T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial Part 2

So - I know some of these pictures aren't the best - but I promise some better ones in Part 3!

Step 6 - After the quilt top center is completed - all of the shirt sections are sewn together, and it is "square" (corners square, opposite sides are even), you are ready to add borders. Hannah found this really fun green dotty fabric, which blended beautifully with all of the colors in Katie's shirts. Decide on a width, and cut your borders to size, sewing first on the two sides, then the top and bottom.

Step 7 - Prepare the backing. We found an awesome penguins fabric at Joann's. We had actually given up on finding penguin fabric, after looking at 3 different stores. But then it magically appeared, on the top-most shelf at Joann's - they had to use a ladder to get it - but it is PERFECT! Cut and sew your backing together - it should measure at least 2" larger than your quilt top on all sides.

Step 8 - Now - find a LARGE space (we moved the furniture in the family room), and layer: first the quilt back - face down. We secured it to the carpeting with some blue painters tape. Then smooth out the batting, then the quilt top. Then we safety-pinned all layers together. This turned out to be a mistake. Read on.

Step 9 - Secure the layers together with by tying with embroidery thread. Our mistake (see above) was not thinking ahead. We decided we wanted the tie ends on the BACK of the quilt - so we had to transfer the pins to the back of the quilt! We also repinned in a grid, rather than following the pattern of the piecing on the front. Oh well, live and learn! Do you think I'll remember next time???

Actually, the repinning/typing process didn't take that long - and we got to do it while sitting around a table in my studio - much easier than crawling around on the family room floor - right, Hannah?

This shows how the ties look on the front of the quilt. So glad we did it this way! We didn't want the thread ends to interfere with the piecing design on the front. It turned out great!

Step 10 - Prepare the binding. We chose a bright aqua blue print for the binding, as it would look good with the green dotty print on the front, as well as with the penquins fabric on the back. Cut strips 2-1/2" wide, on the crossgrain, from selvedge to selvedge, joining them at right angles (see picture). Trim, and press. Then press the long strip of binding in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.

Step 11 - Sew the binding to the quilt - use a walking foot for this step. The next part was a first for me. I sewed the binding to the WRONG side of the quilt, using a 3/8" seam, leaving a 12" tail unsewed where you start. Miter the corners as you go, sewing all around the four sides. When you get back to almost where you started, join the two loose ends of the binding in a diagonal seam, just like you did for the rest of the binding. Then sew that remaining length to the quilt. Turn the binding around to the front side of the quilt, and top-stitch into place. Like I said, I have never done it this way before - I usually hand stitch the binding into place - but it worked like a dream, and I know it will wear well. Done!

Finished binding - shows front and back. Those penguins are so cute!

Stay tuned for better pictures of the finished quilt!