Wednesday, September 15, 2010

How much fabric is in a 4x shirt?

I like buying shirts - mens shirts especially - at thrift shops. I use the fabric in my quilts.

I found this one last week. I liked the color - the orange has a red plaid moving through it that seems like it will work well. THEN I noticed the size - it is a 4x shirt.

I photographed it to show you the shirt before I cut it up. I wondered how much fabric it would yield.
Here are the results:
The back (the biggest piece) measures 26" x 30" (=~1/2 yard).
The fronts are each 27" x 15"(=~3/8 yard).
The short sleeves yield 20" x 3" each.
So you can see I will get nearly a yard of fabric from that shirt.

Look how I've been collecting them. I cut the pieces apart and trim off the seams. Of course, I save the buttons and the labels for some future project. Then I roll them up and use a trimmed seam scrap to tie it. As many of you know, this is addictive.....
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10 comments:

  1. KathSeptember 15, 2010 at 5:54 AM

    Oh Deb, you are a girl after my own heart. My family get a bt twitchy when I start eyeing up something they are actually wearing LOL

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  2. Sujata ShahSeptember 15, 2010 at 6:49 AM

    The basket full of shirts! My kind of stash!
    I bought some shirts the other day from Target.. Yes, they are not thrift shop find but I only paid 3 dollars each and they are XXL...
    I felt like a winner walking out of the store :)

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  3. Quilt InspirationSeptember 15, 2010 at 7:52 AM

    I've been using men's shirts from the thrift store to make pillows. A great and cheap way to add to the stash!

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  4. bethSeptember 15, 2010 at 8:05 AM

    I've been collecting too and I REALLY like the way you precut and organize! GREAT idea.

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  5. Nifty QuiltsSeptember 15, 2010 at 10:44 AM

    A 4X--great find!! I'm glad you measured to see what you really get in a shirt. I've been meaning to do that. There is the time involved, cutting them apart. But that's a good hand work thing to do in front of the TV. Plus you get buttons and labels!

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  6. Tonya RicucciSeptember 15, 2010 at 12:58 PM

    gorgeous score. Love the fabric and the big size just makes it all the better. Sweet way to store the fabric too. I've got mine in bins - at least the parts that I've finished cutting up. Right now I have a hamper full of collars and cuffs that still need further attention.

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  7. Cherie in St LouisSeptember 15, 2010 at 3:23 PM

    Boy oh boy, is it addicting!! The only thing better than a 4XL is if it has long sleeves!! I have stacks of cut up fabric from shirts and love them all :)

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  8. fabriquefantastiqueSeptember 15, 2010 at 6:24 PM

    Often mens thrift shop shirts are made of a better fabric than you can buy.....look out for 'Turnbull & Asser' or ' Pink' .

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  9. allie allerSeptember 27, 2010 at 11:13 PM

    I've been wanting to make a shirt-sourced quilt too, Deb. These fabrics give off such solidity and comfort...maybe like the guys who wore these clothes.... ;-)

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  10. YankeeQuilterOctober 1, 2010 at 11:30 AM

    I love how soft the laundered shirts are...and yes, buying, sorting, washing, cutting, and folding second hand shirts is addictive!

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