Adapting Stretchy Fabric?

by Karen
(Bethesda)

I have been saving my son's t-shirts since he was small. They are mementos of family trips etc. I thought it would be cute to make them into a quilt, using just the decorative logos etc.

Would it be possible to cut out the squares and tack them to a plain muslin or other non-stretchy base fabric before piecing the quilt? Is there a chance that that would work or would it be too bulky?

ANSWER

Sounds like you have a lot of interesting shirts for your quilt! I have a few pointers to make your job easier.

First, wash your t-shirts before you stabilize them. You want them to be as clean as possible. This is important, because stabilizers adhere more securely to clean fabric. Also, forego fabric softeners or sheets. These are counterproductive to the fusing process.

Yes, you can use muslin as a stabilizer. But, I would back it with a lightweight fusible bond, such as Heat and Bond. Then I would fuse the muslin to the back of the t-shirt fabric.

You can also use light- to medium weight WOVEN fusible interfacing. Yes, I said woven interfacing. The last thing you want to deal with is more stretch. So, avoid stretchy interfacings that are made for knit fabrics.

For best results, position the grain of the interfacing in the opposite direction of the t-shirt grain. This gives your shirts even more stability and makes them much easier to quilt.