Baby Clothes Quilt

sophiesworld
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Last seen: 3 years 41 weeks ago
Joined: 10/22/2006

I want to make one. Despite my lack of sewing machine (common' Santa!). I know how to quilt in a very, very basic way. Any cool pictures or ideas or ADVICE I can get from some crafty mamas would be great.
I think i'll be gathering about 75 articles of clothing. I just need to come up with a pattern and a way to cut the squares so they don't look super crappy and irregular.

suzbean
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Joined: 10/20/2003
love that idea

I don't know how to quilt really, i just do things half-assed! lol! but that is a great idea. Are you using all different fabrics? that might be a factor that could determine shape/size of the pieces. I usually go for larger individual pieces but that is because I am lazy...

dendy76
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Joined: 07/01/2004
online help

you can find a lot of tips for quilting online via the mad google machine. also, i always like chatting with the ladies in the local fabric stores. they are an amazing wealth of information! i recommend smaller fabric stores as opposed to big mega-joanne's tho. i have a little here in the city that's just the right size and the ladies are rarely too busy to talk to you.

that said, just go crazy with it! if you're not committed to doing a particular pattern, then you can do one of two fun and easy things:

1. cut quilting squares from your shirts, or to vary, squares and rectangles, and patchwork them together in rows. this is generally what i do for all the quilts i make to donate.

2. crazy quilt! cut random sections and stitch them together randomly and see what you get. this is what i plan to do for my next bedspread. i have some baby items saved for it as well.

patterns are beautiful but i really love the random color of patchwork quilts and crazy quilts.

oh, i'm not very good at following rules. i cut corners and cheat a lot. if you want your quilt to come out nicely flat and perfectly proportioned, don't be like me! take the time to iron the layers together and use safety pins to hold them when stitching.

that's all i have! have a great time with it!

bitch-face's picture
bitch-face
having conversations with the boy about gender and 'manly men'
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Joined: 03/29/2006
gonna give you the links I am using

once I get back from breakfast!
I am swisterland...switzerland? fuck it, I am swiss.

sophiesworld
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Joined: 10/22/2006
Oh please don't forget,

Oh please don't forget, that'd be awesome!
Lilypie 2nd Birthday Ticker
http://s117.photobucket.com/albums/o57/princessburpalot

bitch-face's picture
bitch-face
having conversations with the boy about gender and 'manly men'
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Joined: 03/29/2006
no way would I forget!

took me forever to sift through my photobucket for the pictures of what I have so far. I am on a hiatus from it, only because my machine is busted right now Sad


I actually just did a search for 't shirt quilt' and got pages of different instructions.
Three things that I think are definitely worth investing in are a rotary cutter and self healing mat, and a quilting ruler (not even really that much money. Maybe $20, but probably way less). I got one that is the size square I wanted for my quilt so cutting is so much faster. I put iron on interfacing on the back of the onesies so they don't stretch and get all funky bunchy, and I bordered each square in cotton quilting fabric. I plan to use natural cotton batting, it's more expensive, but I hear it's well worth it. and then you can hand tie it, which is (from what I read) the recommended method for quilting t-shirt quilts.
this is the site I followed
http://www.straw.com/quilting/articles/teequilts_how.html
I did a lot of different things with the squares too. If there was a pocket on one outfit I would rip out the stitching and re-sew the pocket where I could cut a larger square. Same with especially cute appliqués, I wanted to save everything Smile
I am swisterland...switzerland? fuck it, I am swiss.

meg
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Joined: 02/23/2006
one thing you might try that

one thing you might try that has worked for me is to pick a sheet of the size you want your quilt to be and set it out flat on the floor. Then cut your pieces with a slight overlap to just over fill the space of that sheet. Sew 'em all together and then trim either your top piece or the sheet until they match in size.
Have fun! I've made a bunch of baby quilts and one bigger one for Flora with no special tools (other than my antique treadle sewing machine) and while they never turn out perfect they are sturdy, warm, cute and satisfying to make.

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