T-Shirt Memories Quilt Pattern

T-Shirt Memories
Designed by Pat Burnham

T-shirt Memories

Planning
Pat recycled her daughter's t-shirts to create this fun quilt that will bring back happy memories for many years to come. See Pat's Helpful Hints for preparing the T-shirt Blocks. She suggests that small mementos your child has collected could be attached to the quilt.

Pat added an extra trim between the sashing and the inner border, using 5/8" yellow grosgrain ribbon and a wide zigzag machine stitch, after the quilting was finished. Do likewise if you wish.

Finished Quilt Size
86" x 86"

Number of Blocks &
Finished Size
25 T-shirt Blocks 12" x 12"

Fabric Requirements
Purple/gold star print (sashing posts, inner border, binding) ... 1 1/2 yds.
Multicolor dot print (sashing) ... 1 5/8 yds.
Black/multicolored cat print (outer border) ... 2 1/2 yds.

Backing ... 8 yds.
Batting ... Queen

Other Materials
... T-shirt fronts/backs (see Helpful Hints) 25 squares 16½ x 16½
... Woven fusible interfacing, 6 yds. (based on
36" width—be aware that interfacing comes in several widths) 25 squares 16½ x 16½
... 16½ square acrylic rotary cutting ruler
... Sewing thread
... Machine quilting thread

Cutting the Fabric
Purple/gold star print
... *4 strips 1 1/2" x 77", pieced from 8 width of fabric (WOF) strips
... 36 squares 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Multicolor dot print
... 60 strips 2 1/2" x 12 1/2"

Black/multicolored cat print
... 2 strips 6 1/4" x 78", cut on lengthwise grain
... 2 strips 6 1/4" x 89", cut on lengthwise grain
*Cut first.

Step 1. Prepare 25 T-shirt 12 1/2" squares (see Pat's Helpful Hints for Preparing T-shirt Blocks).

Pat’s Helpful Hints for Preparing T-shirt Blocks

Cut up the sides of t-shirt from hem to bottom of sleeve to allow the shirt to lie flat for cutting 16" squares from front and back. If the shirt is a small size, cut up the center back and across the top of the shoulders to allow it to open up and lie flat (see Diagram I).
Press 16" squares of woven fusible interfacing on 16" squares cut from t-shirts, keeping the interfacing straight of grain running the same direction on all t-shirt squares.
Using a 16" square acrylic rotary cutting ruler, trim fused squares to 12 1/2" squares. Use the extra 4" to center and square up the designs. If you have trouble visualizing the centered design within your ruler, place 2 strips of masking tape to block off the 12 1/2" square on the ruler. Center the design within the taped area, trim 2 sides and turn the ruler to cut the remaining 2 sides (Diagram II).

Diagram I

Diagram II

Step 2. Referring to Assembly Diagram, arrange and sew 6 sashing rows using 6 purple/gold star print 2 1/2" squares and five 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" multicolor dot print strips each. Arrange and sew 5 block rows using 6 multicolor dot print 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" strips and 5 T-shirt Blocks each. Alternating sashing rows with block rows, sew rows together.
Step 3. Sew purple/gold star print 1 1/2" x 77½ strips to sides; trim even with top and bottom. Stitch remaining purple/gold star print strips to top/bottom; trim even with sides.
Step 4. Sew black/multicolored cat print 6 1/4" x 78½ strips to sides; trim even with top/bottom. Stitch remaining black/multi-colored cat print strips to top/bottom; trim even with sides.

Assembly Diagram

Step 5. Layer and baste quilt top for quilting method of your choice. Pat machine quilted an allover continuous star and loop design on the quilt top. Bind quilt with purple/gold star print fabric (See Basic Quiltmaking Instructions).