Repeatedly, I hear from individuals seeking a local T-shirt quilt maker. Their online searches often include phrases like "T-shirt Quilt Makers Near Me." The common reason given for this preference is the fear of shipping their beloved T-shirts to an unfamiliar person. While this concern is valid, it pales in comparison to the risks of settling for a local quilt maker solely based on proximity.
Here, I will address the fear of sending T-shirts to someone far away and that you don't know.
I will also delve into the reasons why opting for a local quilt maker solely based on proximity can potentially be a riskier choice compared to sending your T-shirts to a quilter with an unknown track record.
I have been making T-shirt quilts since 1992. I have not had a shipment of T-shirts coming to me that has been lost. These days with package tracking and delivery signatures required, losing a package is rare. Here is an article with best practices for shipping your T-shirts.
Unless you really are great friends with someone who makes T-shirt quilts for a living, you really don’t know whom you are handing over your T-shirts to. Just because you can see someone face to face, doesn’t mean that you know who they are.
Consider an individual without a website, without a reputation for making great quilts and who is just making T-shirt quilts to make a few extra dollars. Does she have a lot to lose when she fails to meet your expectations?
Then consider a company like Too Cool T-shirt Quilts. We have a worldwide reputation for making awesome T-shirt quilts. There are 25 families depending on the company for their livelihoods. We have so much to lose if we don’t meet your expectations. Sure, you might not see us face to face, but our long history of making "too cool" T-shirt quilts is our introduction to you.
Don’t just take your neighbor's word that they are. First, learn everything you can about T-shirt quilts. (We can help – check out our Learning Center here.)
Then ask to see examples of their work. Do the examples live up to your expectations? If not, look for another quilter. Here is an article about how to tell a good T-shirt quilt from a bad one.
There are many styles of T-shirt quilts. You first need to know what style of T-shirt quilt you want. Take your time and do research about the different style. Because each style comes with different constraint, issues and cost.
Make sure your quilter is an expert in the style you want. Most T-shirt quilt makers specialize in one quilt style. Think of this in restaurant terms. It's better to choose a place that serve 10 dishes of food rather than one that has over 300 items on their menu. You want a T-shirt quilt maker that is only making the style of T-shirt quilt you want. If not, find another quilter.
Too Cool T-shirt Quilts invented T-shirt quilts made with multiple size blocks in the early 1990's! We have made 1000's and 1000's of T-shirt quilts. We are the experts. Read more about how to have us make your quilt.
If your local quilt maker ships your T-shirt quilt out for long-arm quilting, she is not making the entire quilt herself. Ask the question, "Are you making the entire quilt at your location?"
If she is sending your quilt out for quilting, why bother with someone local? At least if you choose to send your T-shirts out, you know where it is going and who will be working on it.
The batting should be either 100% cotton or an 80% cotton/20% poly. The latter is the best choice. A 100% polyester batting is a no-no. If the materials are less than these, choose a different quilter.
Here's an article about backing material that can be used for a T-shirt quilt.
A turnaround time of 4 to 6 weeks is industry standard. If the turnaround time is longer, the maker might not have enough time to devote to your quilt or have too many quilts to focus on your quilt.
Professional T-shirt quilt makers make the best T-shirt quilts. They have the right equipment, time to devote to the quilt-making process and most importantly, years of practice. Make sure that your quilter is a professional. This might mean seeking a quilter that is out of your local community.
Planning a T-shirt quilt?
Here are step-by-step directions for ordering your Too Cool T-shirt quilt.
The quilt is 10 ft. 1 in x 10 ft. 1 in. (or 113” x 113”) which is larger than a king size. I wanted a quilt for the couch – something like 5 1/2 or 6 ft. square (68” or 72”)
The border size is 12 inches total (4 inches per color). And I hadn’t asked for a border at all! She just added one and charged me for it.
As you can see from the picture, there are quite a few extra blank square/rectangle added pieces that aren't really needed. These just added to the size.
Also, there were quite a few logos that we thought could be put all together she spread out. For example, few of those were from karate and could've been put on one block. I didn't want collars, buttons, and the like.
This is not what I had asked for."
She probably spent 3 to 4 times as much for this quilt than if she had just begun with us in the first place! There was the price she paid to her local quilt maker. Then there was additional shipping and fix fees on top of our price.
This doesn’t even take into consideration the cost of her grief.
This second quilt is the remake. Big changes.
Below is a PDF of interview questions to ask a potential T-shirt quilt maker. Please feel free to download and print. You are also welcome to share it with your friends. Here are the details about each question.
Want to learn more about T-shirt quilts? Visit our Learning Center.
We have over 200 articles about all aspects of T-shirt quilts.