Exceptional T-shirt Quilts: Key Considerations
Choose a Company That Excels In:
- Keeping logos and graphics intact.
- Thoughtfully integrating graphics with optimal spacing.
- Balancing colors harmoniously.
- Using durable binding for longevity.
- Choosing suitable backing materials.
Are you looking to have a beautiful T-shirt quilt created? To ensure your quilt meets your expectations, it's crucial to avoid these five common practices that can detract from its beauty. These pitfalls have the potential to diminish the quality and appeal of your T-shirt quilt.
1. Cropped-off Logos or Graphics
A T-shirt quilt, first and foremost, is about T-shirts. If part of a T-shirt’s design is cropped-off just so it can fit within the set block size, that block will look incomplete and is incomplete. Moreover, it looks thoughtless.
Here is an example of an image being cropped off. The first photo is of the T-shirt before it was cut. The second photo is that same T-shirt in a traditional style blanket. They totally cut off the word Motorcycle! Cut it off! If this were a favorite T-shirt, would your heart would be broken? The last photo is how this T-shirt should be used in a quilt. You see the entire image without anything being cropped off.
A traditional style T-shirt quilt made with just one block size will crop-off a T-shirt's graphic if that graphic is larger than the block size used. Read more about traditional style T-shirt quilts here.
To avoid having part of the T-shirt designs cropped-off, choose a quilt maker who uses many different sized blocks within her quilt. Having multiple sizes of blocks to choose from means that no T-shirt graphics will have to be cut off just to fit a single preset box size. Read more about puzzle style T-shirt quilts here. We here at Too Cool T-shirt Quilts, invented and perfected the puzzle style quilt.
2. Graphics With Too Much Margin
A graphic or a logo that is cut out with too much margin around it looks silly. This happens when the graphics on your T-shirts are all cut out with a single block size.
For example, the Hope T-shirt pictured below, has a larger graphic on the front and a smaller graphic on the back. If the graphic on the back is cut with the same size block that the graphic on the front is cut, there will be too much blank area around the design.
The second photo show a T-shirt quilt and blanket next to each other. The blanket, on the left, has way too much space around the logo. The quilt on the right has just the right amount of spacing around the design. This is because a smaller size block was used.
To avoid too much margin, find a quilter who is using multiple size blocks in her quilts.
Planning a T-shirt quilt?
Here are step-by-step directions for ordering your Too Cool T-shirt quilt.
3. Imbalance of Colors on the Quilt
One of the most difficult parts of the T-shirt quilt making process is the balancing and placement of the blocks in the layout of the quilt. The dark and light blocks need to balance as well as the various colored blocks.
A traditional T-shirt quilt, which is laid out in rows and columns, is the most difficult one to get right. Many times they end up looking like a dark/light checkerboard. Other times, if there are not equal dark and light or colors, the quilt ends up with unbalanced dark or light areas. It looks blotchy and not attractive.
This problem can be mitigated by first choosing an experienced quilter and second by choosing a quilt style that is not one-size blocks lined up in rows and columns.
4. The Binding a Quilt Maker Uses Can Detract From the Look of the T-shirt Quilt
A T-shirt quilt can also look bad if it is poorly made.
If a quilt is not professionally bound it will not look good. There’re three main types of bindings used for T-shirt quilts. Read more about those here.
The worst looking binding is actually not a binding it all. Blankets finished with a “birthing” or “inside-outing” method are quick and easy to make, but look awful. Read more about blankets here.
When you are looking for a T-shirt quilt maker, spend time looking at their work. Make sure their quilts are high quality and look great. Click here to read more about finding a T-shirt quilt maker.
5. Inappropriate Backing Material
A T-shirt quilt has two sides. The front side is called the quilt top. This is where the T-shirts are. This side is affected by style of the quilt and the quilter’s skill. The material on the backside of a T-shirt quilt is called the backing. The choice of backing material will affect how this side of your quilt looks and feels.
For example, if a printed material is used on this side of the quilt, it could make for an uninteresting and bad looking T-shirt quilt. You loose seeing the beautiful quilting. Read more about backing materials here.
What you choose to put on the back of your T-shirt quilt should be fun but not overly trendy. Hopefully, you’ll have this quilt for many generations. Something that looks great in today might look very dated in 2075. Choose carefully.
Conclusion
Investing in a T-shirt quilt is not just about preserving memories; it’s about cherishing them in a beautiful and lasting way.
By choosing a company that prioritizes craftsmanship and avoids common pitfalls like cropped-off logos, poor color balance, and trendy or printed backing materials, you ensure your T-shirt quilt becomes a cherished keepsake.
Remember, the key lies in selecting a partner who understands the intricacies of transforming your T-shirts into a quilt that not only tells your story but also stands the test of time.
Make your choice wisely, and enjoy your stunning T-shirt quilt for years to come."
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