T Shirt Quilts Made Easy by Martha Deleonardis

Published in 2012

ISBN: 978-1-60460-014-8

Some Chapter Headings:

• Hints and How-To’s
• Projects
• Gallery
• Easy Planning Guides

I should preface my review with this:  I borrowed this book from my mom when I was ready to make my daughter’s t shirt quilt.  I’m comfortable sewing and piecing quilt tops.  I was looking specifically for information about the coordinating fabrics, what size to cut the blocks, and how-to make all the blocks fit together.  This book did that.

I liked:

• “It’s All About the Fabric” section that explained the best way to choose your fabrics for your project.  (Spoiler alert:  Don’t try to match your tee shirts!)
• The entire “Easy Planning Guides” chapter.  To be honest, I skimmed over the other parts and camped out here.  I knew I wanted to start with 5 inch squares (a charm pack) so I used her “5 inch Grid Cut Block Chart to get the measures I needed to cut my tees.

My dislikes:

• I found her grids too small for me to work with and designed my own in excel.

Conclusion:
I already know how to sew.  I already know how to piece a quilt top in a basic 4-patch or 9-patch.  If I didn’t, I’m not sure this book would have helped much.  But since I already knew those techniques, I was looking for a book that would help me design a cute t shirt quilt.  That’s why I found the discussion about fabrics so helpful.  I also love math and grids, so her planning guides were right up my alley.  This book does not teach you how to quilt–only piece the quilt top.  If you need a book to teach you how to quilt, keep looking.

Would I buy it for myself?
Yes.  If I had a stack of t shirts and a basic sewing knowledge, this would be a great place to start.

Would I buy it for a beginner sewer?
Probably not, but for a sewist who has mastered straight seams—you’re good to go!