How to Make a T-Shirt Memory Quilt
Rebecca Sparling
1T-shirts are a staple of most modern wardrobes. For many of us, t-shirts are more than just items of casual attire; they are reminders of special events or remarkable accomplishments. Athletes usually have an assortment of t-shirts from various sporting events they’ve participated in over the years. Many of us have collections of t-shirts from family reunions, school activities, or summer vacations. If your drawers are filled to capacity with old t-shirts, transforming them into a quilt is an easy way to clear out the clutter and preserve your memories.
2The best thing about creating a t-shirt quilt is that it requires only basic sewing skills. If you’ve never used a sewing machine before, ask an adult for assistance in threading the machine. Because every sewing machine operates a little differently, read the manual carefully before you begin. Practice sewing straight lines on some scrap fabric or on lined paper. Once you feel confident operating the machine, start gathering your supplies.
Supplies:
old, clean t-shirts
scissors
pins and needles
sewing machine
thread
cotton fabric
interfacing
batting
3Choose t-shirts with a coordinating theme or color pattern to give your quilt a consistent appearance. You’ll need between four to thirty-six t-shirts, depending on the organization and size of your quilt. Once you decide which t-shirts to use, start cutting each shirt along the vertical side seams and remove the sleeves. Then position a cardboard square over the part of the shirt you wish to use and cut around the cardboard to help you ensure that all of the t-shirt squares are the same size.
4Next, you’ll need a cotton fabric for the back of the quilt. Experts recommend using cotton fabric because it retains its shape while you sew. Substituting the cotton for a more delicate polyester blend only makes the project more difficult for amateur quilters. Fortify the flimsy t-shirt material by applying interfacing—a product that reinforces fabrics, making them easier to sew—to the back of each shirt square. Fuse the interfacing to the material following the manufacturer’s directions, which will usually instruct you to use a low-heat iron.
5You are now ready to sew your squares together. To keep your seams neat and even, turn each square so the wrong side faces you. Assemble the squares into vertical or horizontal rows with about three or four squares per row, and hold the squares in place with straight pins until you have sewn each square into the row. When you’re finished, sew the rows together to create a large rectangle.
6With the front of your quilt complete, you can move on to the final steps. The reverse-bag method is the easiest way to finish your quilt; other methods are a little trickier. Place the front of your quilt on the floor with the right side facing up. Cut the fabric for the back of the quilt so that it is slightly larger than the assembled t-shirt squares. Place this fabric on top with its right side facing down. Next, cut the batting to size and place it on top of the fabric and then carefully pin all three layers in place. Then sew each side slowly, making sure that your stitches fall in a straight line. Trim any excess batting, but be sure not to trim any of the fabric. Leave a wide opening in the middle of the fourth side. Turn the whole quilt right side out so that the t-shirt front is visible. Once you’ve hand-sewed the opening closed, you’re ready to snuggle up under your unique t-shirt quilt!
Question
According to section six of the passage, the easiest way to assemble the quilt is by using the reverse bag method. Based on this information, you can tell that the author
Responses
Ainvented the reverse bag method.
invented the reverse bag method.
Bdislikes the final steps in assembly.
dislikes the final steps in assembly.
Chas trouble assembling her own quilts.
has trouble assembling her own quilts.
Dhas used the reverse bag method before.