For a Block-style quilt, you'll need at least 9 shirts (a 3×3 layout, lap-sized). A Mosaic-style quilt starts at 15 shirts. Most graduation and memorial quilts use 20–30 shirts. A queen-size quilt uses about 36–49 shirts. The most we've stitched into a single quilt is 56. Remember: front + back of a single shirt counts as 2 shirts.

If it's for a dorm bed or a lap throw, 16–25 shirts (about 56"×56" to 70"×70") is right. If it's for a queen bed, plan on 36–49 shirts (84"×84" to 98"×98"). We confirm the exact dimensions once we see the actual shirts — quilting designs gather the fabric an inch or two.

Every quilt is quoted on the project. Counts, sizes, fabrics, sentiment, and deadline all factor in — so rather than publish ranges that don't quite fit any one commission, we quote each one individually. Start a project and tell us about it; Kathy will reply within forty-eight hours with a price.

Most quilts take four to eight weeks from the day we receive your shirts. Graduation and Christmas season are the slowest — order in January for May graduation, order by mid-October for Christmas. Rush orders are possible when the calendar allows.

Pack them in one box — flat, folded, not vacuum-sealed. Any standard USPS, UPS, or FedEx box works. We'll send you a one-page Shirt Prep Checklist when you start a project; download it from the homepage if you want to start gathering now.

We can almost always work with imperfect shirts. Tell us in the notes when you start the project. If a stain is on a corner, we can cut around it; if it's central, we can sometimes patch or applique. We'll never throw a shirt away without checking with you first.

Yes — printed onto fabric and pieced in alongside the shirts. See the Photo Memory Quilts page for the full process. Photo blocks can also be mixed into a T-shirt quilt.

Yes. Front + back of a single shirt counts as 2 shirts toward the count. This is how we handle shirts with a logo on the front and a tour list, team roster, or sponsors on the back.

Soft, durable quilting cotton, with batting between the top and the backing for true three-layer construction. (We're a quilter, not a fleece-blanket factory.) Backing color is your choice — Kathy will discuss options before cutting.

A blanket is one layer of fabric. A quilt is three layers — pieced top, batting middle, fabric backing — held together by quilting stitches across the whole surface. Three-layer construction is warmer, softer, drapes better, and lasts generations. The difference shows up in the second decade.

We'll work with what you have. For Mosaic quilts especially, we can stretch fewer shirts into a larger layout by adding sashing or extra fabric. We can also incorporate dress shirts, jerseys, hats, or other clothing items — tell us what you have when you start the project.

Most likely, yes. If you've seen a design you love — on Pinterest, somewhere else online, or in a friend's home — save the photo and send it when you start your project. Kathy can usually recreate the idea, or come close, using your own shirts and colors. Even if it isn't an exact match, the photo tells her what you're drawn to, which is the best possible place to start.

Honestly? Not usually — and there's a good reason. Kathy loves to brainstorm with you and will happily tell you what's possible, but the final arrangement is hers to compose. She doesn't send a layout sketch to approve in advance, especially for Mosaics, because the design depends entirely on the actual graphics and how the shirt colors fall together — it only comes right with the real shirts in hand. Settling a layout on paper and then reworking it mid-build costs time and material, so you bring the shirts and your wishes, and Kathy places every piece. Customers are consistently happier with the quilt she composes than the one they'd have diagrammed.

We return them with your finished quilt. Nothing is thrown away without permission. Some customers ask us to use the leftovers for a matching pillow or to mail back as scraps — just tell us what you'd prefer.

Machine wash cold, gentle cycle. Tumble dry low or — for the longest life — lay flat to dry. Don't dry-clean (the solvents are hard on cotton). With normal use, these quilts last generations.

Sometimes. The calendar around graduation (March–June) and Christmas (October–December) fills up first. Tell us your deadline in the project intake form and we'll let you know what's possible. A rush fee may apply depending on workload.