T-shirt comforter

This is the T-shirt quilt I just finished (my first completed project on my new machine!)  I really gave the Viking a workout, too!  Not only is this T-shirt material, it is also pieced and backed with flannel.  It slipped a lot even though I basted it in place, and I had some trouble binding it as a result.  I also made some mistakes with this first T-shirt effort that became a learning experience!  But, overall, I think it turned out pretty good.  It not only covers most of the T's and sweatshirts my daughter wore (a couple of them made by her grandmother) but I quilted it with remembrances from her childhood, like a viola, a pair of pointe shoes, her cat and dog, etc.  There was no way I could try to free motion quilt these difficult designs because I was quilting the comforter with a stretchy stitch, so I did a LOT of turning! :-)  But it was worth it.  It's cozy and soft and warm....and really fun.  Here are a few pictures:

The range of shirts goes from military campaigns (her Dad was in the Air Force) to ballet and school shirts, to a couple sent to her by her aunt who was modeling then.  I realized too late I should have tried to cut them all at least two basic sizes....the puzzle effect of all the different sizes was hard to deal with.

A close up of a few...an exercise bear her grandmother did with fabric paints was one.  Her summer program with Joffrey was another.

I added the heart to a blank square.  Her grandmother made the snowman.  She was first chair viola at her school.

A view of some of the quilting...this is the viola.

And this is a pair of pointe shoes.  Our daughter danced for 14 years.