As my oldest child heads for college soon, I have been ecto-nesting. Ecto-nesting is sort of the opposite of traditional nesting.
While a woman eagerly awaits the arrival of her first child, she may begin nesting, much as a mother bird does. She feathers her nest with fuzzy baby blankets and other comforts to prepare for the newborn’s advent.
When that same woman anticipates the departure of her first child, for the college or university dormitory or the first apartment, she may begin ecto-nesting. While a mother bird may simply nudge her baby out of the nest, we human mothers seem to have a bit more trouble letting go. What do we do? We ecto-nest.
My ecto-nesting has become a project. Taking an entire childhood’s worth of favorite tee shirts, I am constructing a memory quilt for my young adult’s dorm room at college.
Do you have a young lifetime’s collection of favorite tee shirts too? Don’t toss those old tees. Don’t tear them up for use as cleaning rags. Instead, you can create a personalized tee shirt memory quilt for someone special.
Supplies Needed for Sewing a Tee Shirt Memory Quilt
Several old tee shirts
1 square sheet of thin cardboard (10″ x 10″ works well.)
Fabric for backing (Dimensions vary)
Quilt batting (Dimensions vary.)
Scissors
Sewing Machine
Thread
Sewing needle
Straight pins
Steam Iron
Ironing Board
Yarn
Large embroidery or needlepoint needle
Easy Instructions for Sewing a Tee Shirt Memory Quilt
First, collect several favorite tee shirts. If you are making multiple tee shirt memory quilts, you will need to sort the tees into piles by quilt recipient.
Insert the cardboard square into the first tee shirt. Pin it in place directly under the printed or embroidered design on the tee shirt. Carefully cut out a square of tee shirt for your memory quilt. (Your tee shirt square should be at least one inch wider on all sides than the tee shirt design.)
Cut similar squares from all tee shirts.
Cut matching squares from any light tan or white woven (non-stretchy) fabric. Pin each tee shirt square to a plain woven square, with wrong sides (non-decorated backs) together. Machine-stitch around the perimeter of each square. (This will prevent your tee shirt quilt squares from stretching, as you construct your tee shirt memory quilt.)
Next, arrange your tee shirt quilt squares on a clean floor or another large, flat surface. Stand back, and take a look at colors and patterns. Adjust tee shirt quilt square arrangements, if needed, until you achieve your desired effect.
The size of your tee shirt memory quilt will depend upon the number of tee shirt squares you create. You can make anything from a lap blanket or throw to a king-sized bed quilt. It’s up to you . . . and the extent of your old tee shirt collection.
Once you have arranged your tee shirt squares, you will be ready to begin stitching the top of your tee shirt memory quilt. One-by-one, machine-stitch the top row of tee shirt quilt squares (through all thicknesses), placing right sides together and taking up a 5/8″ seam. Press all seams flat from the back, using a steam iron (using the iron’s heat setting for “knits”).
Repeat the same machine-stitching process with each row of tee shirt quilt squares.
Next, sew your tee shirt quilt square rows together, one by one (placing right sides together and taking up a 5/8″ seam). Press all seams from the back.
By now, you have completed the top of your tee shirt memory quilt. Lay it flat on a clean floor or another large, flat surface. Measure the length and width. Cut out a rectangle (with matching dimensions) of the fabric you have chosen for the backing of your tee shirt memory quilt.
With right sides together, place the fabric backing on the tee shirt memory quilt top. Lay the quilt batting (filler) on top. Pin all materials together. (If batting is too lofty or loose, you can pin an additional layer of fabric or sewing tissue on top for simpler stitching.)
Machine-stitch all layers together, leaving a 6″ opening in the center of one side for turning. Remove all pins. Trim threads, and clip corners carefully, before turning your tee shirt memory quilt right side out.
Hand-sew the 6″ opening closed, using a slipstitch.
Lay your tee shirt memory quilt out flat. Use yarn and a large needle to tie and knot all layers together at each tee shirt quilt square intersection.
Grab a great book, curl up, relax and enjoy your new tee shirt memory quilt. (Or, wrap it up as a most memorable hand-crafted gift for someone special.)
Create Comfortable Memories.
The tee shirt memory quilt is like a scrapbook you can sleep in. Every square evokes special memories. What a wonderful legacy of love. Veritably, the tee shirt memory quilt is ecto-nesting at its finest.
