The 3 Best Sewing Machines for T-Shirt Quilting
1st Jun 2023
The 3 Best Sewing Machines for T-Shirt Quilting
T-shirt quilting has become one of the most popular forms of quilting in recent years. T-shirts are often laying around the house and many have important memories that people would prefer to keep on hand.
In an effort to keep these memories alive, quilters proved to have the solution. Quilters have always been sort of unofficial record keepers for certain cultures. The patterns and fabrics of their quilts often have deeper meanings than just a pretty design. When faced with the issue of an overabundance of fabric, quilters did what they always do — they made a quilt.
Now, T-shirt quilts can be found just about everywhere, and are an excellent way to keep memories of concerts, sports matches, and other live events alive and well. In this article, you'll learn what constitutes a great T-shirt quilting machine, and discover three of our favorite machines for making these fascinating quilts:
- What Makes a Machine Good for T-Shirt Quilting?
- The Best Budget Machine for T-Shirt Quilting
- The Best Mid-Budget Machine for T-Shirt Quilting
- The Best Overall Machine for T-Shirt Quilting
What Makes a Machine Good for T-Shirt Quilting?
While you can use just about any sewing machine to make a basic T-shirt quilt, the final result will last longer and look better when you use the right machine. When you search for a quilting machine to make these quilts, you'll want to make sure it has at least some of the following qualities:
- Large working area
- Computerization
- High stitch speed
- Diverse stitching options
Each of these features improves the process of quilt-making and ultimately results in a better quilt.
In general, quilting machines that have all of these features cost slightly more than those without them. But finding an excellent quilting machine for a reasonable price is possible. In fact, our first recommended machine fits that criteria perfectly!
The Best Budget Machine for T-Shirt Quilting
Juki HZL-355Z | Available for $279.99
This machine is perfect for anyone looking to take their first step into the world of quilting. Quilters can take advantage of the ample workspace on this machine to create impressive quilting designs and stitch patterns with ease. In addition to its generous workspace, the machine comes with an automatic needle threader, which will save time as you create your T-shirt quilt.
Of the many features offered on the Juki HZL-355Z, its drop feed is the most impressive element, especially for T-shirt quilts. The drop feed enables quilters to engage in free motion quilting, which vastly increases the amount of control you have over a project's final design. If you're looking to make professional-quality quilts but don't want to break the bank, then the Juki HZL-355Z is the machine you need.
The Best Mid-Budget Machine for T-Shirt Quilting
Janome 1600P-QC | Available for $1199.00
The Janome 1600P-QC represents a milestone in the world of home quilting machines. It vastly outperforms similarly priced machines with an impressive 1600 stitches per-minute, making it one of the fastest domestic quilting machines available. But speed isn't the only thing this machine has going for it. It contains a wealth of features, such as:
- 11 pounds of presser foot pressure
- Automatic thread cutter
- Speed controls
- Industrial pretension threading
- Built-in needle threader
- Adjustable knee lift
- Remote thread cutter
- Vertical, two-spool thread delivery
In addition to these impressive features, the machine can also be used in conjunction with a quilting frame. The large 8.85" x 5.5" work surface offers generous throat space for any project. When paired with a quilting frame, this Janome model lets you easily create stunning patterns and even trace out the designs of your beloved T-shirts with stitching.
The Best Overall Machine for T-Shirt Quilting
Grace Q'nique 21 | Available for $4999.00
If you're a serious quilter, then Grace Q'Nique is likely a familiar name — and with good reason. Grace has been held up as the gold standard of long arm and mid arm quilting for decades. The Grace Q'nique 21 represents the ultimate evolution in home quilting.
Stitching at up to 1800 stitches per minute, this machine can tackle all your projects significantly faster than almost any other home quilting machine. It even has built-in stitch regulation, which tracks the speed at which the fabric is moving beneath the needle. In doing so, it creates the perfect stitch length every time, regardless of fluctuations in how quickly the fabric moves.
For added control, Grace has once again revamped their control handles. Now, the handles have a more ergonomic feel and the buttons can be used to control stitch length, stitch speed, needle position and more. These handles become even more useful when the machine is paired with a Grace quilting frame. With the addition of a quilting frame, you can work on massive projects with ease and gain greater control over the final result through the use of free stitching.
With features like these, it's no wonder that Grace's Q'nique line is consistently regarded as the ultimate quilting machine lineup.
Find the T-Shirt Quilting Machine of Your Dreams Today
Now that you've seen some of our favorite quilting machines, all that's left is to welcome one into your home. Each of these machines comes with a generous warranty fulfilled directly by Premier Stitching, so you don’t need to worry about dealing with multiple parties should any malfunctions occur. We also offer free shipping on all of these machines. Don't delay! Build the T-shirt quilts you've always wanted to with one of these fantastic machines today.
Still want to see more machines? Head to one of the following pages to see our full lineup of specialty sewing machines.