Memory Quilts

One of the very coolest parts of my job is having the opportunity to create something special for my students that they will cherish for years to come. I teach high school chemistry (I know, you hated chemistry) and have long since realized that 99% of my students will never take chemistry again. I'm okay with that. So what I focus on is building relationships with my students, finding their strengths, and helping them find their passions in life. Every once in a while I get that kid who really connects with me and a great bond is formed. Those special kids are the ones that I create the memory quilts for. The quilts themselves are easy enough to make and take less than an hour from start to finish. But knowing that in 20 years, that student may look at that blanket and remember their high school chemistry...I get chills just thinking of it.

Step one: Gather old t-shirts. I generally shoot for 30 shirts. This can be fronts and/or backs depending on where the design is that you want to put in the blanket.

Step two: Lay the shirts out as flat as possible and trace a square on top. I use a 12x12 tile that was left over from a bathroom remodel (just in case you're wondering, home owners insurance covers 4 year olds!). Sharpie around the tile onto the shirt to create the cutting guide. At this point, and for the entire blanket as a matter of fact, DO NOT STRETCH THE T-SHIRT!

Step three: Cut the shirts out. Again, very important, DO NOT STRETCH THE T-SHIRT!
Step four: Lay out the shirts how you would like them. I recommend doing one row longer than you have columns. If you're doing the 30 shirt quilt, 5 columns and 6 rows makes a near perfect full blanket.

Step five:  Place the right sides of two shirts together and sew down just one edge.  I don't pin at this point because the shirts do a pretty good job of staying together on their own. Open the two shirts you just joined and lay the next shirt right side down on top of the shirt on the end. Continue until you have put all shirts together in that row and then repeat this step to complete all rows.

Sew that right side seam together.



Open where you just sewed the seam and continue to finish the row.



One row complete...five more to go.

Step six: Sew each of the rows together. Lay one row on top of the other row so that the right sides are together and the shirts on top are upside down. Remember that you will open up the two rows so they will be correct after you sew the seam. I do pin the rows together at this point. Line up and pin the seams created from when the rows were assembled.

Sew along that top edge where the shirts meet.

After you've sewn the top edge, the rows will open up and the shirts all facing the correct way!

One topper complete!

Step seven: Attach the back. This is where I cheat a little bit. I get a flat sheet from Wal-Mart and use this as the back of the quilt. Way cheaper than buying enough fabric to cover the back and already the perfect size, so new need to create seams on the back where fabric is being pieced together. Anyway, lay the quilt batting down, the flat sheet and then the t-shirt topper with the right side down. Sew along the outside edges and leave a gap at the end so that the blanket can be turned right side out. I leave about 1/2 of one shirt edge unsewn to flip.

Step eight: Flip! Reach your arm inside the quilt all the way to the opposite corner and pull. Easy breezy. Hand sew up the little hole that you left to flip and quilt is done at this point!