T-shirts can become home decorating elements.

Décor, to a T

Your beloved Rolling Stones T-shirt is a lot like the members of that band: still kicking it, but a little worse for the wear. Retire this well-worn second skin? Never! It might no longer be wearable, but its life as a home-furnishing element is just beginning.

Jennifer Nilson of personalized quilts out of old T's.

Using old T-shirts, Nilson creates memorable quilts for beds or walls.

Using her customers' sports jerseys, flannel shirts, and T-shirts from schools, concerts, sororities, marathons, and more as material, Wild Zipper's Jennifer Nilson of Roscoe, IL, creates personalized T-shirt quilts that can be used on beds or hung on walls. You loved it on your back, and now you can love it on your bed.

Nilson, who's been sewing since age 9, says orders and T-shirts come from all over the world, including the Middle East - her services have been sought out by many men and women in the army.

"I've done a few military quilts that are breathtaking," says Nilson, 46. "The experiences of the military personnel make an awesome collection of T-shirts, which in turn makes an awesome quilt."

Also close to Nilson's heart are quilts she's created for charity, including a recent one completed for country singer Chely Wright's "Reading, Writing, and Rhythm" foundation, constructed from Wright's concert T-shirts.

Vintage T-shirts come out of retirement thanks to stitch'T, which scours secondhand shops in order to make unique retro quilts, wall hangings, pillow cases, duvet covers, and even crib quilts. Seeing the past-their-prime shirts as a form of art and the quilts as a means of preservation, stitch'T, in addition to the quilts they design and manufacture with donated or found recycled shirts, also creates custom pieces using T-shirts sent in by clients.

"We help people preserve T-shirts and memories," says stitch'T founder Jason Friedman. "And we give them a bit more closet and drawer space for new purchases."

If you're the crafty DIY type with time and a sewing machine to spare, you can whip up your own quilt with your favorite tees. You'll want to run your shirts through the washing machine first and inspect them for any holes on the side you want to display. Next create a grid for your quilt, taking into consideration the size of your shirts and any pattern you want to use. Carefully cut the appropriately sized square out of each shirt, as well as any material you want to use for gaps (aka sashing). Sew T-shirts onto the backing of your choice (stitch'T uses a gray sweatshirt material) and add batting or stuffing to your preferences. The end result? A completely original work of art that displays your personal passions, whether it's through your Yankee jerseys or old Journey concert tees.

Posted on September 11, 2006