Maker — Micro-managing Can Disrupt the Process

We have found that the customers who give us free reign with their quilt end up with totally awesome quilts. It’s when someone wants to micro-manage their quilt that it ends up being less than wonderful.

For example, if you want 10 of 20 T-shirts all in the center, then your design becomes stilted and the colors blotchy. If you want one or two shirts centered, that’s cool. Too many after that just muddies the process and the end product.

If you want to make all the decisions, I suggest you make your own quilt top. Read about making your own T-shirt Quilt here.

10. Confirm Your Quilt Maker Pre-washes the Backing Fabric to Prevent Surprises Later

The backing fabric is the material used on the back of your quilt.

To save time (and time is money), some companies will not prewash their backing material. This is a bad practice. Quilter makers prewash backing fabric to make sure that all the loose dye is out and that it’s been shrunk.

If your quilt comes without the backing material having been pre-washed, be prepared. When you wash your quilt, your quilt may turn the color of your backing fabric. Or the backing material may shrink. Neither of these is a good look for your quilt.

If a company advises you to dry-clean your quilt, be very wary. They tell you to dry-clean your quilt to cover their liability (read "butt") because they know when you wash it in the washing machine, your quilt will be toast. Pink toast with a shriveled-up backing.

11. Collaborate With a Quilt Maker Who Specializes in the Style You Envision

For example, say you want a quilt made in particular style. If your quilt maker has never made this style of T-shirt quilt, you might not end up with the quilt you want. They might be willing to try the new style out. Of course, your T-shirt quilt will be the guinea pig. This might end up a disaster! 

This goes back to having a novice make your quilt. The first time anyone makes something, they are essentially a novice. If you want a style that your quilt maker does not make, find someone else who is an expert at what you want made.

12. Be Cautious if Making the Quilt Yourself — Proper Tools and Guidance Are Essential

Making a T-shirt quilt does take a sewing machine. And if you are not a clever seamstress or quilter, you should consider different patterns and methods before you begin cutting your T-shirts.

The most messed up T-shirts we have had to remake are those where someone began trying to make the quilt. They then realized after they cut their blocks that they had no idea of what to do next. If this is you, you are not alone. Wwe can help you finish your quilt. Read more about already cut T-shirts here.

Conclusion

If you want an awesome T-shirt quilt, explore your options first. Know what you want, what you don't want and what you want to afford. Only then should you start seeking out T-shirt Quilt makers. 

Want to learn more about T-shirt quilts? Visit our Learning Center.
We have over 200 articles about all aspects of T-shirt quilts.