Custom Memory Quilts

Customers often ask about the size of a t-shirt quilt when deciding how many shirts to include.  Children's or small adult shirts are best suited for  12" squares and medium or larger adult shirts usually make a 15" square.  Here you will find a t-shirt quilt chart that gives you the approximate finished size of a quilt based on the size and number of shirts.

The best items for quilting are woven cottons and cotton blends, like button down, oxford type shirts and twill, khaki type pants, or jeans... generally anything that’s not stretchy.  Knit fabrics can also be used, like t-shirts & golf shirts, but generally require a stabilizer (interfacing) to avoid stretching or distortion.  This changes the options for quilting patterns and adds to the time and expense of making a quilt.  Even satins, silks, rayons, and other dressy fabrics can be stabilized and made into a quilt, but anything delicate that requires dry cleaning will require that the finished quilt be dry cleaned as well. 

Sweaters are not suitable for quilts, but make wonderful throw pillows.  I especially love Christmas sweater pillows!

Please be sure your items are freshly laundered or dry cleaned, especially if they've been in storage for a while, if you have pets, or if someone in the household smokes. One of my children has severe asthma. Thank you!

Digital photos are printed onto treated fabric using a special printing technique.  After rinsing and pressing the fabric is color-fast.  The fabric is then cut and sewn into the quilt like any other fabric.

Photo quilts can be hand washed or machine washed using the delicate cycle and a gentle detergent.

If your photos are not in digital format you can mail them to me and I will scan them and return the originals with the finished quilt.

The number of items required varies based on the size and type of items used.  As a rule of thumb I suggest the following number of medium sized men's shirts:

• Wall hanging quilt: 4-6
• Lap/Throw quilt: 6-8
• Twin quilt: 9-12
• Full/Double quilt: 12-14
• Queen quilt:  14-16
• King quilt: 17 or more

Women's shirts often have significantly less usable fabric because of the darts or gathers.  Add 2 to 3 shirts to the number required for each size quilt.

I'm not sure if there's an industry standard, but here's the quilter's chart I refer to:

• Wall Hanging - up to 45x 45
• Lap/Throw - up to 60 x 60
• Twin - approx. 63 x 87
• Full - approx. 78 x 87
• Queen - approx. 84 x 92
• King - approx. 100 x 92