A high-quality T-shirt quilt can last for decades. How long it lasts depends on the materials, construction, how often it is used, and how it is cared for.
How long will your T-shirt quilt last?
Forever, I hope. Okay, I know nothing lasts forever. So then, I hope your quilt lasts a number of generations. How long a T-shirt quilt lasts depends on a number of factors.
How the Quilt Top is Sewn
The first factor influencing the longevity of a T-shirt quilt is the expertise of the quilt maker. This includes how well the quilt top is sewn together.
Sewing a straight stitch in a straight line may seem, well, straightforward. But there are two factors with this seam that could shorten the life of the quilt.
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The Stitch Tension
If the tension is not right, the stitches may work themselves free over time. Quilts made by beginners or others without a complete understanding of how sewing machines work could be suspect. Since you can’t see these stitches, you may never know there is a problem until your quilt starts to come apart. -
The second is a seam allowance.
A 1/4" seam allowance is standard for T-shirt quilts. This seam should be a consistent quarter-inch along the entire length of the block.
Inexperienced sewers tend to wander. This means their seam allowance may vary from 3/8" to less than 1/8" of an inch.
This can look bad on the front of the quilt, if you know what to look for. More importantly, where the seam allowance is 1/8" or less, there may not be enough fabric to securely hold the seam. Those are the spots where the quilt may eventually develop holes.
The Quilting Method Used
Quilting holds together the top, the batting and the backing. Read more about quilting methods here.
There are a number of methods used to quilt the three layers together.
A quilt that has no quilting is actually not a quilt. It’s a blanket. And there is a huge difference between the two. Read more about the difference between a quilt and a blanket here.
A blanket will have the shortest lifespan because there is nothing holding the front to the back. Without anything holding the front to the back, the top (the part with your T-shirts) can flop around. It will easily stretch out of shape. Without anything holding the front to the back, the top (the part with your T-shirts) can flop around.- A quilt that is tied or tacked will have a longer lifespan than a blanket. The disadvantage of a tied or tacked quilt is that the areas that are not connected have a tendency to stretch out of shape, much like a blanket.
Another problem occurs where the ties are fastened. The area around each tie is under stress. After all, it has to hold the three layers together. This may lead to rips and tears. 
A quilt that is fully quilted will have the longest lifespan.
A T-shirt quilt that is quilted closely enough will not have the problem of the top being loose and floppy. And there is no single point of stress like there is with a tied quilt. The stress is spread over thousands and thousands of stitches.
Planning a T-shirt quilt?
Here are step-by-step directions for ordering your Too Cool T-shirt quilt.
How The Quilt Is Bound
The binding of a quilt holds the three layers together. The binding on a quilt is touched and used more than any other part of the quilt. The more layers of fabric a binding has, the longer it will last.
There are three major ways to bind a quilt. Of the three methods, quilts bound with a true binding will last the longest and withstand the most wear and tear. Let’s break this down.
- A quilt without a binding is a blanket. The front and back of the blanket are sewn together and then turned inside out. This is sometimes called birthing a quilt. It’s not actually a binding. The stress along the edge of the quilt is placed directly on the T-shirts. That edge can wear more quickly.
A half binding is when the back of the quilt is brought around to the front of the quilt.
This does not provide any extra fabric on the back of the quilt. On the edge of the quilt, there is just one layer of fabric.
It’s better than no binding, but it has issues.
- A full binding is when a separate piece of material is sewn onto the edge of the quilt. There are at least two layers of fabric everywhere on the binding. The front has four layers. This gives the edge of the quilt a longer life.
The Quality of Material Used
What is put into a quilt (beyond your T-shirts) counts! It counts a lot! The higher the quality of the materials used, the longer your quilt will last. I am sure you know this from clothing you have purchased. High-quality clothing will outlast cheap clothing every time.
Your quilt will eventually need to be washed. Quality material holds up to washing.
A quilter adds three materials to your quilt – backing fabric, batting, and thread.
- Fabric
Think about fabric like you would a bed sheet. A high-thread-count, 100% cotton fabric will outlast a cheap, low-thread-count, 100% polyester fabric. If your quilt maker does not say on their website what fabric they use, you need to ask! Read more about what to look for in backing fabric here. - Batting
100% polyester batting may not hold up as well through repeated washing. Polyester batting tends to ball up after washing. The more it is washed, the more it can ball up. Polyester fibers can also work their way through the backing over time. They will eventually poke out the back of the quilt. This can give the back of your quilt a fuzzy look.
Look for a quilt maker who uses 100% cotton or 80% cotton/20% polyester batting. Read more about batting here. - Thread
I learned about thread the hard way in 1989. I had just graduated from college and had just begun my first job. I didn’t have a lot of spare cash to spend. But I loved quilting and I wanted to quilt. (FYI – quilting is a compulsion for some people!)
I went to the cheapest store and purchased the cheapest thread. I thought I was so clever. No. No I wasn’t.
I made this crazy-style quilt that had a lot of topstitching. I went through spools and spools of thread. After the quilt was finished, the dog puked on it. Great. I took the quilt to the laundromat and washed it.
Yep, it did not hold up well in the wash. Another two washes and that quilt was history. I gave it away at a garage sale. The woman thought it would work great for her dog’s house.
I would share a photo of that quilt, but it's been lost! Yeah!
Lesson learned. Quality materials count. Thread, batting, and fabric all matter!
If you want your quilt to last a long time, find a quilt maker who uses high-quality materials. You might have to ask what they are using. Don’t rely on looks alone.
How You Use Your Quilt
Any quilt that is folded up and put away will last a long time. But T-shirt quilts are made to be used. How long they last will be partially determined by how hard you use your quilt.
A quilt that is used on a bed will last longer than a quilt used on a couch. A couch quilt will be handled and used more often.
I had a customer who covered his couch with his T-shirt quilt. I guess the quilt looked better than his couch. A few years later, he was concerned that the quilt was wearing out where he sat every day. There was nothing we could do. Upholstery is a very thick material designed to be sat on. A T-shirt quilt, not so much.
You will need to decide how you want to use your quilt and realize that this choice will affect how long it lasts. The harder you use your quilt, the shorter its life.
How You Take Care of Your Quilt
Most T-shirt quilts can be washed and dried like a T-shirt. Read more about the care of T-shirt quilts here.
The more frequently a quilt is washed, the shorter its lifespan. So before you throw your quilt on the floor and eat a pizza on it, think about how long you want that quilt to be around.
The Number of Dogs You Have
There is an inverse relationship between the life of your quilt and the number of dogs in your home.
Dogs are tough on T-shirt quilts. Over the years, we have repaired so many quilts that have been partially destroyed by a dog. Keeping your dog away from your T-shirt quilt will do wonders for the longevity of your quilt. Read more about dogs and quilts here.
If you start with a great quilt and take care of it, your quilt should last a long time.
If you start with a crappy quilt and trash it, your quilt’s life will be limited.
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