Quilted T-Shirt Memory Throw
Author: Katrina Simeck
I recently took my oldest to University in Canada. Moving her into residence was not only a huge emotional step, but also required the huge task of moving only her 'necessary' belongings into her dorm. As she packed her clothes, she started a pile of t-shirts that held sentimental value for her. Some were from sports teams that she had played on, and some were from summer camps. They all had one thing in common - Hope wasn’t quite ready to part with them yet.
I decided to make a simple cotton throw that incorporated some of her favorite t-shirts. This would also be a great project for clothes that your child has grown out of. You can make this project as elaborate or as simple was you’d like.
I decided to take the simple approach. I used Fiskars 8" Easy Action Scissors and firm piece of cardboard to trim a 10 inch square from each t-shirt. I wasn’t worried about capturing the entire logo or name, but if you are, be sure to allow at least a ½ inch border all the way around. I find it easiest to work on a large surface, so I protect my table with Fiskars 24" x 36" Cutting Mat
After cutting the squares, I stitched each edge to a strip of patterned cotton. If I got off track, the seam ripper in the Fiskars Sew Taxi made it easy for me to correct my mistakes. After stitching all the squares together, I ironed on a fusible backing, then pinned the right side to the right side of a coordinating fabric. I stitched around all sides, leaving a small opening to turn right-side-out. I then hand stitched the opening closed. As this point, you can quilt the throw, or simple leave as is. (tip: Susan Weinwroth has a great quilting tutorial here .
Other ideas for capturing memories with fabric:
- Take a photo of favorite stuffed animals, and then transfer the photos to fabric (you can find photo transfer kits at your local craft store). Use the photo fabric squares to create a quilt, throw, or pillows.
- Use old t-shirts to create throw pillows for your child’s room.
- Add snippets of fabric to scrapbook pages to add texture and dimension to pages
Remember that memory keeping isn’t limited to paper and scrapbooks! What can you create with your fabric memories today?
