My First T-Shirt Quilt

With Adonis on his way back home this coming week, I started a little over a month ago thinking of what I could do for a send off gift.  I love quilting and have quite a few projects going right now actually.  Truth is, I have too many projects.  One I had never done though, is a T-Shirt quilt.

So, what if I were able to go to Goodwill and find some t-shirts?  That would be affordable enough without buying everything brand new.  As I was developing my idea, I thought out loud to a couple of family members and seemed to get a positive bit of feedback with the exception of Dawn who responded with "why would you make Adonis a quilt Mom, he lives in Nicaragua which is on the EQUATOR!"  You have to admit, she had a good point until I explained that this wouldn't be something he would sleep under, but something that he could have to remember Iowa and his time here.

With that, I went in search for t-shirts.  He lived with Mom and Dad in Marion for the first year, so I quickly located the Marion Indians and Linn Mar Lions shirts since he has been supportive of different family activities.  Next, Kirkwood, which is where he attended school for two years and graduated from last month.  I found two that would work.  

Next, I had in the back of my mind Washington DC and St. Louis because he went to both places during his time here.  I could not believe that I found a t-shirt for both the very first day out looking!  I was pumped at that point.  He has collected some Hawkeye items during his time here so I found a couple of Iowa Hawkeye t-shirts to include.  The only thing I didn't have was a John Deere shirt.  He had toured the plant and liked that.  Johnse pointed out that Theisen's has John Deere shirts and boy do they ever!  I purchased that one new and another new one I got at Family Christian to represent the faith that we live by.  The surprise of all surprises was when I found a Nicaragua shirt at the Council Street Goodwill...no better luck than that, if luck is what it really was.  I have to admit, I prayed to find the shirts that I needed.  I don't ever believe there are things that are too little to ask God about!

I filled in the rest of the squares with random sized leftover pieces and a picture from each family with space for each of the families to write a note with fabric marker.  I also included a couple other pictures that I was able to iron on.

The quilt turned out great.  I was a little scared at first because I had heard stories but with stabilizer it worked out just like any other quilt.  I did tie it because I didn't want to quilt over the writing or the words, the quilt went together pretty random.  He loved it and I loved doing it and even better, giving it!