Iowa Hawkeyes!

In Iowa we have the next best thing to a professional team.  Actually two choices, Iowa or Iowa State.  A client came to me originally with 18 t-shirts with the hopes of a queen sized quilt.  It could be done, but more t-shirts are better!  After scavenging for more University of Iowa t-shirts, she came back to me
with a total of 33 t-shirts.  Now this was going to be a big Hawkeye quilt!

She was thrilled with the end result and so was I.  It was hard parting with this quilt, but I know it went to a great home!  I now have a designated Hawkeye tote saving up my tee's waiting for my own Hawkeye quilt!

Raising Money for our School

For the past few years, I have made a donation quilt for our elementary school.  The money raised from the quilts goes back to the school to buy items for classrooms and the library.  This is the quilt for this school year.  Our school colors are columbia blue, black, and white.  Somebody had given me pink t-shirts with the school logo.  That was my challenge... make a quilt with the school colors AND with some pink thrown in.  I wasn't so sure about this project, but now I love it!  I hope it brings in even more money this year!!!

Only one t-shirt?!?

A co-worker asked me to make her daughter a graduation quilt.  She gave me one t-shirt.  One.  I had no idea how I was going to pull this one off.  After several days of serious quilt thinking, I wondered how well a double irish chain with one t-shirt in the middle would look...  Well, I think it looks pretty great!  

The co-worker (and her daughter) loved the quilt.  So did I... too bad I didn't go to Wartburg College or I would have kept it for myself!

Minnesota Vikings Quilt

Football season is almost here!  This t-shirt quilt was created for my son who is a big Minnesota Vikings fan!  Can you tell?  He would only part with a couple of t-shirts and I could only scrounge up a couple more.  This was my challenge, make a large t-shirt quilt with only four t-shirts.  And keep it non-girly, per my son's instructions.

I chose a pattern from Patchwork Times.  The pattern is by Judy Laquidara, used with her written permission.  It was a great pattern to incorporate just a few t-shirts and have a more masculine feel.  I love how it turned out, especially since I am a Vikings fan myself.  More importantly, my son loves it.  Actually he loves it so much, he has been more inclined to make his bed in the morning!  I guess maybe I need to make the other boys their own t-shirt quilts to encourage making the bed!

Red Star Quilts

Red Star Quilts is a quilting blog that will have just about everything quilting, but my main speciality are t-shirt quilts.

Fifteen years ago my genetically instilled sewing gene kicked in, much to my family's amazement.  My parents owned and operated a local upholstery shop, my Grandma and Mom owned and operated the local fabric store for years, and my other Grandma churned out quilts by the cartload.  When I finally decided to start sewing, I think there were rumblings of shock in our family.  For years I had turned my nose up to sewing.  My penchant for quilts forced me to take another look at the family craft.  Once I started sewing, I finally understood why my Mom and Dad could sit at a sewing machine all day.  The gene had finally kicked in.

Over the years I have created quilts, wall-hangings, table runners, and even mug rugs.  My favorite projects are the t-shirt quilts I make.  After a few years of people asking me to make a t-shirt quilt for them, I decided that I might take this out on the road.  This is where I hope to share with you all my creations that hopefully will allow you to choose me to create your own t-shirt quilt.

This blog is for non-quilters and quilters alike!  If you don't sew, that is okay!  Contact me about creating a specialized t-shirt quilt for you.  Quilters, this is where we can share tips and ideas.

I hope you will all enjoy the site!