
T-shirts are made from soft, stretchy fabric, which is comfortable to wear but poses a problem when it comes to quilting. The stretchiness of the fabric means that, if you sew t-shirts without preparing them in advance, the end result won’t be pretty. That’s why you need to stabilize your shirts before you use them in a quilt or any other sewing project. You can do this by applying a fusible backing to the t-shirt fabric. The backing helps the shirt hold its shape while you cut and sew it. The softer and more worn a t-shirt is, the more it needs stabilizing before you try to sew with it.
What You'll Learn
Why you need to stabilize t-shirts before quilting
T-shirts are made from soft and stretchy fabric, which is great for wearing but not so great for quilting. That's why it's important to stabilize your T-shirts before quilting with them. Here are some reasons why stabilizing your T-shirts is a good idea:
Preventing Distortion
The stretchiness of T-shirt fabric means that it can easily get distorted or wonky if you sew it without preparing it first. Stabilizing the fabric helps it hold its shape while you cut and sew, preventing it from stretching out of place and ensuring that your quilt comes out looking neat and even.
Making Sewing Easier
Stabilizing your T-shirts before quilting makes the sewing process much easier. The stabilizer provides more structure to the fabric, making it easier to handle and helping you achieve more precise stitches. This is especially important if you're working with old or well-worn T-shirts, which tend to be softer and stretchier.
Adding Durability
Stabilizers also add durability to your quilt. By fusing a backing to the T-shirt fabric, you're creating a stronger, less stretchy material that can better withstand the stresses of sewing and quilting. This helps ensure that your quilt will last for a long time and won't fall apart after a few washes.
Preserving the Design
When quilting with T-shirts, you often want to showcase the designs on the shirts. However, these designs can be damaged by the heat of an iron. By using a pressing sheet or damp cloth between your iron and the T-shirt, you can protect the design while still applying the stabilizer. This helps ensure that your quilt will look its best when it's finished.
Reducing Weight
T-shirts are already a heavy fabric, so you don't want to add too much extra weight with your stabilizer. Look for a lightweight or sheerweight fusible interfacing that will keep the T-shirt from stretching without adding bulk. This will help ensure that your finished quilt is soft, supple, and easy to snuggle under.
How to Buy Your Own Merch on Amazon
You may want to see also
How to stabilize t-shirts for quilting
T-shirts are made from soft, stretchy fabric, which is great for wearing but not so great for quilting. The stretchiness of the fabric can cause the t-shirts to become distorted and wonky if you try to sew them without preparing them first. To prevent this, you need to stabilize your t-shirts before quilting with them. This involves applying a fusible backing to the t-shirt fabric. The backing helps the shirt hold its shape while you cut and sew it. The softer and more worn a t-shirt is, the more it will need stabilizing.
- Cut the t-shirt: Use a rotary cutter to cut up both sides of the t-shirt, along the shoulder seams, just below the neckband, and above the hem. Leave plenty of room around the image for open space and seam allowances. If you plan to cut multiple t-shirts into the same shape, consider making a cardboard template to speed up the process.
- Prepare the stabilizer: Cut a square of stabilizer slightly smaller than the cut t-shirt. This will prevent you from accidentally melting glue onto your iron.
- Lay out the t-shirt and stabilizer: Place the image part of the t-shirt on your ironing surface, right side down. Lay the stabilizer square with its glue side (the rougher side) against the reverse side of the t-shirt image.
- Cover with a damp press cloth: Use a damp press cloth to avoid melting the inks or any rubberized parts of the t-shirt image.
- Read the interfacing manufacturer's instructions: Make sure you have the right temperature and steam settings before applying heat to the interfacing.
- Press the interfacing to the t-shirt: Use firm pressure and hold the iron steady for 10-15 seconds in each spot to ensure the interfacing and t-shirt are thoroughly fused together. Overlap the pressing areas to cover all parts of the image.
Once stabilized, the t-shirt will hold its shape as you sew, trim, and quilt it. You can now proceed with the rest of your quilting project!
Rocking Oversized T-Shirts: A Comfortable Gym Choice?
You may want to see also
Types of interfacing to use for t-shirt quilts
T-shirts are stretchy, and this can cause problems when quilting. To prevent this, you need to use a stabiliser, or interfacing, to stiffen the fabric. There are three types of interfacings: woven, non-woven, and knitted.
Woven interfacing is similar to regular quilting fabric and has two layers. The top layer is made from woven threads that run vertically and horizontally, and the bottom layer is a thin sheet of glue that lets you iron the interfacing to another fabric. Non-woven interfacing is a single sheet that looks and feels more like felt. It has two layers: a top layer of matted or bonded polyester fibres, and a bottom layer of glue. Knitted interfacing is flexible and stretchy, so it's not suitable for t-shirt quilting.
When choosing an interfacing, opt for a lightweight, fusible, 100% cotton option. Here are some specific products you can try:
- Pellon Shape-Flex (woven)
- Therm-o-Web Heat’n Bond (non-woven)
- Pellon P44F
- Pellon 911FF featherweight
- Pellon 808
- Pellon 880F sof-shape
- Pellon Sheerweight Fusible
- EZ-TEE
- Stabili-TEE
- June Tailor T-Shirt Project Fusible Interfacing
- Pellon SF101 Shape-Flex Interfacing
- 906f Pellon Sheer Fusible Interfacing
Exploring the Fun of T-Shirt Launching with Can Cannon
You may want to see also
Tips for sewing t-shirt quilts
T-shirt quilts are a great way to preserve memories and can be a fun project for beginners and experienced quilters alike. Here are some tips for sewing T-shirt quilts:
- Before you start, examine the T-shirts you plan to use and decide on a design. Consider the number of T-shirts available and their sizes. Will all the quilt panels be cut to the same size, or will you create a jigsaw puzzle-type layout with panels of different sizes? How large do you want the quilt to be? Do you have enough shirts, or do you need additional fabric to fill in the spaces?
- Wash, dry, and iron the T-shirts to remove any wrinkles.
- Use sharp scissors or a rotary cutter to cut the front panel of the T-shirt, cutting near the side seams to leave as much fabric as possible. Cut off the sleeves, seams, neckband, and any hemmed areas. You should be left with a rectangular panel. Repeat this process for all the T-shirts, including the backs if desired.
- Map out your layout by laying out the T-shirt panels on a flat surface. Shuffle the panels until you are happy with the design. You can also cut pieces of coordinating fabric to fill in any gaps, leaving enough fabric for a seam allowance.
- Trim the T-shirt panels according to your design, leaving a seam allowance.
- Fuse interfacing to the back of the T-shirt panels to stabilize them and prevent stretching during sewing. There are different types of interfacing available, such as knit, woven, and non-woven. Choose an interfacing that is lightweight and fusible, and make sure the stretch of the interfacing is opposite to the stretch of the T-shirt fabric. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for fusing.
- Pin the panels together according to your desired design. Sew the panels together by row, using a sewing machine for ease and efficiency. Press the seam allowances open, and then join the rows, matching intersections where the seams meet.
- Cut the batting and backing fabric to the size of your quilt top. Layer the batting between the top and backing, and pin the layers together. Sew the layers together using a stitch design of your choice.
- Finally, sew quilt binding around the perimeter of the quilt to cover the raw edges.
- If you are new to quilting, consider making a small practice quilt with T-shirt scraps before working on the final project.
Souls Worth More Than T-Shirts
You may want to see also
T-shirt quilt assembly
Step 1: Decide on a Design
The first step in making a T-shirt quilt is to decide on a design or pattern. This can include the layout, colour scheme, and arrangement of the T-shirts. It is important to plan the design beforehand to ensure a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing quilt.
Step 2: Get the Shirts Ready
Before cutting and sewing the T-shirts, it is crucial to prepare them by stabilising the fabric. T-shirts are typically made from soft and stretchy knit fabric, which can distort and become wonky if sewn without preparation. To stabilise the shirts, apply a fusible backing, such as iron-on interfacing, to the fabric. This helps the shirts hold their shape during the cutting and sewing process, especially for softer and more worn T-shirts.
Step 3: Cut the T-shirts
Using a rotary cutter, cut up the sides of the T-shirt, along the shoulder seams, just below the neckline, and above the hem. Leave enough room around the design for seam allowances. If all the T-shirts will be cut into the same shape, consider making a cardboard template to speed up the cutting process.
Step 4: Apply Stabiliser
Cut a square of stabiliser slightly smaller than the cut T-shirt. Place the T-shirt on an ironing surface, right side down. Lay the stabiliser with its glue side against the reverse side of the T-shirt. Cover with a damp press cloth to avoid melting the ink or any rubberised parts of the design. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the right temperature and steam settings before pressing the interfacing to the T-shirt. Use firm pressure and hold the iron steady for 10-15 seconds in each spot to ensure the interfacing and T-shirt are thoroughly fused.
Step 5: Sew the Quilt Top Together
Once all the T-shirts are stabilised and cut to size, it's time to sew them together to create the quilt top. Pin the pieces together, allowing for a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Sew the T-shirts and any additional fabric or sashing together following the chosen design. A walking foot can be helpful when sewing T-shirt quilts as it helps feed the fabric through the machine more evenly, minimising misshapen seams.
Step 6: Quilt and Finish the Quilt
After the quilt top is assembled, it's time to add the batting and backing to create a "quilt sandwich." Layer the backing fabric, batting, and quilt top, ensuring everything is flat and lined up. Pin the layers together using safety pins to secure them in place. Then, quilt the layers together by stitching through all three layers following the seams or creating a decorative pattern. Finally, bind and trim the edges of the quilt, and your T-shirt quilt is complete!
European T-Shirt Sizes: Universal or Unique?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
T-shirts are made from soft, stretchy fabric. When sewn without preparation, they get distorted and wonky. Stabilizing your shirts before quilting helps them hold their shape while you cut and sew.
You can use a lightweight fusible interfacing such as Pellon 911FF featherweight or Therm-o-Web Heat’n Bond. You can also use a lightweight knit or tricot interfacing.
Cut the T-shirt up both sides, along the shoulder seams, just below the neckband, and above the hem. Cut a square of stabilizer slightly smaller than the cut T-shirt. Lay the T-shirt on an ironing surface, right side down. Lay the stabilizer with its glue side against the reverse side of the T-shirt. Cover with a damp press cloth to avoid melting the inks or any rubberized parts of the design. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the right temperature and steam settings, then press the interfacing to the T-shirt.
It is possible to make a T-shirt quilt without a stabilizer, but the fabric will stretch during sewing and quilting, leading to tucks and an uneven finish. You can try using starch or a washable stabilizer to keep the fabric from stretching until the quilt is done.