Anna's T-shirt Quilt

    Anna and Wade have been together since 4 year old kindergarten.  They changed school in High School and still managed to stay together.    They have even gone to church camp together all these years.  Now they are graduating in less then 2 weeks.  Not only is Anna special, but Lisa, her mom taught my boys.

     A few months ago I was asked by Lisa, Anna's mom to make her a quilt.  Lots of people ask me to make these it I don't always agree.  Tshirt quilts take hours of work and planning and don't alwYs turn out right.  It is very stressful dealing with others memories.  But I always say yes to special people!! I enjoy making things for those that mean something to me. 

     This quilt is made using every piece of printed shirt from 20 different tshirts.   I mark the shirts about an inch to 1 1/2 inches bigger then the print on all sides.  After marking the blocks I cut the area of the tshirt out to be about an inch bigger then the original block.  I then iron on fresh fuse or knit interfacing on the back. I then recut the blocks to the final size. 

   For me I have decided over time that I like the look of an uneven sized block for the Tshirt quilts.  The random size and randomness of them being either square or rectangle assists in the flow.  Most tshirt quilts are made with a varying color of fabric and prints on the shirts.  

     I have also decided over time that I like using multiple colors to sash the blocks and to help them blend. 

     I write down each of the block sizes and divide them into rows using the block height.  I add small amounts of fabric to the top and bottom of each block to even out the row.  Between the blocks I lay another piece of material.  And sometimes small blocks I piece together. 

     I even out the rows by adding additional fabric pieces to the outside.

     Then before sewing the rows together I add a strip between the rows. Then In like to sash the quilt out using the same or cordinating fabric.  This quilt is approx 58 by 66.

     I also like the binding to match.   For this quilt 2 special ladies helped me pick out this wonderful herringbone like fabric from Mary Jo's!!  

     The quilt is quilted in silver thread.  To quilt it I did in and out swirls in all of the sashing.  On the Tshirts I quilted a basic loop all over.  In the borders I quilted a wave all the way around the quilt. 

      I forgot to photograph the backing fabrics.  It is actually one of my favorite backing sever.  It is a huge gray medallion flower on white extra wide fabric. 

     It was emotional to work on this quilt but I decided that the best place to complete it was at my quilt retreat.  I am so glad I did!! I took this photo at an old building around the corner from the retreat center. 

     I am so proud of Anna and excited for her future!!  I hope to see her in the many years to come!

Aunt Edna's Quilt

     My husband and I had our first son young.  I did not work a lot of hours, but when I worked,  my husbands Great Aunt Edna  and Virginia kept Wade with his Great Great Grandma Humbert.   Still to this day Wade likes to ride out to Aunt Edna's house just to eat.   I can never thank her enough for what she did for me.  I really could go on with this but of course this is a craft blog!!!  I was soooo excited to make a quilt for her. 

     The quilt top is made entirely of Aunt Edna's son Herbie's cloths.  He passed away suddenly a few years ago.  I already made 3 quilts out of his cloths for his kids.   This quilt had every thing from seersucker type material too flannel too corduroy. 

     I used the big section of the backs and sleeves of the button down shirts too make 12 1/2 inch squares.  I then tried to match light and dark fabrics together.  I put a line down the center and sewed a quarter inch line on each side and cut the squares in half.  I then laid them out to be a big pinwheel.  Each pinwheel was about 24 inches square. 

     I cut a pair of linen pants up and used it to make a boarder.  I cut the pants into 3 inch wide strips.  I knew I did not have enough to completely box the quilt in, but thought that the quilt looked better with a strip down the center.  So I framed the outside and added kahki corner stones leftover  from one of the other quilts.  I then added corner stones to the outside middle.  I placed a plain strip down the center only one direction. 

     I did a lot of quilting on this quilt.  The first part I did I really did not like.  I tried to free motion a curve on the inner side of each triangle.  It was not the best work of mine,  but I did not want to have to pick out the stitches and mess up the quilt. 

     On one pinwheel I outlined the inner triangle and did a continuos triangle all the way in like a maze.  I loved this effect.  Each pin wheel has a different quilting design as you will see below. 

     On the next one I did a straight line starting on the big side and went all the way to  small side about every 3/4 on an in with a new line. 

     The next pinwheel I did a "V" in the triangle and did the same reduction of the line about every 3/4 of an inch.   

     The last one I did what I would maybe call a shower.  I started at the center point ant the lines went to the bottom spreading out.  

     I really like how this quilt came out.  As I was making it I knew it was the perfect quilt for Aunt Edna with the old fashion design!  I was really excited that her daughter in law Karen gave it too her for her birthday.  And even more excited that I was able to make it!!  I photographed this at the Bonneau ball field.  A place Herbie loved and spent so much time at.