A t-shirt quilt can be a wonderful and beautiful keepsake, and when it’s correctly made from the best materials it can last a lifetime. Many online companies offer custom t-shirt quilts that are very inexpensive, and while inexpensive isn’t necessarily bad, it’s important to ask the right questions of your t-shirt quilt provider before you buy. Cheap materials and poor technique will result in a quilt that breaks down over time. Here are the questions you should ask a t-shirt quilter:

Q. Is your quilt custom-made?

Online you can find decent t-shirt quilts that are reasonably priced but that aren’t necessarily “custom.” The colors, patterns, and arrangement are usually the same. Since you are having a t-shirt quilt created as an heirloom, it is important that it really is custom-made.

Q. Do you use cotton or polyester batting?

Cotton batting is superior to polyester. Polyester batting doesn’t breathe and will degrade substantially over a long period of time. Cotton batting is more expensive but also more comfortable for everyday use and will last much longer. When cotton batting is used, the quilt will hang flatter and more beautifully against a wall. Sometimes quilts are not made with any batting. In this case, the quilts cannot really be considered quilts at all.

Q. Are the t-shirts separated with sashing?

A ribbon of fabric, or sashing, is used between t-shirt squares to separate them. It is important that your quilter use sashing. This will enhance the design, as well as help your t-shirt quilt last longer.

Q. How do you build the quilt? Do you “flip and quilt” or do you bind?

The older “flip and quilt” or “flip and sew” method is the less time-consuming way to make a quilt. It is less expensive, but the quilt usually won’t hang or lay completely flat. The bind method, on the other hand, takes longer. However, the finished product lays or hangs flat and looks much nicer.

Q. What are the thread count and thread weight of the fabric you use?

A quilt should last decades if the best fabrics are used. The thread count of the best type of fabric is 75, and the thread weight should be 30-34. Check with your quilter about the thread count and thread weight of the fabric they use. The last thing you should check, if you can, is the sharpness of the printing on the fabric. Inexpensive fabric has printing that is inconsistent and blurry, and it will degrade over time.