Today’s post – by popular request – is an expanded version of an earlier one, in which I extolled the virtues of chopping up a shirt to produce material that can be re-used for various purposes, including patchwork and quilting. Here then, is the state-of-the-art, illustrated, blow-by-blow method:
1.Choose a good brand. This shirt is a ‘Ben Sherman’.
2. Choose a large size (XXXXL in this case). Large size = more fabric!
3. Choose a great colour. The quilter Philippa Naylor shares her enthusiasm for lime green in a quilt in her book ‘Quilting in the Limelight, so I reckoned I couldn’t go wrong with this one.
4. Go for a good price. This second-hand shirt was £1.70. Make sure the shirt is in good condition, however, not worn on the cuffs or collar. A great deal of work goes into a quilt and it may last for hundreds of years, so don’t use worn cloth.
5. Wash the shirt carefully, on its own, so you can check that the colour doesn’t run. If you put a scrap of white fabric in the washing machine with it you will be able to check if it is colourfast. Dry the shirt. Don’t go near it until it is pristine and sweet-smelling!
6. Using small embroidery scissors, snip off all the buttons.
7.Look for the buttons attached to a label in the side seam and buttons at the back and the points of the collar on ‘button-down’ shirts. This shirt yielded 13 larger and 6 smaller buttons.
8. Using a double thread, string the buttons onto the thread, by putting the needle through a single hole in each button and then tying a double knot to secure. I use buttons for quilting (see ‘Pretty Pouches’ and ‘Blue Mountains’ quilt.)
9. Cut off the sleeve just above the cuff.
10. Next, cut off the sleeve at the top, 3” (7.5 cm) down from the armhole seam (trust me on this one!)
11. Now turn this ‘tube’ inside out and cut the seam off. It takes too long to unpick – it’s not worth it.
12. Open out the piece and cut neatly round the placket at the sleeve opening. Repeat steps 8 to 11 with the second sleeve.
13. Turn the main body of the shirt inside out and cut off the side seam on both sides of the shirt.
14. Now cut from 3 inches (7.5cm) below the underarm seam, up to the yoke, across the yoke and down the other side to end up 3 inches below the underarm seam on the opposite side.
15. Go to the front of the shirt. Trim off the buttonhole band, cut up to the shoulder facing and down round the armhole (ending 3”/7.5cm below the underarm seam).
16. Cut above and below the pocket section on the front and discard pocket.
17. Trim bottom hem as before. Repeat with second front piece on the other side.
18. Cut the ends of the yoke and cut round under the collar.
19. Separate out the two yoke pieces and cut out any labels.
20. Throw away the left-overs. Don’t give them a second glance!
20. Iron all your lovely pieces of fabric. There was more than a square metre of fabric in this shirt; the back alone yielded a piece 32”x 28”/80cm x 70 cm.
21.Top tip: fold all the pieces, making the pile into a neat package, ready to use.
This is my ‘Cheerful Chameleons’ fabric. You can find it here.
Thank you for reading my blog. Quilt patterns are here, Fabrics are here, Classes are here
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