Lindsay's T-Shirt Quilt

There’s something special about turning a stack of well-loved T-shirts into a quilt full of memories. Every shirt tells part of a story of mission trips, camps, work places, and milestones that deserve to be remembered instead of sitting in a storage bin.

I’m excited to say I just finished another one of my kids' T-shirt quilts! That means I'm officially halfway through the project—4 quilts down and 4 to go!

While I genuinely enjoy the creative part of the process - planning the layout, balancing the colors, and sewing all the blocks together—the quilting stage is definitely the most challenging for me. These quilts all have cozy minky fleece backs, which make them wonderfully soft but also much more difficult to quilt than a traditional cotton backing.

This one decided to keep me on my toes because the minky backing was just a little too small. If you've ever quilted with minky, you know that "just a little too small" can feel like a lot! It took some extra patience, careful pinning, and more than a few adjustments along the way.

In the end, though, it was worth it.

There's nothing quite like pulling the finished quilt out of the machine, giving it one final inspection, and knowing those memories are now preserved in something that can be used and loved for years to come.

Now it's on to quilt number five!  Ha! Ha!  Just kidding. There's no way I'm making more than a couple a year!
 

Emma's Smiley Face Quilt

56" x 64"

This sweet quilt was a special project with Emma. She started by digging through my 2.5" strip bin and choosing all of her favorite colors. After I cut the pieces for her, she sewed a background piece to each of the colored rectangles. Then she carefully arranged the blocks on the design wall until it was just right.

For the backing, Emma picked a cheerful smiley-face fleece that perfectly matched the fun feel of the quilt and her personality. To complement it, I quilted the entire quilt with wavy yellow lines, adding texture and movement while tying the front and back together beautifully. 

Emma is becoming a great seamstress, and it has been so much fun watching her confidence and skills grow with each project.

Green and Turquoise Squares

54" x 72"

I've been working through my stash of Kona cotton solids this year, and this quilt was a great way to use several shades of teal, aqua, and turquoise. The simple geometric design creates a lot of movement while still being made from straightforward piecing.

I found this print for the back at Hobby Lobby. I sure do miss Joanne's being gone. I'm going to have to find another place to buy fabric. Any suggestions?

 You can find this quilt in my Etsy shop.

Large Rainbow HST Throw

64" x 80"

Isn't she pretty! I've been trying to use more of my stash of Kona solids this year, and this quilt helped make a dent in it. There are enough half-square triangles in this pattern to make at least two quilts, so it definitely kept me busy for a while.

For the backing, I used a teal batik from my stash that I've been saving for just the right project. The colors worked perfectly with the rainbow pinwheels on the front, and the batik adds a nice bit of texture and interest to the back.

The quilting is a simple meander design. With so many colors and fabrics in the quilt top, I wanted the quilting to add texture without competing with the piecing. The meander was the perfect choice to let all those colorful pieces remain the star of the show.

 If you'd like to make this quilt your own, you can find it available in my Etsy shop.

Grid Pop Throw

  58 x 70 

There’s something so satisfying about rediscovering forgotten fabric. This quilt started with an old Moda jelly roll I found tucked away in the back of my closet, one of those bundles you buy because you absolutely love it, then somehow save for “the perfect project” for years. The soft florals, faded corals, buttery yellows, and delicate pinks still felt just as charming as the day I bought them, so I finally decided it was time to turn those strips into something beautiful instead of letting them collect dust.

While I was pulling fabrics together, I came across two different sage green prints hidden in my stash. Together they added the perfect balance to all the warm pinks and reds and gave the quilt that soft cottage garden feel. It always amazes me how a couple unexpected fabrics can completely pull a quilt together.
 

One of my favorite things about using a jelly roll is how effortlessly everything coordinates. Moda collections are wonderful for that — all the prints already speak the same language, so even the scrappiest layouts still feel cohesive. This quilt became the perfect mix of planned and spontaneous sewing, which is honestly my favorite kind of project.

This quilt feels sweet, cheerful, and timeless — and now I’m wondering what other forgotten treasures are hiding in my stash waiting to become something special.