In Part 1, I cut up the t-shirts into squares.
In Part 2, I backed the squares with interfacing and cut the fabric squares to alternate with the t-shirts.
Now, I'm getting ready to pin everything together to make the quilt top.
First, I found a large, clear space on the floor of the living room and laid the squares out in the pattern I wanted for the finished product. I played around with the squares a lot before I finally found a layout I was happy with.
Then, I began sewing the first row across. I took the first two squares, and pinned them, right sides together. Then, using a 1/2" seam, I sewed the blocks together.
Here are the first two blocks, pinned together and ready to go through the sewing machine.
After you finish sewing blocks together, press the seams open with the iron, and then pin the next block onto the first one. Actually, this step is trickier than it sounds. Take the time to lay your sewed row out, to make certain that you are pinning the next block onto the side that you want it to go onto, AND make certain that the print is facing the correct direction. (Sad life experience here. No one really wants to spend that much time with a seam ripper once they finish a row, take a look, and realize that the block in the middle is upside down...)
Once you've verified that the new block is in the correct place, flip the right side of this block on top of the block next to it. (Again, I always verify that the print is facing the correct direction again, after I pin it but before I sew it.) Always keep the same size seam allowance. I used a 1/2" seam allowance, because I am more comfortable with a wider seam. Quilts usually call for a 1/4" seam allowance.
Continue in this process until you finish all of the rows. Sew the rows across first - or up and down first, but be consistent about how you sew.
Now comes the fun part. Pinning the rows together. If you look in the picture above, you'll see that I've pinned two rows together. All of the seams on all of the blocks were pressed open as I finished each row.
Again, time is your friend when you do this step. Make certain that you take your time, line up your blocks, and make certain that the print is facing the correct direction. Then, I flip the top row directly over the bottom row and start pinning the rows right side together. Think of the edge as hinged... when you pin it, before you sew it, check again to make certain the patterns are facing the same direction. I am not dyslexic, but this step makes me feel dyslexic, as I try and make certain that my blocks - when pinned - are facing the way so that they will end up right side up when finished. They aren't facing the same direction when I pin them!
This step gets harder the more rows you pin on. Take your time to make certain that you are pinning the correct way, and that your rows are lined up correctly before you pin them and again before you sew them together. If you didn't want to spend time with a seam ripper when one block was out of alignment, you definitely don't want to spend time with a seam ripper when an entire row is out of alignment!
The rows are aligned, ready to pin. If you can see it in the photo above, the top row of shirts appears to be upside down, and the row underneath is right side up. I pinned along the edge at the top of the photos..
All sewed together, pins removed, and seams pressed open, here are the rows, sewn together.
Continue on, pinning the rows together and sewing until all of your rows are finished. This step takes an incredible amount of patience, making certain that your blocks are lined up correctly before you sew. Think of it as an investment in your time. The extra couple of minutes you spend checking and double checking before you sew is significantly less time than the 30 or more minutes you will spend with a seam ripper, ripping out the row, and then re-pinning everything and sewing it again. (Not that I would know that from life experiences or anything....)
Once I finished the entire top, I worked on the outside edge. This will "frame" all of the blocks together and tie them in and make the quilt look finished.
I found this lovely brown with black material at the quilt shop when I found the black for the blocks. I especially like the fact that it's a little brighter than the black, but that the black pattern running through the fabric carries the black out into the frame.
I used my rotary cutter and cut strips for the framing. All told, I think I cut 12 strips.
Here, I've pinned the right sides together and sewn the narrow edge together to make a very long strip. Once again, make sure you press the seams open.
(Have I ever mentioned how much I hate ironing? I despise it. And yet, every time I sew, the iron comes out and receives almost constant use.)
I don't know how well you can see this in the picture above. I pinned the fabric strip onto the outside edge of the quilt top. I only pinned one side at a time. Then, I sewed the strip onto the quilt top.
When I finished a side, I'd remove the pins, and cut the long edge of the strip of edging even with the bottom of the quilt. Then, you guessed it, I pressed the seam open!
Taking the strip, I'd pin it along the edge of the quilt, making certain that the new brown strip covers the entire side - including the brown strip I just sewed on - and sew it on.
Remember that the brown strip needs to be a frame. So, you are going to pin it all along the finished edge - including the brown frame part that you have already sewed on, so that this is a completely finished product, framed by the outside strip.
I will post a picture of the finished top tomorrow. I want to hang it outside on the clothesline so that you can see all of it, but it is raining outside!
There's still a little more to do with this quilt: I need to find the backing (fabric) and batting, pin it together, and quilt it. I will also need to find binding to tie the edges together.
I'm going to take a break from this quilt for a week or so. I have the parts of another quilt that I cut out for oldest son 2 years ago when he earned his Eagle Scout, and I never put it together. I'm going to sew that together while I have the sewing machine out.
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