How’s that pile of old race t-shirts doing in your closet or dresser? Or the corner of a bedroom? Or the box (boxes?) in your junk room or garage or … what’re you going to do with all of those shirts? The one from the triathlon eight years ago, and the ones from the bike rides, and those from the … Debbie Lord Phillips can ease your pile-up pain.
Yes, yes, we know. You’re going to get around to it one day. Toss them out. Keep a few special ones. Donate some, while looking for another race. And yet, that one was from your best swimming PR after hard training for the triathlon. That one was your first 25K or 50K that you finished and, dang it, you did it despite people saying, “Oh, you didn’t train enough.” And those are from your streak of 27 marathons. Impressive streak, yes, but shirts from the last century?
Phillips sews warm, comfortable quilts that showcase the shirts, giving the owner more time to enjoy the memories. She cuts the front, or back if desired, from the shirt in exact sizes and then sews them onto the quilt. These keepsakes can be treasured for years and — double bonus — help get rid of the piles of shirts.
“It started about nine years ago when our older daughter graduated high school,” said Phillips, a longtime school teacher who lives in Hazel Green. “I kept all of her her t-shirts from first tee-ball games, dance recitals, and all through her senior year I snuck over to my mom’s house and made the quilt for her for graduation. Then I posted on Facebook about it and it took off from there. I was asked if I did that for friends, what I charge and so on, and it just snowballed.”
How She Does It
Phillips’ mother taught her how to do the quilting, which she did on an 8×8-foot frame in her living room. At the time she did a pull-and-tie method, with thicker thread pulled through and tied in five per square. Then Phillips learned about quilting machines at Huntsville So Creative, saw a frame there and purchased one.
That helped with the process, which includes using cotton batting between the front and back layers of the quilt. The top layer is made with the t-shirts. Flannel and fleece are tougher to work with, due to the thickness, and Phillips said fleece stretches too much on the frame.
“I’ve done quilts, just the tops, different things,” Phillips said. “I also make teddy bears and pillows, including some pillows for a friend from church out of neck ties. Those take a little more time. Most running shirts are the Dri Fit fabric. I stabilize all the shirts with iron-on inner facing. Those Dri-fit shirts move because they’re so stretchy. I also have done flannel and cotton button-down shirts. It just depends on what people want with the clothes they have and want to use.”
Phillips has made two quilts for Mia Morales of Huntsville.
“I highly recommend Debbie if you’re looking for something to do with your race shirts,” Morales posted on Facebook. “This is the second quilt she has made me. This one is particularly special because it’s all the shirts I collected during my recent deployment.”
Enjoyable Hobby
Phillips has been sewing and making things for more than 25 years, enjoying a hobby that keeps her busy while also putting smiles on faces.
“I started walking at Fleet Feet to do the Couch-to-5K program, maybe five or six years ago, and joined the Run256 and Run Huntsville pages on Facebook,” she said. “The first ones I did I posted it on there, and have gotten tons of business from Facebook. I wish I’d kept up with how many because so many people ask me that. When I started doing them I think that was when I wasn’t teaching and could do more. I probably make 25 or 30 a year. I allow myself two a month but will do more in summer if we’re not traveling for summer or spring break.”
Phillips has learned a lot about sewing and shirts. Thinner Dri-Fit type shirts need to be stabilized. Full and heavier cotton shirts, like by Gildan, are thicker. Polyester is another that needs stabilization. Sweaters fray, she said. But she’ll consider whatever request and discuss any pros or cons before beginning.
“I’ve had repeat customers many times,” Phillips said. “There’s a woman whose goal is to do a marathon in all 50 states, and I did a quilt for her with 25 of the shirts. She’s working on the next 25. Another gentleman does 5K and 10K events and he wanted quilts for those. He has one quilt hanging on his wall and another on his bed. I did another for the man who was head of security on Air Force One during the Reagan years.
Phillips made a quilt with shirts, or replica shirts, from the teams played on or associated with Don Mincher. The Huntsville native, a graduate of Butler High School, played with the original Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, California Angels, Seattle Pilots, Oakland A’s, expansion Senators and Texas Rangers. Mincher later went on to a successful career in minor league baseball management, including as president and general manager, and later co-ownwer, of the Huntsville Stars.
Phillips can be found on Facebook at Keepsake Quilts by Debbie Phillips. The quilts keep her busy with something fun, along with seeing the recipients’ smiles once their t-shirt keepsake is revealed.
“It’s my hobby. I like to scrapbook, too,” she said. “If I’m at home, I’m sewing. I made our sunroom my sewing room. My husband and I watch TV together while I sew. It’s just a wonderful thing that I enjoy doing.”
