T-Shirt & Memory Quilts
Turn the clothes you can’t part with into something you can use and enjoy.
A custom T-shirt or memory quilt is a wonderful way to turn favorite clothing and other treasured textiles into something that can actually be used and enjoyed. School and sports shirts, concert tees, vacation shirts, Dad’s old work shirts, Grandma’s nightgowns, baby clothes—pieces that have been sitting in a drawer can become a quilt filled with memories.
Making those pieces into a quilt is a wonderful way to continue enjoying them long after they’ve become too worn—or too small—to wear.
Sizes
You can either order a specific size, or just bring me your items and I can tell you how large a quilt can be made. As a guideline, here are the number of items that make up each size.
- Crib/toddler (36″ x 45″): 6-10 items.
- Twin (approximately 72 x 90 inches): 12-15 items.
- Full size (approximately 81 x 96 inches): 18-20 items.
- Queen size (approximately 90 x 108 inches): 24-28 items.
- King size (approximately 120 x 120 inches): 30-35 items.
These numbers are only guidelines. Smaller pieces, multiple designs on one garment, unusual items, and double-sided quilts can all affect how many pieces we can incorporate.
Planning Your Quilt
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you contact me! I’ll help you make the decisions that will work best with the items you have and the quilt you want to create.
Gather your items. Almost any clothing can be incorporated into a memory quilt—Dad’s old work shirts, Grandma’s nightgowns, sweatshirts, T-shirts, sports jerseys, baby clothes and more. If you aren’t sure whether something will work, bring it along and we can discuss it.
Please launder all clothing before dropping it off. I don’t pre-wash your items, and you’ll get the best finished quilt if everything is clean before we begin.
Think about the size. Do you have a particular quilt size in mind, or would you rather make the quilt as large as possible and incorporate all of your items? Would you like a double-sided quilt? The number and size of the items you have will help determine your options.
Think about the layout. Would you like all of the shirt blocks cut to the same size for a more traditional grid, or do you prefer the look of different-sized blocks? Would you like fabric (called sashing) between the blocks? If so, do you have a color in mind?
Backing fabric can come later. You don’t need to choose your backing when we start. Once the quilt top is finished, I can send you options and make suggestions for colors and fabrics that complement your quilt.
Choose your quilting design—or let me help. I have hundreds of quilting designs available. You can browse them on my Longarm Quilting page, but this decision can wait until your quilt top is finished. I’m happy to suggest designs that will work well with your quilt.
Pricing
Pricing depends on the number of items, the size of your quilt, and what kind of items are included.
Typical starting prices are:
- Crib/toddler: $200
- Twin: $400
- Full: $450
- Queen: $500
- King: $600
Once I’ve seen your items and we’ve decided on the size and design, I’ll provide a final price. A 50% deposit is required before I begin work. The remaining balance is due when you pick up the final quilt.
Payment can be made via cash, check, Venmo, PayPal, or credit card.
Where are you?
I’m located in Susquehanna, PA. You can drop off your items at my home studio (near Gibson, PA) or I can work with you via mail. Many of my clients never meet me and mail there items to me and receive their finished quilt by return mail.
Ready to Get Started?
You don’t need to know exactly what you want before you contact me. Send me a message and tell me a little about the items you’ve saved and what you’re hoping to create. We’ll figure out the rest together.