One of the gals at my guild meeting made an apron out of one of her husband's shirts. It was cute. She used the collar as the neck piece and all the buttons down the front. She just cut off the sleeves and the back.

I have purchased shirts from thrift shops - never want to pay much for them and the bigger the better. My first buy was a 4X - didn't realize how large it was until I was putting it in the washer! Our Goodwill has a 'bin' store where you go in and it is all tossed into bins - you buy by the pound so shirts are much cheaper this way. I always look for the biggest, prettiest ones and they have to be 100% cotton. When I cut them apart, I don't usually save cuffs and/or collars unless they are big enough to get a 2.5" square from. I always cut the buttons off - can't bear to toss them and there will be a day when I wish I had some of them. I sort by color and store in drawers so they are easier to use - but I have been thinking about tossing them all into a large jar and using it for decoration while they wait for other uses. I am sure my five year old grandson would love to go through them from time to time to find the perfect button for his grandma! lol

I am just finishing my first 'shirt' quilt this week - it turned out to be 80 x 80 and the only other fabric I purchased was the dark for the hourglass block and the outer border. Will be shopping for some flannel for the back. I used a Chunky Churndash pattern from Bonnie K. Hunter's website - if anyone wants some of those squares and connecting sets - just let me know - I have plenty of them cut out and ready to go - even some of the blocks - you see, I made extra so I would be sure to have enough to play nicely together. lol Just send me a private message if you want any of my leftover parts. I don't have a picture to show yet since I just finished putting the final borders on yesterday at quilt group.

I have loved reading this thread. So many ideas to go on my bucket list. Thanks for the links to de-boning a shirt.
The shirt aprons are so cute and would love to find the cuff wallets information.

Our Goodwill charges a lot more than that! They never have bag days that I know of. They must think we're in fat city down here! I started a lap quilt using shirts from other sources such as garage sales. A 2XX shirt has a lot of fabric in it, and Bonnie Hunter is inspiring, but it's quite a lot of work cutting them down, compared to just using yard goods. I save the buttons, but never have a use for them. I'll donate a big jar of them sometime.

More recently I saw a suggestion somewhere to use the fronts of big shirts to make the back of pillow covers that can be attached using the buttons. Just cut it to your square or rectangle with the buttons fastened and lined up near the middle. It would be a very cute and easy way of doing a pillow, and it could be the front of the pillow if you like the look.

Great idea, I go to Thrift store , but I look for cotton material or flannel . I had never thought of buy cotton shirts. I have bought good quality cotton skirts if I really liked the material. I mainly look for old embroidery linens which I will use for Crazy quilt blocks. Next time I go, I have more to look forward to.

Try Bonnie Hunters site. She has a video of how to take a shirt apart and use almost all of it.

I live in a large city and find the prices vary even between stores from the same organization, but those in more afluent neighborhoods also have some nice merchandise.

I have been collecting men's hawaian shirts to do a quilt. I have a big bag of them now and it is on my to do list this year. Have not decided on the pattern to use.

Thanks for this thread, I also may try to find a men's denim shirt to make an apron to wear when I am working in the garage/garden. I also like the idea for a removable pillow cover. People are so thrifty and have great ideas hear.

I volunteer at the Humane Society Thrift Store on Wednesdays. Workers get anything half price so I pay 50 cents for shirts. Since I love books, I am the book lady and always end up buying 4 or 5 books....I'll have to start looking at the shirts.

Lynn

That is sure the truth...anywhere I have gone in the country, the Goodwill is rather high. I know they use the proceeds to train people for jobs, but I sure do not want to buy their overpriced worn stuff. There are a lot of sensibly priced thrift stores...sensible for worn stuff...Sometimes I could get a new item at Kohl's for the same price!