Quilters & Quilting Classes

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Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

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  • T-shirt quilt

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    Jan 17, 2019

    Hello,

    I saw the older posts, but am writing to see if there are new recommendations for a company or person to make a t-shirt quilt from some of our daughter’s t-shirts. Has anyone done this recently?  Where did you have it done, how did it turn out, and what was the cost?  I assume we will want a twin size, or possibly full. Anything you’d do differently after having it done?  We looked at one local company, but at $1000. it would be out of our price range, so we’re hoping to get other suggestions, either local, or one of the online companies. Thanks so much.  

    Jan 17, 2019

    We used melissa quilter ( her real last name) and were thrilled with the results. I think it cost around $500 but it was worth every penny. Melissaquilts [at] gmail.com

    Jan 21, 2019

    Hey there! If you are willing to mail them, I had one made in Connecticut and shipped back that is AWESOME. 

    Not sure if she is still taking orders, but check out and message her directly at: BayBreezeCottage (Etsy) 

    Jan 23, 2019

    Etsy! Looks like you can get a custom t-shirt quilt for under $200 easily!

    Jan 23, 2019

    I recently made a twin size quilt from my daughter’s saved shirts. She spent about $80-100 on batting, stabiizer for knit T-shirt fabric and backing fabric. It took many hours of planning, prepping the T-shirt knit with stabilizer and cutting, sewing and quilting. 

    I hope you can find someone to make one for you. Just so you realize the time involved is extensive. 

    Jan 24, 2019

  • Person or company to make a T-Shirt Quilt

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    Oct 23, 2017

    Hello,

    We'd like to have a t-shirt quilt made from some of our daughter's childhood memory t-shirts.  Can anyone recommend a local person (or company) who can do this?  (or if you didn't find a local company, but used a mail service, which did you use?)   We are looking for someone to design and sew the quilt, from t-shirts we provide.  If you have made use of such a person or company, how much did it cost?  Thanks for any advice or recommendations you can provide. 

    Oct 23, 2017

    Try Quilt Mamas. 

    https://www.quiltmamas.com/

    Oct 25, 2017

    I used project repat online. It was very easy. They have deals all the time. I was very happy with the product. 

    Oct 25, 2017

    The Cotton Patch is a quilting store in Lafayette on Brown Street.  They may be able to help you find someone.  FWIW: I made one of these myself, as a graduation gift for my son.  I am not particularly crafty, though I learned to sew straight seams on a machine in Home Economics under duress in Junior HIgh School in 1971 (ah, the days before Title 9...) and do have a (very ancient) sewing machine.  I cut the shirts, made equal-sized panels with each, and then sewed the panels together with a strip between them.  I paid someone I found at the Cotton Patch to do the quilting and finishing.  It is not perfectly done, but the imperfections are part of the charm.   It's really not hard to do.  I could show you the quilt, show you how to do the panels, and lend you my machine if you want to give it a try.   

    Oct 25, 2017

    What a sweet idea!

    I'd recommend talking to the folks at Hello Stitch. It's a new sewing studio on University and they do a lot of quilting (classes, custom projects, etc). They have beautiful quilt projects on display all the time...

    https://www.hellostitchstudio.com/

    Oct 25, 2017

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions  

 

Feb 2007

Re: Custom sewing
I'd like to recommend Madelin Wolf as a terrific seamstress. I believe that she can do anything involving fabric! She's an artist and makes quilts for special occasions. She's in West Berkeley near Juan's Place (1025 Carleton - and 7th?)and her numbers are 334-6671 and 644-2063. Tell her I sent you! Jann

Someone to assemble a simple quilt

Nov 2005

I'm looking to hire someone to assemble a simple quilt. It's made of 8 x 8'' squares and needs to be pieced together into a wall hanging. No interior quilting or patterning is required- just putting together the squares into a larger square. Any recommendations? E-mail or call 234-3333 Diane

Check out Quiltmamas.com. Quilt Mamas are two women in Berkeley who offer quilting services. You can see the quality of their work at their annual quilt sale 12/3; they would be glad to hear from you. Ruth

Quilt made from old t-shirts?

April 2005

Has anyone had a quilt professionally made from old t-shirts? There are a million sites on the web that advertise this, but I'd rather give my precious t-shirts to someone who's recommended. If you had this done, how much did it cost? Thanks!

I don't know of a quilter; however, I made a T-shirt quilt for my daughter and now my son wants one! They're great! When I was struggling with mine, I thought about hiring a seamstress from our local laundry/alteration place to assemble the pieces. It's a fairly simple project. Good luck! gmczene

I believe your best bet for having a quilt made from anything precious -- including your old t-shirt collection -- is to visit New Pieces on Solano right here in Berkeley (cross street Ordway). I wouldn't dream of sending off to have a quilt made from a vendor online, unless of course I knew them personally. You just don't have adequate control of what happens once you send your precious mementos away.

That said, New Pieces does everything from design work, to meticulous and beautiful construction, to really top notch free arm machine quilting. I've seen many quilts that they have designed and many more that they have finished for folks, quilters and nonquilters alike. I generally hand quilt my quilts, but have taken them a number of my quilts recently to have them machine quilted, and I have been very happy with the work that my fellow quilters at New Pieces have done.

I spoke with Sharona, the owner of New Pieces, and she advises that ''Each quilt is unique, and priced according to work involved...a twin would cost around $1000, a double: up to $1400, a queen, up to $2400.'' You should allow 3-4 months for the completion of a whole quilt.

Good luck! Melissa

Evening Quilting class?

Oct 2004

Hi, I am visiting from Europe until June next year and would like to take a quilting class. I can sew but have never done any quilting, and there seems to be quite a few different approaches, so I'd rather not just buy a book and try by myself. Any recommendation in the Berkeley-Albany-El Cerrito-Richmond area? would-be bee

You want New Pieces, THE quilting store in Albany. R.K.

Check out New Pieces on Solano Avenue in Albany. They have quilting classes of all sorts and sell really gorgeous fabric and notions for quilting needs. June

I cannot reccomend highly enough the begining quilting class at Quilt Fans in Alameda. This class is taught by a woman named Brenda who is an exceptional teacher and quilter. You learn many different techniques & can go from there in just about any direction. There are many other classes that are open to beginers and if you go to the shop you can see what quilt you would be making. Owner of the shop is very very helpful as well - Kathy. The number is: 510-749-6717. new quilter

Dear would-be quilter, You are in luck! New Pieces is a wonderful full-service quilt shop, quilting service, and gallery, located at 1597 Solano Avenue, cross street Ordway, in north Berkeley. 510-527-6779 They offer a wide variety of classes, from beginning to advanced. They are open seven days a week and they have everything you need to get started in quilting, and to keep you going, forever! Great fabric selection, and more importantly, I think, many of our best local quilters work there. They all know what they're doing, and they are lovely individuals as well. You will instantly feel right at home. They also have a web presence: http://www.newpieces.com Melissa

I *highly* recommend you take the Beginning Machine Quilting Class at New Pieces. The teacher I recommend is Angie Woolman. I took this class with her several years ago, and it was wonderful. She gives a very thorough explanation of all aspects of beginning quilting. New Pieces is on Solano in North Berkeley. Jennifer

There are lots of classes offered through the lovely fabric store on Solano called New Pieces. They have a website at http://www.newpieces.com/ There are a few evening classes and some weekend classes. I haven't seen the fall schedule, but there are probably still some openings, and if not, you could certainly check for the Spring classes when the schedule comes out. Pam

Stonemountain and Daughter Fabric Store on Shattuck offers several quilting classes.... from beginner to advanced. The number is (510) 845-6106. Also, try www.craigslist.org and you can enter some search subjects in the proper category (probably under 'community') and i'm sure there's someone out there doing a quilting bee. Good luck! tinygirl

New Pieces on Solano in Berkeley has great classes. Cindi is especially good for beginners.

Want to commission a quilt

May 2004

We are interested in commissioning a quilt and would like to work with someone local who would be willling to collaborate on colors and design. We are especially interested in a direct referral to a local quiltmaker! cld

You should talk to Sandy Klop, a Walnut Creek quiltmaker (and -- full disclosure -- my partner's mother). She has a wonderful sense of color and design, and has designed both traditional- and contemporary-looking quilts. You can see some of her designs on her website, www.americanjane.com, but you really need to see the quilts in person to get the full effect of her genius. She is always bursting with ideas and enthusiasm about quilts. I think she'd be a great person to work with if you want to commission a quilt. You can reach Sandy Klop by email through her website. Robin

You're in luck because there is a fabulous quilt store right here in Albany that can either make you a quilt or give you some recommendations for people who can- New Pieces on Solano Av - http://www.newpieces.com/about.html I was just there a couple of weeks ago with a friend of mine who is a textile artist. She was visiting from out of town and she was thrilled to be able to visit New Pieces in person - apparently they are well known in the textile community as a supplier and also as a hangout of famous quilters. They also have a gallery and many exmaples of nice quilts to look at. On their website it says they have a quilting service and will make commissioned quilts. They also will do quilting of others' quilts. While I was there I watched someone quilting on the long-arm sewing machine which they use for free-form machine quilting. It's like drawing with a sewing machine! Very cool. Ginger

Quilt made from baby's clothes

May 2004

am interested in having a quilt made from my son's baby clothes. I have found several websites online that offer this, but I would prefer to find someone locally that I can meet with in person. Does anyone know of a person/company in the Bay Area that will make a quilt from baby clothes? anon

If your email doesn't generate any other suggestions, maybe call the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles www.sjquiltmuseum.org and ask for a recommendation. David

Handmade quilts from Latin America

Aug 2003

Sometime in the past month someone posted a website to order beautiful handmade quilts by a cooperative of women (Nicaraguan or Guatemalan???) and I've lost the website and can't remember the name. If anyone has this info, please email me. Thanks. Dylyn

I just had a baby - and received one of these totally beautiful quilts as a present (I didn't know I was getting one when I posted the note below). Here is the information: Baby and other quilts made by the Juan Pablo Segundo Cooperative (baby quilts are 2 squares x 3 squares for $25.00, crib quilts are 3x4 for $35 ) are nice shower gifts and help a good cause.

The cooperative is made up of a group of women living on the north coast of Honduras in the remote mountain village of El Pital. I learned about El Pital when my friend Lauren told me about Un Mundo's 1998 Hurricane Mitch relief effort to help this village, to which I contributed.

http://www.juanpablosegundo.org/
- Charis