When parents gather their children’s T-shirts in preparation to have a high school graduation T-shirt quilt made, we get many questions about what to put in and what to leave out. One of the most frequent questions I am asked is: Should a piece of the child’s baby blanket be included in the quilt?
When I first was asked this question I was like, “are you kidding me?” I had replaced my daughter’s baby blanket with a T-shirt quilt before she went to elementary school.
I soon learned that I had a minority view on baby blankets. My daughter told me that there were kids in the dorm that had their baby blankets under their pillows. Ok, so that surprised me. A lot!
If the blanket is still being used, I would be careful of taking it away now! It might be more difficult taking it away now than it was when they were 4!
If the T-shirt quilt is for a female, I would be more apt to use a piece of the blanket than if the quilt is for a male. But it’s your child; consider how they react to having the blanket in the quilt. Remember, once it’s in the quilt, it's in there to stay.
But if you think the quilt will be going to college, then you might consider not using the blanket because of the potential for embarrassment.
We have had experiences with children refusing to use their T-shirt quilt because it had one T-shirt in it that they didn’t like. A piece of baby blanket might garner this same result.
Basically, ask yourself if using a piece of their baby blanket is right for your child.
Planning a T-shirt quilt?
Here are step-by-step directions for ordering your Too Cool T-shirt quilt.
A baby blanket is generally made up of a piece of material surrounded by a satin border or fringe around the outside. On a well-loved baby blanket, the satin is tattered and in shreds. We have two ways to use the blanket in the quilt.
Our typical approach when incorporating baby blankets into our quilts is to use a small section of the blanket.
We will cut a small piece of the blanket out of the center of the blanket. This piece will just be a colored block. You would need to be familiar with baby blankets to realize that this is from a baby blanket.
If you are unsure how a piece of their baby blanket in their T-shirt quilt will be received, this is a great solution. We can use a very small piece or a larger piece from the center of their blanket, depending on how much emphasis you want on the blanket.
We are happy to consult with you about various items you may be considering using in your son or daughter’s T-shirt quilt. But ultimately, you know your son or daughter best and have to make the final decision based on their personality and how the quilt will be used.
If you have too many baby and early childhood items, you might consider having a baby clothes quilt made from these items for yourself. Here is more about baby clothes quilts.
Approach including a baby blanket in your child's quilt with caution. You know your child best. Most kids these days know that a T-shirt quilt is part of the high school graduation experience. So you could always ask! Read more about if you should talk to your child about their graduation T-shirt quilt before you have it made.
Want to learn more about T-shirt quilts? Visit our Learning Center.
We have over 200 articles about all aspects of T-shirt quilts.