The Newest Trend in Graduation Gifts

 

High school and college graduation season is coming up and many new grads will receive typical gifts such as laptops, i-pad or a new smart phone.  But what about giving a gift that will last a lifetime?  The following is an interview with Kathy DiGirolamo about the newest trend in graduation gifts:  T-shirt quilt.

 

People know what T-shirts are and they have probably seen a quilt at Grandma’s house, so can you tell me what exactly is a T-shirt quilt?

Kathy:  You take any kind of t-shirt and cut it to capture the shirt’s design, logo or saying, add a fabric border and sew it together with several other T-shirts to make it into a quilt.  You can use any kind of t-shirt, and so whatever is on the t-shirt is what you are capturing as a memory quilt.

 

Why is this a good graduation gift?

Kathy:  Graduation is a milestone, a turning point in someone’s life, and this is a great way to preserve the experiences of the past.  You can take a T-shirt from their sports team, a 5K race or where you went on vacation.  If it is on a t-shirt, front or back (or both), you can put it on a quilt.  All the T-shirts will have a special meaning to that person and putting 12 to 25 shirts together as one large quilt is a great way to preserve those memories.

 

Why do you think t-shirt quilts are becoming more popular?

Kathy:  Let's face it, if you get someone an i-pad for graduation, that’s useful, but in 3 or 4 years they will have to get a new one.  But you only graduate once before moving on to something else, so, creating a quilt that has all of the T-shirts from either your high school or college years or even when you were a little kid, is something that will last forever.  It's the ultimate in a personal custom gift.

 

Would somebody use this like a blanket on top of their bed?

Kathy:  Sure, you could put the quilt on top of your bed but many people hang them on the wall to display.  It’s like getting a giant picture of your life.  Many graduates take them to college as a reminder of home.

 

How big do you make these quilts and how expensive are they?

Kathy:  The great part about making a t-shirt quilt, is you can make it any size.  I've made a quilt as small as 2 shirts, and as large as 30, which can cost up to several hundred dollars.  You have great flexibility in doing whatever you want with however many shirts you have that can fit into any budget.

 

It sounds like a lot of work goes into making these quilts.  How long have you been doing this?

Kathy: I have been making custom quilts for 10 years.  No two quilts are the same, and it is fun to be creative and collaborate with customers.

 

How long does it take to make a quilt like this?

Kathy:  Usually just 3 to 4 weeks.

 

This sounds like a low-tech type of gift, is there anything new and modern with quilting these days?

Kathy:  The quilt machine that I use, which is about 12 feet long, utilizes a laser pointer so I can stich any pattern or choose to do it free form.  But the biggest thing for a time honored tradition like quilt making is using digital photos.  You can print any digital photo on fabric paper.  This can be integrated into your quilt, so a family picture or anything else can be used to completely customize and make these great memories a permanent reminder.

 

Last question: what is the most memorable t-shirt quilt you’ve made? 

Kathy:  I had a customer from Texas whose husband had recently passed away.  He'd been a Harley motorcycle rider for many years and had collected over 50 T-shirts.  His wife decided to make two t-shirt quilts out of his Harley shirts for each of their kids.  What a great memory of their dad, and I was glad to be a part of creating that special memento.

 

Kathy DiGirolamo is the owner of Fabric Creations by Kathy, who specializes in t-shirt and custom quilts located in Broomfield, CO.  More pictures can be seen atwww.fabriccreationsbykathy.com

 

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