Welcome to Quilt Ninja
Quilts and Quilt Appraisal
T-Shirt Quilts at Quilt Ninja
Your T-Shirt Quilt: Pricing & Preparation
A T-shirt quilt brings your favorite shirts together into a practical keepsake you can use and enjoy. Here’s how I make them and what to prepare before we meet.
Pricing & Design
The price is $35 per square. Each square is one continuous piece of fabric from a shirt. Combining several small designs into one square counts as multiple squares at $35, each as piecing takes time and coordination of both size and color.
Most squares are cut at 13" × 13" and finish at approximately 12½" × 12½" after seam allowances. Some designs may require smaller squares or adjustments. I can usually accommodate larger logos, which we’ll discuss at our appointment.
My quilts have a simple layout, with the squares sewn directly together. I do not typically add sashing, which is the strip of fabric sometimes placed between squares.
If you would like to add sashing, this is considered an upcharge to $40/square.
Using both the front and back of a shirt counts as two squares. Please tell me at our meeting which sides you want included.
Adding a Border
You may choose a quilt with or without a border. My borders are usually 5–6 inches wide.
Adding a border adds an additional $30 to the final price. This covers the additional border, backing, binding, and batting materials needed for the larger quilt size.
Choosing Your Quilt Size
Choose your size based on the number of squares you need or have. One shirt may provide one or two squares (front and back logos).
A nine-square quilt with a 5-inch border makes a small throw. Final measurements may vary slightly with construction and quilting.
I typically make quilts with no more than 25 squares, although exceptions may be possible.
If you want your quilt to fit a bed or a particular space, please bring your desired finished measurements.
Bed-sized quilts may require additional shirts, fabric, and a separate quote.
Important: Freshly Laundered Shirts Are Required
Please freshly wash and completely dry every shirt before our appointment, even if it looks clean or has been stored since its last washing.
- Use a mild, unscented detergent. Avoid strongly scented detergents, dryer sheets, and fragrance boosters.
- Wash shirts together. Consider a Color Catcher sheet to help reduce color transfer.
- Remove stickers, price tags, and other attached labels before washing. Sewn-in clothing labels may remain.
- Remove pet hair, lint, dirt, and food residue.
- Shirts must have no noticeable body odor, smoke, pet odors, urine, mildew, or other lingering smells.
- Older stains that remain after washing are acceptable.
Please leave your shirts whole. Do not cut them before our meeting.
If there are holes or damaged seams, we can discuss whether to work around them or the cost to mend them before adding them to the quilt.
Dirt, hair, and odors that may go unnoticed at home can become apparent when we spread out the shirts at our appointment. Please freshly wash before bringing them to our meeting to avoid a postponement of the project.
I will inspect the shirts before accepting the job.
If clothing items have not been freshly laundered or do not meet these requirements, I may decline them and ask you to reschedule after washing them. Since many clients’ quilts share my studio, all fabrics entering the workspace must be freshly laundered and clean. If you need more preparation time, we can reschedule.
If I agree to accept shirts that require laundering, additional charges will apply for laundering, my travel and laundromat time, and mileage or gas. We will discuss these charges before I proceed.
Planning Your Layout
At our first meeting, we’ll go through each shirt together. I will number the selected pieces and record your preferences, including:
- Whether to use the front, back, or both.
- Which shirts are most important to you.
- Any design you would like near the center.
- Whether pieces from the same shirt should stay together or be spread throughout the quilt.
- Whether you want a border.
I use my experience with color and design to create a balanced layout. Spreading similar colors throughout the quilt often gives the best overall appearance. Please share any placement requests before I cut the shirts.
How Your Quilt Is Made
After accepting your prepared shirts, I will:
- Cut and stabilize the selected pieces with interfacing.
- Arrange and sew the squares into a quilt top.
- Contact you to choose backing fabric, binding fabric, and border fabric if requested.
- Offer pantograph options, which are repeating stitched designs used for longarm quilting.
- Quilt and bind your tshirt quilt.
I may contact you with questions during construction.
Your finished quilt is intended for regular use and enjoyment. I will provide care instructions appropriate to its fabrics so you can wash it or preserve it as a keepsake.
Materials I Can Accept
My quilts are primarily made from T-shirts and sweatshirts. Some fleece, cotton and other knit fabrics may also work. Please ask before bringing other materials.
I no longer accept pieces with:
- Rhinestones, beads, sequins, or other hard decorations.
- Bows or raised embellishments that interfere with quilting.
- Heavy or thick materials, patches or prints that prevent the quilting needle from passing through safely.
I generally do not use sweater-knit fabric because batting can work through the open knit.
Handcrafted Variations Notice
T-shirt fabrics vary in thickness, stretch, and texture. Even with stabilizing interfacing, fabric can shift during piecing and quilting. Slight variations in alignment, seam placement, stitching, and finished measurements are normal.
Your quilt is individually handcrafted. These small variations reflect the materials and the human hands that bring your unique quilt together.
Memorial Quilts
It can be difficult to share the clothing of someone who has passed away. Please advise me early in our discussions if this is a memorial quilt, and how fresh your loss is so that I can be sensitive to your grief.
Before We Meet
Please have ready:
- Your freshly washed, completely dried, uncut shirts.
- Your preferred number of squares.
- Your desired finished measurements, if this applies to you. For example, you may not care about the size, or your quilt may need to fit a bed or specific space. If so, bring measurements.
- Your preferences for shirt fronts, backs, and important designs.
- Your decision about whether you would like a border and/or sashing.
- Deposit: I ask for half of the estimated fee up front. I take Venmo, Zelle, cash, check, or Stripe. Final payment is due in cash, Venmo, Zelle, or Stripe upon delivery.
Photographs
I may photograph a finished quilt for my website and gallery unless you ask me not to.
Photographs you send for an appraisal or consultation are kept private and are not posted unless you give permission.
Not in the Los Angeles Area?
Long distance, shipment options are available. Please use the contact form and ask Julia about how to ship your shirts.
Thank you.
I look forward to helping you turn your favorite t-shirts into a quilt you can enjoy for years.
