machine quilting patterns

Finishing a quilt…?

I would like to start making T-shirt quilts for all our T-shirts laying around. I’ve made quilts before, but I’ve never done all the top stiching that I have seen other people do. Do I need a special machine to do that, or where do I learn how to do that? I have seen some people do beautiful freehand work, and I’m just confused how they can do that on a standard sewing machine. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone has any great patterns for T-shirt quilts besides the standard one you see everywhere, I would love that too!:) Thanks for your time!!:) Have a great day!!:)
I know I have to make the quilt…. and obviously I know I have to take the T-shirts apart… that’s why my question is about finishing it!

You covered a lot of ground in your question – I’ll try to follow. Many people DO finish full-size quilts on home sewing machines, but it can be physically and logistically challenging, so sending them out to be professionally quilted on a long-arm machine is increasingly popular, too (going rate for basic long-arm quilting in my area is $0.02-$0.04 per square inch of quilt).
Two basic types of quilting on a DSM (’domestic sewing machine’) – ’straight-line’ and ‘free-motion’. ‘Straight-line’, which also includes gentle curves, requires either a built-in ‘dual-feed’ or the use of a walking foot. (Some machines need special ones, others can use a generic – abt $25 – available at www.nancysnotions.com, etc.) For free-motion, you use a darning foot, a spring needle, or just remove the presser foot entirely (a little risky, tho!). Free-motion work takes some practice to do well.
A good starting place might be a ‘rag’ t-shirt quilt – you quilt the blocks before you assemble the quilt (much easier to learn, then), and you leave the seams exposed to fray for a casual country look. Here are some links:
http://www.reddawn.net/quilt/knit.htm (working with knits)
http://www.quiltknit.com/patterns/memory_quilt_patterns.htm
http://newsgroups.derkeiler.com/Archive/Rec/rec.crafts.textiles.quilting/2005-09/msg04094.html
http://www.apqs.com/quiltboard/viewthread.php?tid=3790&page=1
(scroll down to the post by ‘JAB’)
‘About.com’ also has an extensive section on quilting basics, as well as good info on t-shirt quilts in particular.
Hope this helps – good luck!

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