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Enter how many shirts you have and the calculator plans the whole quilt: the grid layout, finished size, block and interfacing cut sizes, sashing strips, backing yardage, and batting — free, in your browser. Rule of thumb: 12 shirts make a lap quilt, 20 make a throw, 30 make a bed quilt.
4 × 5 layout (20 blocks) → finished quilt about 66" × 82".
Cutting & stabilizing
Cut each shirt panel and its fusible interfacing at 14.5" × 14.5" (finished 14" + ½" seams). Fuse first, then trim to size.
Lightweight fusible interfacing (20"-wide): 8.25 yd for 20 blocks.
Fabric
Sashing: about 1.5 yd (21 WOF strips cut 2.5", includes the outer frame).
Backing: 5 yd of 44"-wide (2 panels). Batting: at least 74" × 90".
Layout assumes all blocks one size with 2" sashing and a matching outer frame. Mixed block sizes and borders are easier to plan visually — try the free quilt designer for that.
Based on 14" finished blocks with 2" sashing — the calculator's defaults:
| Shirts | Layout | Finished size | Closest standard size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 3 × 3 | 50" × 50" | Large lap (square) |
| 12 | 3 × 4 | 50" × 66" | Lap / small throw |
| 16 | 4 × 4 | 66" × 66" | Throw (square) |
| 20 | 4 × 5 | 66" × 82" | Large throw |
| 25 | 5 × 5 | 82" × 82" | Between full and queen |
| 30 | 5 × 6 | 82" × 98" | Full / queen top |
| 36 | 6 × 6 | 98" × 98" | Queen |
Compare against the standard quilt sizes chart if you're aiming at a specific bed.
With 14-inch blocks and 2-inch sashing: 12 shirts make a lap quilt (about 50×66"), 20 shirts make a large throw (about 66×82"), and 30 shirts make a full/queen-size top (about 82×98"). You can flex the count by using both the front and back of a shirt, or filling grid slots with plain fabric squares.
12 to 16 inches finished, cut ½ inch larger for seam allowance. A 14-inch finished block (14½" cut) fits the printed design on most adult shirts. Use 10–12 inches for kids' shirts and 15–16 inches for oversized prints. Center the design in a square ruler before cutting — the design, not the shirt seams, decides the block.
Yes. T-shirt knit stretches, and unstabilized blocks will distort while you sew and wave after you quilt. Fuse a lightweight woven or non-woven fusible interfacing to the back of every panel before trimming it to final size. Skip heavy or stiff interfacing — the quilt should still drape.
Cut interfacing the same size as your block cut size, one piece per shirt. On standard 20-inch-wide fusible interfacing, one 14½-inch block fits per width, so 20 blocks need about 8¼ yards. The calculator above computes it for any shirt count and block size.
Yes — two common approaches. Easiest: cut everything to one block size and accept more blank margin around small designs. More advanced: cut blocks at mixed sizes that share a common grid (for example 14" plus pairs of 7" blocks) and assemble in columns. Mixed layouts are much easier to plan visually — the free quilt designer handles that.
Professional t-shirt quilt services generally price by block count, commonly landing between about $100 for a small lap quilt and $400 or more for bed sizes with sashing and custom quilting. Making your own costs the materials — interfacing, sashing, backing, batting, and binding — which typically totals well under $100 for a throw, plus your time.
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