Sunday, July 17, 2011

It's ugly but has personality....



I LOVE making quilts out of used items. The joy of seeing a heap of old shirts turn into a quilt can't really be described to someone who isn't a quilter. I love finding fabrics from Op shops and rehoming them into a useful item. Of course I also like making extra pretty quilts, with all the latest fabrics that match..but they generally disappear to some raffle donation or baby or niece.



The scrappy quilts tend to stay here, normally because a little bit of extra love has gone into the making. There is a new addition made for my boy's recent birthday. He is a big lover of quilts, always likes to be wrapped warm and cosy and takes a big interest in the construction. He liked the clothes string quilt I made his sister for her birthday last year, and I have been racking my brain to work out what to do for him. Most of his clothes were unispiring to me and were passed to his cousins and my friend's boys. I started collecting up his t-shirts and in June at retreat i got serious!





I cut the front from all the collected t-shirts, then pinned them to a pre-quilted foundation piece. To give stability i crazy (string) pieced parts of his cotton shirts in the corners, using some of his Dad's shirts as well, one he is holding him in as a baby, another he wears in a date photo with me. I found an old football jumper from his team...in it went....his last ribbon from the local show found a spot..and I transferred some favourite sport photos onto fabric as well. A few boy type strips went in for good measure. I did some basic trimming to get at least some of the blocks to the same width and it turned into kind of t-shirt eye-spy! It has a very warm flannel backing and I added a polar fleece cuddle border to the top. Like I said, it is ugly from a purely aesthetic view, but he doesn't think there is anything more beautiful, 'cos it has personality! We have to keep cuddling under it and he keeps explaining to me why his is better than his sister's!




Here is hers, just for the sake of equal parenting. i love hers, it managed to be pretty, but then it didn't have to have star wars and geelong t-shirts in it!


Hope your day is great!

11 comments:

Andrea said...

Fantastic - just what quilting's all about. It's no wonder he's pleased with it - I just know he's going to love it to bits literally - lol xxx

QuiltingFitzy said...

I don't see ANYTHING UGLY ABOUT it! Some quilts are made for ourselves, some for judges, and some for the recipient. I say you knocked this one "out of the ballpark". He'll love this one forever...and your daughter is going to be asking for one just like it, lol.

Wish I could go back a few years and recreate these for my "kids"! We had SO many sporting T's, it would have been easy peasy. The crazy quilt style is perfect for this.

Good job YOU.

Needled Mom said...

I love both quilts. I have always loved a string quilt, but I love the idea of all the t shirts. That will mean more to him than anything.

RG said...

Both quilts are great Tracey!!
Definitely 'boy' and 'girl' quilts :-)

I also very much enjoy using old clothes and such to make quilts...very satisying.
Great work and congrats on a finish.

Margaret said...

Ugly --- I thought it was a post about a lovable dog. His quilt is amazing and hers just lovely. When we take time to think and prepare lovely projects like yours come into being, love the smiles on the dials also.

Katie said...

Those are both fabulous quilts! :-)

helly5 said...

It's not an ugly quilt at all! It is a lovely collection of fabric memories for your son.
I love your daughters quilt too:)

AnnieO said...

Both are totally beautiful in their way! Thanks for sharing the chucking in of this and that to the boy's quilt :)

Rose Marie said...

Each of your children has their own special quilt and that is what quilting is all about.

I love how your put your son's quilt together. Definitely, a one-of-a-kind quilt!

-girl from the bush said...

Hi Tacey, love your boys quilt...it gives me ideas for my boys. love the string quilt...i have one there already to be joined and now i think i will fire ahead and join it and bind as you have done. love looking at your blog .sue~n.z.

Anonymous said...

whow Tracy what a wonderful idea you have done well ,they both look fantastic,and i love the idea of your sons