You might remember a bit ago when Kelli was on a marathon session of buying and cutting up recycled shirts. At the time I was laughing to myself….For those of you who have worked with shirts you might understand as I believe this is a common phenomenon.
Quilter finds shirts at a good price.
Quilter buys shirts.
Quilter takes shirts home.
Quilter is overwhelmed by the large stack of shirts.
Quilter starts in on cutting up shirts into fabric.
Quilt wonders what in the heck they got themselves into.
Quilter vows to buy no more shirts.
Quilter sticks to vow for a month….then
Quilter is tempted by one shirt….it is the right color after all.
Quilter buys shirt and the ten others that were at the garage sale.
Quilter falls off the bandwagon.
I don’t know if any of you do this…but I do. Kelli does. I’ve watched her do it! I’ve watched me do it….time and time again.
So…while Kelli was all hot and heavy into shirt mode, I was avoiding shirts. She would send me picture after picture of cute quilts made from shirts. I casually looked being polite to comment but trying with all my might not to get sucked in.
Well it was so tempting. There are so many shirt quilt on Pinterest and Google images. SO MANY!
TOO MUCH TEMPTATION!! I CAN’T HANDLE IT!!
I love this!! I want to make something like this badly. What do you think?
Temptation after temptation.
Finally I caved and started this….I had shirts that hadn’t been cut up yet so I processed and cut as I went.
I still vowed…I wouldn’t buy any new shirts.
This was actually very easy as all of the places that I buy shirts at…had no shirts. Kelli was buying them all!!!
Well Kelli got sick of cutting up shirts. She vowed, no more shirts. Well I was still doing good when a blog reader, Becky, emailed me and asked if I wanted shirts. She would send them to me and I could have them. Oh my. How do I say no to that? That’s the best deal ever!! I still had a couple that I hadn’t cut up so….I said yes!
The shirts came….aren’t they awesome!!
under the top layer…even more. I have a project in the make that needs blues and yellows….there are five or so that are EXACTLY what I want…..
But…I’d need a few more yellows…and a few more blues for variety….
…and I was at the store and there was a bag sale
…so while I’m already getting two…I might as well fill a bag….right?
It only makes sense. Right?
…and there I went down the rabbit hole again.
…and not I have a big stack of shirts that need to be processed. Oops…I did it again.
I haven’t vowed no more shirts again…I have vowed that they can only be blue or yellow…or the perfect red, green, purple or orange. Oh who am I kidding. NO ONE!
Truth be told, I love going down the rabbit hole and falling back into shirts. At least it’s a cheap adventure….and fun…and I love the quilts made from shirts!! Thanks so much Becky. I LOVED the shirts…as soon as the sewing room is clean, I’m going to start in on the yellow and blue shirts. They are EXACTLY what I was looking for!!! Becky also included a fun book on making boxes. I’ve passed that on to Neighbor Girl.
Oh that blue and white one ….. shirts are the fabric I love most of all, although my stash is much too important for a woman neatly 72 years old !
Thanks for all the great ideas.
And then you offer yokes to others and they fall down the same rabbit hole. I just found a stack of 2.5 inch strips I cut from those yokes. They are so soft and lovely. Need to make something.
Love the blue and white one!!!
I blame you and Kelli for my shirt addiction. lol. I just finished my first quilt and am in love with the churn dash pattern made from shirts. Luckily we have a thrift store where clothing is .25 and another where they often have .25 and .50 sales, so at least it’s a cheap addiction. My hubby recently ripped a hole in one of his shirts and though I did offer to fix it, I was secretly overjoyed when he said he didn’t want it anymore.
boy, did you describe that right! lol
This post gave me a chuckle as I’ve been going to a thrift store every Monday for awhile because everything with a certain tag color is $1. I have several overflowing bins of cut up shirts and several bins of collars, cuffs, button plackets, and yokes. I have no idea why I keep those pieces!!! I cut up the sleeves while cutting the shirts. My couch has a pile of shirts I’m still working on. I finally told myself I didn’t need to go yesterday and I didn’t…but I thought about it all day!! I have yet to complete a quilt with those pieces yet but I am working on Moth in the Window, Mountain Majesties, Tumalo Trail, and I have more than I need of the reds and greens needed for CrissCross Applesauce. Now I just need to finish ironing and cutting the pieces I need for those quilts!
I love the quilts that you showed made from shirts, they are truly wonderful to see. I have not gone down that rabbit hole yet…..
I feel the same way about using recycled shirts. Love, love, love them.The good/bad thing for me is I don’t make it to the thrift stores often enough to find lots and lots of shirts. Oh well I still have managed to collect a few at a time. Enjoy making lots of quilts with all your wonderful shirt finds :-)
Quick question, are all of the shirts cotton? or are some polyester? I never find shirts that are under $5.. thanks for all of your fun posts!
I only buy 100% cotton shirts. Here I can get them for a $1 a piece or a bag sale (when they have them) for a bag stuffed for $5. Then then often end up only costing 50 cents each or less even.
That is my half hexagon quilt top from my blog exuberantcolor.com.
I am happy it inspired you.
I am glad there there is no where around here that has shirts cheap enough for me to fall down that rabbit hole! I already have way to much fabric!
You’re pulling so many of us down the rabbit hole with you and Kelli! Lots of company ! The quilts are lovely and I’ve been sorting to make the churn dash you started. Plus I’m doing Tumalo Trail as a leader ender. You’re a bad influence……in a good way! Just got my APQ and saw your Double Weding ring! What a beauty!
Hard to resist, but I am staying firm in the no shirt purchasing! I have totes and piles and bags. . .
As an avid recycler I have to applaud everyone who is making shirt quilts for their creative up-cycling. Great job ladies!!!
I started collecting to!
My shirt collection got very expensive when I accidentally cut up my husband ‘s favorite Brooks Brothers dress shirt! What was he thinking when he left it on the ironing board in the sewing room??
That is my half hexagon quilt from exuberantcolor.com blog. I’m glad it inspired you.
Sorry the pinterest link didn’t take me there. Ugh. I hate when that happens. Thanks for speaking up and letting us know.
Oh, no, another rabbit hole to go down. The quilts are lovely and I can’t wait to add this newest obsession to my guilty pleasures. Thanks for so much inspiration!