A stained-glass T-shirt quilt is made from your T-shirts using different size blocks puzzled together with a thin line of fabric between each piece. That thin line is called leading, and it gives the quilt the look of a stained-glass window.
This style is for people who are crazy about their T-shirts and want a bold, premium quilt that stands apart from our regular puzzle style T-shirt quilts.
What's On This Page:
What Is a Stained Glass T-shirt Quilt?
How Is a Stained Glass T-shirt Quilt Different From Our Original Style?
A stained glass T-shirt quilt is a T-shirt quilt made with different size blocks puzzled together. What makes it different is the thin line of fabric between the blocks. This line is called leading, and it gives the quilt the look of a stained glass window.
The leading outlines each T-shirt design and separates the blocks from one another. This creates a bold look where each T-shirt has its own space, while still fitting together as one finished quilt.
Like our regular puzzle style T-shirt quilts, a stained glass T-shirt quilt is not made from rows of same size squares. The graphics on your T-shirts can be different sizes, and the quilt is designed around the T-shirts you send us.
Our Stained glass T-shirt quilts and our Original T-shirt quilts both use our puzzle style layout. Your T-shirts are not forced into rows of same size squares. Instead, each design is cut based on the size and shape of the graphic, then the blocks are puzzled together into a balanced layout.
The difference is the leading.
On an Original T-shirt quilt, the T-shirt blocks fit next to one another without the thin fabric line between them. On a Stained glass T-shirt quilt, a very thin line of fabric is added between the blocks. This leading outlines each T-shirt design and gives the quilt the look of a stained glass window.
The Original style keeps the focus directly on the T-shirts. The Stained glass style adds another design element. It gives each T-shirt more separation and creates a bolder, more dramatic look.
Want to see the difference? Compare our Original and Stained glass T-shirt quilts.
A Stained Glass T-shirt quilt is right for someone who wants their T-shirts to stand out even more than they would in our Original puzzle style quilt.
This style is a good fit if you love the look of each T-shirt design being outlined by a thin line of fabric. The leading gives each block its own space and creates a bold, separated look across the quilt.
It is also a good choice if your T-shirts are important enough that you want something more specialized than our Original style. A Stained Glass T-shirt quilt takes the Too Cool puzzle style layout and adds another design element that changes the entire look of the quilt.
This style is also right for someone who understands that Stained Glass T-shirt quilts are one of our more expensive quilt styles. The added leading and specialized layout make this a premium choice, not the least expensive way to have a T-shirt quilt made.
If you are crazy about your T-shirts and want a quilt that feels a step above the regular style, Stained Glass may be the right fit.
A Stained Glass T-shirt quilt is not the right choice for everyone.
If you want the most affordable Too Cool T-shirt quilt style, this is not it. Stained Glass T-shirt quilts are one of our more expensive quilt styles because they are a uniquely specialized product.
This style also may not be right for you if you want the simplest look for your T-shirts. The leading between the blocks is what gives the quilt its Stained Glass look. If you do not want that extra design element, our Original puzzle style T-shirt quilt may be a better fit.
$982
$1,247
$1,326
$1,326
$1,424
$1,473
$1,212
$1,539
$1,636
$1,636
$1,758
$1,818
$1,408
$1,789
$1,901
$1,901
$2,042
$2,113
$1,568
$1,992
$2,117
$2,117
$2,274
$2,352
$2,021
$2,567
$2,729
$2,729
$2,931
$3,032
$2,196
$2,790
$2,965
$2,965
$3,185
$3,295
$2,635
$3,347
$3,557
$3,557
$3,821
$3,953
A well made T-shirt quilt is expensive. If someone tells you they can make one for a lot less, be careful. They probably are not making the same type or style of T-shirt quilt we make.
Before you compare prices, ask yourself what you want your finished quilt to be.
A blanket costs a fraction of the price of a quilt because they are not the same thing. We only make quilts.
Many quilt makers crop off logos and artwork so every T-shirt can fit into one standard block size. It saves them money, but it can ruin the parts of the T-shirts that matter most.
Rows and columns are faster and cheaper to make. They also create a very different look from our puzzle style T-shirt quilts.
Cheap fabrics can feel scratchy and may not hold up over time. We use high quality materials because the materials matter.
There is not just one way to add a border to a T-shirt quilt. The right border depends on your T-shirts, the size of the quilt, and how much you want the border to stand out.
Not every border style works for every quilt. Some T-shirts need a simple frame. Others can handle something more playful. If you are not sure which border style makes sense, we can help you decide after we see your T-shirts.

A 2" solid border adds a narrow frame around the quilt. It is a quieter option when you want a border, but do not want it to become a major part of the design.
This border becomes too narrow for quilts larger than a queen size.

A 4" solid border gives the quilt more visual weight. This is a better choice when you want the border to clearly frame the quilt and be seen as part of the overall design.
A 4" solid border is better for larger quilts.

A 4" pieced border adds movement and color around the outside of the quilt. We usually make it from your leftover T-shirt fabric. We can also use cotton fabric if you do not have enough T-shirt material, or if the leftover T-shirt fabric is not the right color.

The solid 2" inner border separates the pieced border from the quilt, giving you two design elements that work together but can also stand on their own.

This is our most complex border style. The two solid borders frame the pieced border. This gives the border an inlay feel. These borders are striking.
A spectacular T-shirt quilt made from your T-shirts. All the blocks will be different sizes and it will be puzzled together. There is a very thin "leading" between the blocks which makes the quilt look like a stained-glass window.
All Too Cool T-shirt Quilts come with a binding.
The binding is the material that goes around the outside of the quilt. About ¼" of the binding is seen from the top, the side and the back of a quilt. The binding is used to hide the raw edges of the quilt top, batting and backing materials.
The quilting designs on the back of a Too Cool T-shirt quilt are not only fun, they are one of the things that set a Too Cool T-shirt quilt apart from other T-shirt quilts.
Return shipping is included in the price of a quilt. There are two exceptions...
It’s hard to say! It all depends on your specific T-shirts. The list here is only an approximation of the number of T-shirts, sweatshirts or other clothing items it may take to make a quilt of that size.
You may need more T-shirts if the designs on your T-shirts are small. Or you may need fewer if the designs on your T-shirts are big. Count each T-shirt you have as one, whether it has a design just on the front or a design on the front and back. The more T-shirts you have with designs on the front and back, the closer you may be to the lower end of the approximate number needed. If you have T-shirts with small designs on just one side, you will need more T-shirts.
Generally, we take the T-shirts you send us and cut them. Then we determine what size quilt those T-shirts could make. We will e-mail you and tell you the dimensions of the quilt that these T-shirts can make. At this time you can accept the dimensions of the quilt or you can add or remove T-shirts so the quilt is the size you would like.
Just about any part! Front, back, sleeves and even the neckline. We can use a front and a back from the same T-shirt. We also can use the legs or the butt from pants or shorts. So you are not limited!
We will use every part of your T-shirt unless it is "X"-ed out with blue painter’s tape. You are welcome to put notes on your T-shirts if you have a special request. Please write these notes on blue painter’s tape. This way the note can stay attached to the T-shirt until we have the quilt top sewn together.
We have found that paper notes that are pinned or stapled on leave holes in the T-shirts and are difficult to work with when we are cutting and sewing.
Backing colors - we have over 350 colors to choose from.
If you want something beyond a standard, generally accepted color, please send a swatch. For example navy, hunter green, red, orange, etc. are colors that are what they are.
But a color like teal or sage can have more than one interpretation. If you can send a color swatch, that would be helpful. You can get a swatch from a paint chip, from one of your T-shirts, a crayon scribble on a piece of white paper or out of a magazine (circle the color).
Typically 6 to 8 weeks.
Though, it will depend on the time of year. Around Christmas and during high school graduation season, it may be closer to 8 to 10 weeks. In January and in August it could be closer to 5 weeks. If it will be longer than 8 weeks, we will let you know.
If you have a specific date that you need to have your quilt returned by, please indicate this on your order form so we can plan accordingly.
Note: The turnaround time clock begins upon your approval of the size of your quilt. We try to email you size and border options within 2 to 4 days of receiving your box. We do not start counting time until we hear back from you approving your quilt's size. The time does not begin when you ship out your T-shirts. Please note this in your time frame.
Choosing which T-shirts to include in your quilt is a very important first step.
Be sure to watch or read our instructions on how to tell us what not to include.
Your order form has all the information we need to get started on your quilt.
Carmen S., Stained-glass T-shirt Quilt
Kimara K Stained-glass T-shirt Quilt
Malissa K., Stained-glass T-shirt Quilt
Keithia H., Stained-glass T-shirt Quilt
Since 1992, we've learned so much about T-shirt quilts.
Visit our Learning Center to learn all about the ins and outs of T-shirt quilts and more!"