Turn Old T-Shirts into Memory Quilts! Don't Toss Those T-Shirts

It’s really starting to feel like spring is in the air! Flowers are blooming, days are getting longer and everything is looking greener and greener. Every season melts into the next, and gives us new opportunities to make today special.

As the days warm and lengthen, the motivation Spring brings has us thinking about Spring cleaning! Rediscovering stacks of old t-shirts from sports teams, school events, concerts and family trips brings up so many wonderful memories! But what to do with all those memories? Instead of dumping those shirts or stuffing them back into a bin, why not turn them into a t-shirt quilt keepsake? Why not turn them into a Memory Quilt?

T-shirt quilt keepsakes - Memory Quilts - are a perfect spring project, whether you do the stitching yourself or send your t-shirts out to be professionally quilted. Either way, Memory Quilts are a fantastic way to get a meaningful keepsake out of your Spring closet purge!

SPRING CLEANING IS THE PERFECT TIME FOR A T-SHIRT QUILT

Our first stop: cleaning out the closet! Going through plastic totes filled with clothes and keepsakes you haven’t touched in years lets you relive the joys of days gone by and lets decide what you really need or want in your home. It feels so good to make space for new memories, and now you can feel good about turning those old memories into something new.

Spring cleaning blends perfectly with starting spring projects. With all that extra room in your home (and head!) you get a fantastic opportunity to flex your creative muscles and make something exciting and new out of things you forgot you ever had (something we like to call "upcycling"). When you upcycle your belongings, you’re taking something that’s just sitting around gathering dust and giving it a new life and purpose. Empty cans become artistic flower holders, boxes become imaginative toys for the kids and (most importantly) old shirts become beautiful memory quilts.

There are so many ways to turn your spring cleaning into a truly transformative process for your home and your family. So give your closet a well-needed sorting... but don’t get rid of all those t-shirts just yet! Set aside your favorites to be transformed into a t-shirt quilt that will be loved and displayed for years to come! This is where the fun truly begins.

WHY PEOPLE CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL T-SHIRT QUILTING SERVICE

Once spring cleaning has revealed a large assortment of t-shirts to use for a memory quilt, many families turn to a professional service to create their t-shirt quilt. The entire process, from accurately cutting irreplaceable t-shirts to using the right fabric stabilizers to getting the job done, is handled by professionals who have the right equipment, skills, and time to complete your project. Professional quilting makes t-shirt quilts accessible for more people while also guaranteeing the quality of a finished durable keepsake quilt.

HOW TO CHOOSE T-SHIRTS FOR A MEMORY QUILT, SEASON BY SEASON

There are many ways to build a t-shirt quilt. Now that you're sitting amid a pile of memories, you get to choose how to structure the look and feel of your quilt! A fun and unique option is to celebrate the changing seasons with seasonal-themed quilts. Here are just a few ideas for seasonal t-shirt quilts:

• Spring: Gather up all of your shirts with your favorite pastels and floral patterns for a great start to a spring-themed quilt. Also include shirts from big springtime events like St. Patrick’s Day shirts, Easter family reunion shirts, graduation shirts and anything else. In addition, spring sports shirts like track & field will be a great reminder of the season.

• Summer: Nothing says ‘summer’ more than summer vacation travel shirts! Travel shirts, tropical beach shirts and baseball shirts are all fantastic additions to make your quilt as sunshine-filled as a summer’s day.

• Fall: Your fall t-shirt quilt is the home for everything spooky in your wardrobe. Try adding your sentimental clothing with warmer shades of red, orange and yellow to reflect the falling leaves. And, of course, we can’t forget your favorite sports  teams’ shirts to make the quilt perfect for keeping you cozy under the Friday Night Lights.

• Winter: A winter quilt could go one of two major directions. You can either go full holly-jolly and create the most festive Holiday themed t-shirt quilt the world has ever seen, or you can keep things as cool as ice with blues and neutral whites to reflect the snow and quiet peace of winter. Either way, your winter quilt will be the perfect decoration for a wall or bedspread during the holiday season.

These ideas only scratch the surface of creating seasonal t-shirt quilts. One of the best things about choosing the materials for your t-shirt quilt is how you get to let your personality (or the personality of a loved one) can shine through. The memories you associate with every season will be completely different from anyone else's, and that makes your quilt so meaningful.

PLAN THE PERFECT MEMORY QUILT

While you begin your spring project of crafting the coziest seasonal t-shirt quilts, here are a few tips on getting started planning your quilt:

Decide how many t-shirts will be on the quilt: 

When you order a t-shirt quilt from MemoryStitch, you can have as few as 12 shirts for a small lap quilt and as many as 128 t-shirts for a large, king-sized double-sided quilt (with many more options in-between). Determine how many shirts you want to upcycle during your spring cleaning to give you a better idea what quilt to order.

Design the perfect layout:

You’ll know how you want your shirts laid out on the quilt better than anyone else. It’s helpful to have a clean area on the floor where you can experiment with different t-shirt layouts before taking a final picture to send to us to follow your design.

Prepare your t-shirts:

Give your shirts a final wash for a fresh quilt and then follow our instructions on how to separate the fronts and backs of your shirts. We’re also happy to cut your shirts ourselves if you feel more comfortable.

BRING SPRING COMFORT TO YOUR HOME

Every transition from one season to another is worth celebrating, and paying homage to this through your memories of each season on t-shirt quilts is a truly beautiful thing. When you tackle your spring cleaning this year, take some time to appreciate the memories of every shirt and then celebrate the new life upcycling can bring through a t-shirt quilt.

Make the most of spring and transform your memories into a beautiful quilt today. Head over to our collection page to see our t-shirt quilt styles––from the ultimate comfort of the Fuzz Monsta® to the maximum t-shirt display of the Double-Sided quilt. Or, for smaller collections of t-shirts, consider our  t-shirt pillows, perfect for living room décor or bedroom throw pillows. In addition, you can add a custom embroidered message to the back of your quilt for that perfect final touch of personalization. Finally, be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates on sales, promotions and all things MemoryStitch. 

Ready to get started? Get all the information about how MemoryStitch transforms your old shirts into a beautiful, cozy Memory Quilt you’ll cherish for years to come at our How It Works page. Create ultimate comfort out of clutter when you clean out your closets with a truly meaningful keepsake. Happy spring cleaning!