T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial - Gail Pickens-Barger

And while we are on the subject of t-shirt, turn your t-shirt collection into a quilt! Above is a dance t-shirt quilt that I did for one of my daughters. I took her dance t-shirts, and basically cut the fronts/backs into same sized quilt blocks.

But before I cut the t-shirts into quilt blocks, I backed the shirts with fuseable interfacing, to have a bit more strength to them. Then used a plastic square for my guide, used my olfa cutter and mat and clear ruler, plastic square and cut out the blocks.

I used the techniques listed in Nancy Johnson-Srebro's book Rotary Magic book, for cutting out the strips that I put in between my quilt blocks.

I also used her techniques in binding the quilt (and my Mom's techniques too).

Here is a link to the craft stylish website, that allows you to put together a t-shirt quilt with non-square t-shirt logos. Be sure to take a good look at that site, if you have non-square t-shirt blocks to put together for a t-shirt quilt. Gail Pickens-Barger
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/45413/how-to-make-an-out-of-the-ordinary-t-shirt-quilt-part-one

and part two of the t-shirt quilt tutorial: http://www.craftstylish.com/item/45990/how-to-make-an-out-of-the-ordinary-t-shirt-quilt-part-two

p.s. The other quilt pictured here, was one I made for Stanley School in Victoria, Texas. Took old t-shirts for the quilt, donated by teachers and students. It was a remembrance quilt, in that the students were moving to Chandler elementary school. This was part of a fund raiser for the PTA/School. Made pillows also, with the t-shirt fronts that didn't fit into the quilt.

P.s.S. Getting ready to do another batch of T-shirt quilts.  Here is a new website about it.  An Aggie T-shirt
quilt.   http://craftsbyabby.blogspot.com/2009/04/t-shirt-quilt-tutorial-planning.html 

enjoy!!!

Ruffles on Winter pants (or, have I grown taller since December?)

Here we go!  Adding ruffles to the end of her toddler pants from last winter.  Using my Singer Featherweight 221 Sewing machine, and the 221 (which other models can use too), ruffler.

Sewing the wrong sides together, before putting it into the ruffler.  The ruffler doesn't seam to want to put much material through it (thickness wise).  Maybe there is an adjustment to make on the ruffler, to take thicker fabric?  Mom?

Using my 1/4 patchwork foot on my Singer Featherweight 221 machine. 

Here I am using the Ruffler for the 221 machine, on the edge that I just sewed together.

Putting the ruffled material, now on the capri pant.

I'm sewing the ruffle on.  I switch back and forth between the ruffler and the 1/4 inch foot like in no time.

After ironing, topstitching, to further set the seam.

And here are the pants!

Here is the model wearing her new capri pants, with matching ruffle hair bow from previous project!  Lots of orange in this household (Go POKES - Oklahoma State University!)

You Can Make This - I won the applique pattern!

Personalized Name Pillows at You Can Make This Website






Yeah,
I won the Applique pattern.

Here is what I've done in the past with my applique.

I really like the instructions. I hope to make a name pillow for daughter and a graduation pillow or two for some graduates, with their college colors.

See what I've been doing lately?

The Nederland PTA gives out scholarships each year. This year we were able to give out 12 scholarships.

With that, we make t-shirt pillows (If we have any shirts left over from the sales) and give those out too. So this is what I've been working on here lately.

The shirts decal didn't center quiet right, so I had to add 2 1/2 inches to the top of the front of the shirt. But you wouldn't know that because there is a 2 inch flange along the border of the pillow. It just looks like the flange. Hubby helped me figure out how to do this, as I showed him the first pillow (even though I had a 3x t-shirt), and in talking to him about it, I figured out what to do.

I used the back of the shirt for the envelope back of the pillow, used the bottom of the shirt for the hem as the top part of the envelope and it looks quite nicely. Put in a new pillow insert (which can also be laundered), and there you have it, a nice memorable t-shirt pillow from high school. (see previous post for tutorial instructions on how to make this t-shirt pillow).

Finally made it to the fabric store...

Yeah, had my JoAnne's Coupons with me. I bought Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 1/4 inch size, and Lite Steam-A-Seam 2 in 1/2 inch size.

Tammy (Izzie) did a t-shirt tutorial (which will eventually get up on this blog), and showed me the wonders of self fabric binding on the neckline, and using Lite Steam-A-Seam for my sleeves and shirt bottom hem. Oooo, I got to use the serger too. Preety Scarry.

Here are the patterns that I bought.
Simplicity 2711, 2712, 2707, 3513, 4206, 5695, 5982, & 7189 .. the objective was, okay cheap patterns, plus looking at varied styles of capri pants.

All those pants I made for Grace have really come in handy. Especially now that she is starting potty training!

gaileee

More pants!!! Leg in Leg construction technique

Submitted in the New Techniques contest. Use the "Leg within a Leg" construction technique in the month of December. Don't know if anything will win, first time to enter Pattern Review Contests. Beginning Sewer....who knows...anyway, got me to make some nice outfits for Toddler Grace!

Two more pairs of pants....

I did it! I cut out two pairs of pants with cuffs, and make two more pairs of pants to go with the Endless Combinations Pattern Review 2008 Contest.... Pants with cuffs, then roll them in, just regular pants!

Endless Combination - Pattern Review....added

Well,
I added an additional pair of pants to the Endless Combination - Pattern Review Contest for 2008.

A pair of dark denim blue jeans with the brown corded cuffs.

Plus, I just realized, that all the cuffed pants, well, the cuff can be turned inward, and thus you have another pant to add to the wardrobe.

Sew, with 5 items that have been sewed so far, that is 16 outfits. The one pair of pants are actually using the cuff instructions, but I had to make the pants longer, because I first used a size 2t, not 3t. So they are actually a pant with an added fabric panel for length.

I also have two pairs of additional pants cut out in large corduroy rose, and large corduroy hunter green (cuffs also....)

Maybe I'll get a chance to sew them up! Miss Grace will stay warm this winter!

Please vote for me in the PatternReview dot com contest

My first participation in a PatternReview dot com contest. Make at least 4 items that go with each other between the dates of Nov 1 and Dec 31. Make pattern reviews. Well, here is a composite of what I did so far.....

I'm actually making more pants, cause little Grace needs those pants!

gail

p.s. Here is a bigger photo to see...

Patterns that I used:

• 1995 Butterick Very Easy 4108 Children's/Girls Jumper and Top - Option B

• Sew Baby Reversible Dress

• Kwik Sew Master Patterns for Toddlers, Pants and Cuffed Pants

1995 Butterick 4108

Ah, well this is a pattern that I'm using to do the pattern review contest. I had a hard time finding a photo of this one (my scanner with my printer is not working). I'm making version B. I wish there was an easier way to do the shoulder seams. This is a bugger for me to sew!


Is there an easier way to do this, when you have a self fabric interfacing?

Easy way to make a new Tree Christmas Skirt.

Found this site, when I was looking to find a way to make a new tree skirt....

The Hand Made Dress Blogspot dot com website.

Go over there, make a comment! Make an easy peasy Tree Skirt!

Sewing Addiction....

So, my friend Tammy is enabling me on my new craft. Sewing. (I think I have craft ADD, by the way....I want to crochet, I want to make a wreath out of pine cones, I want to make cross bottle cap memory holders for all of my family, I want to make clothes,etc.....) Help!

Tammy is an amazing seamstress. My mom said that she caught on the quickest, when she took my mothers quilting classes.

So here is my blog to attempt to document my flubbies and wonderful things that I'm going to make!

gaileee