How To Get The Most Binding From Men's Dress Shirts

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0:00 - Intro
11:15 - S Shirt
14:00 - M Shirt
25:55 - L Shirt
37:12 - XL Shirt
40:00 - XXL Shirt

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Time stamps finally entered! The Executive Producer/Editor/Cameraman/Soundman (and love of my life, Paul) will never again trust me to schedule the video and set the premiere (oops! apologies to my UK audience for the late post) OR to put in time stamps (oops again! must remember to hit "save" when I make changes to the video!) Thanks for the patience with my technical limitations--hope the time stamps work this time! 🤞🏻🤓😂😊

[@julias.8236]

Thanks for the great video again. Went for a weekend with friends and my friend picked me up. When she said that she'll run 10 minutes later I was like "yay! Then I can finish the video!!" 😂 My binding strips normally are cut at 2 and 1/4 inch, so I would get even more out of one mens dress shirt 😅 Have a lovely Sunday!

[@silver_csmith]

I’m not sure who would want to skip your video and miss out on “all that extra stuff” you share 🤷🏻‍♀️😉 That’s what I love about you and your channel! 🥰 Thank you so much for the great information on binding!! (PS….oh look how lovely those blocks behind you are coming along!!! 😍👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻)

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Aww, thank you, Charity! 🥰 and YES…all the blocks are done I just need to sew them all together! 🤩

[@brycehiener2161]

It’s finally FRIDAY!!!! 👏🏼 I love my time with the catbird😁

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Aww! 🥰

[@valerievesper9216]

I’m also calculating how many shirts to make up a jelly roll. Seems like 3-4, depending on size. Some quilts designed for jelly rolls would actually be stunning as a two color quilt. So many possibilities! Thank you for doing the legwork for us!!!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Oh I bet that would be beautiful! And you’re welcome! ❤️

[@textiles4tots]

I love the colors in the quilt on the design board!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thanks, Tiffani! 😘

[@freddiehansen7324]

So comprehensive and informative and.. funny as always. I really like the idea of pre-measuring (guestimating?) how many strips you can get before cutting, I also try to not cut more than I need, as you never know what size you might want to use the fabric for next.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

With so much fabric, it really is wise to only cut what we need and save the rest for future projects!!😊 And thank you! So glad you enjoyed the video! ❤️

[@shannoneaster9311]

Amazing information! So hard to believe there is that much binding (2.5” strips) in a shirt! I haven’t done this experiment before and appreciate the data very much. Thank you for another helpful video and interesting experiment! Can’t wait to see what you’re planning for the bins of strips behind you. 😁❤️ Hope the terrible flooding along the Mississippi River is over soon and that you and your loved ones/community are safe.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you, Shannon! We’re safe where we are, thankfully! I’ve GOT to start making a plan for those scraps in the scrap bins…they’re getting mighty full! 😳😱

[@kimsappington3885]

Time tag 27:25, save the tag and pin to the bundle of strips or to the end once assembled (if you really needed). I really enjoy your videos and appreciate the time you put in figuring these things out before you even begin the video.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you, Kim! ❤️

[@Cassandra-..-]

That DOES make sense! Crosswise it is! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@stefflcus]

"You didn't think I was gonna remember..." Frankly *I* didn't remember where you started with that, so I was not mentally accusing you of getting too distracted, no. I was just along for the ride.😂I'm impressed that you remembered, though! Inspiring as always. You'll make a quilter out of me yet... once things settle down. Ha!

[@quil10it]

Two things. Cutting depends on if you need to cut fabric length wise (less stretch) or across grain (more stretch) or bias (the most stretch). And I’ll never give up my June Tailor strip ruler. I love cutting strips ❤.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

To number 1: agree! To number 2: I wouldn't dream of asking you to! 😘

[@michaelcaselli2716]

Great research! That was a lot of prep work! The amounts of binding were amazing! For folks like me who use a 2” - 2.25” binding, as well as the occasional use of a single fold binding on smaller quilty projects, the binding lengths would be even more! Thanks for helping to make the finish on our quilts even more economical!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you!! (It was!😉) and you’re welcome-I think we all appreciate saving where we can! ❤️

[@jeanetterochnowskis142]

Oh Cathy such a great video. It was SHOCKING how many inches a shirt provided for binding. You are so amazing to do all legwork for us. I did have that exact question and now you answered it for all of us. Thank you sooo much for that! See you next week. 😁😘🥰

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thanks, Nettie! ❤️🥰

[@juliemac5604]

My grandmother worked at a clothing manufacturer. There is also up to a couple inches variance for any single shirt to pass Quality Assurance.

[@privateinfo1711]

I love the plaid binding. I wonder how that would look cutting diagonally.

[@valerievesper9216]

Yes I was thinking plaid or stripes cut diagonally would make a gorgeous binding. 😊

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Plaid on the bias (especially GINGHAM) for binding is absolutely gorgeous!!

[@sharon1934]

Small is enough for all but a king size quilt!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

I know! Isn’t that crazy?!?

[@zogzorg6126]

thankyou , as a new Quilter your teaching and ideas are wonderfully useful -Karen

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Oh thank you, Karen! ❤ so glad you’re finding them helpful! 🤓👍🏻

[@mareetorrumbarry5155]

Thankyou for all that very precise math work!!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you, Maree! ❤

[@harperreads]

I am amazed at how much fabric there is in a shirt! This video and the earlier one where you showed how much fabric was in each size are eye opening. Thank you (and your camera man, editor, producer Paul) for the wonderful, informative videos.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you so much, Becky!! So glad you are enjoying the videos! ❤️

[@glynisreynolds446]

This information is going to be so useful 😃👍 And it makes me realise just how much fabric we get in a men’s shirt 👏👏 Mind you I’m going to have to reduce the number of times I go to the charity shops 🤣🤣 And actually spend some time making quilts otherwise I’m not going to be able to get into my sewing space 🤷‍♀️ You have made me a treasure seeker 🤣🤣 and there is so much treasure to find 🤣🤣 👏👏🇬🇧

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

There IS so much treasure to find! And I have a huge pile of shirts too-less shopping, more quilting for us both! 🤣😉

[@glynisreynolds446]

@@TheCatBirdQuilts I’ll promise to try to be good if you do 🤣🤣

[@carmencreamer3769]

As always, incredibly informative! And now I know what to do with some pesky small shirts I ended up with…

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Right?! Or an unused shirt-back, or 2 sleeves and a shirt front! The possibilities abound! ❤

[@zelphiaellerson6283]

I just discovered this channel and am binge watching on a very wet and dreary day!! I hit the jackpot during my last Thrift store haul: 6 brand new XXL Big and Tall shirts @ $1.50 each!!!🪡🪡🪡

[@gingeralumbaugh3894]

As always, so informative and entertaining!! I recently made a quilt that had scrappy binder (per the pattern) and the joins were regular 1/4” seams rather than the typical diagonal join. Yes, it made it a bit bulkier (I pressed open so that helps) but it really wasn’t a big deal when it comes down to it. That would be another way to stretch the amount of fabric you could get out of a shirt, especially when you are fussy cutting. Thank you for sharing you knowledge with us!!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you, Ginger!! And yes, that's a great idea if you need to make the fabric go further, especially if fussy cutting! 🤓👍🏻

[@jeanettehudepohl4177]

I enjoy your videos. I only do bias binding because I've heard it wears better over time. ( Also, I'm a creature of habit and I enjoy making the bias binding. ) I'm not sure how well that would work with a shirt due to waste, but I'm going to give it a try.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

I’ve done bias binding with shirts, too, and it works fine! You end up with lots of small-sized strips (of course) due to the shape of the shirt, but it still comes out great!

[@gisellejones1139]

Made my day❤

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Aww! Thanks! 🥰

[@glynisreynolds446]

Just got enough binding strips for a small lap quilt (50”x50”) from two sleeves and a shirt front 🎉🎉 Couldn’t believe it 😊 I wouldn’t have thought about trying if it hadn’t been for you and your channel 👍 I’ve got the rest of the shirt to add to my stash for my next blue and white shirt chequerboard quilt 🎉🎉🇬🇧

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Glynis, that is SO wonderful! Isn't it amazing---I wouldn't have believed it either if I hadn't done that video! 🤓 And hooray for another blue and white checkerboard quilt!! ❤️

[@debrabailey155]

I love scrappy binding! If you use 6 shirt patterns/ colors to piece, you can use same length leftover cut strips (ex. 12 inches x each of the 6 colors) and sew together. Then repeat til you get the length you need. And it also looks good to sew different length strips to use what’s left over.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

What a great idea! I haven't done any scrappy binding but I'm sure there's some in my future! 🤓👍🏻

[@user-mk8sh9tj8m]

Thank you SO MUCH for this valuable information! Will be very helpful when I've prepared my shirt fabric to cut. I love the "extra" bits of discussion💕 You are a natural for teaching♥️

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you so much, Rebecca!!❤️

[@angelamyers1201]

I love your smiling face and all the great information around binding with men's Shirts! Thanks! Each time I wonder, "how will she keep coming up with interesting topics?" And each time I'm engrossed and eagerly anticipating what you've got to say about it.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Aww! Thank you, Angela!❤ One of the perks of being insatiably curious and a natural questioner-I’m always thinking “I wonder why…or how…” so I’m always finding new answers! (And learning is my favorite.)

[@mygrommi]

So amazing how much binding you can get from a shirt!! Thank you for discovering this for us - great video as always.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you, Renea! ❤️

[@tinkerbell9399]

Great video! I have just moved home, and have discovered the nearest town has a charity warehouse. All men’s shirts are £1. I thought of you straight away. You would have such fun ! You make me laugh, thanks for brightening my day. Greetings from UK

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

I wish I could come shop with you at your charity warehouse!! 🤩 And you're welcome---so glad you're enjoying the videos! 🥰

[@mariasapien3303]

This was such good information! I’m about ready to bind a quilt and now know what size shirt I need for it. Thank you so much!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Hooray! 🤩 And you’re welcome! ❤

[@beryllucero5458]

Thank you so much for the fussy cut example (*/- 35min). I recently did a plaid border and was disappointed that the stripe was not identical all the way around. Now I Know! You're awesome :)

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you, Beryl! ❤️

[@water2.018]

This is so helpful bc I'm lacking in color theory and your process is very easy to replicate! Thank you, Cathy....love all that you share.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Aww thank you!

[@anjamaas7140]

Wauw. That's a lot of binding. Imagine, I just bought two 4XL mendressshirts... That will be amazing. Thank you for the measuring and sharing!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

It is truly unreal how much binding there is in even the smallest shirt! And you’re welcome!! ❤

[@RobinHarris61]

Excellent video! You did a lot of work to figure out all that information. I will be coming back to this one when I need to make binding! Bummer that you cut the yellow stripe the wrong way. But I guess that's how we learn, isn't it? Thanks for figuring all this out for us! ❤

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you so much, Robin! ❤ and you’re welcome! As for the yellow stripe: c’est la vie, right? I’ll just get a lot of 2.5” squares out of it!🤩

[@kimbetts4282]

Such handy information to have ,especially as I'm trying to decide what design to make with my pretty bundle of TCBQ fabrics! I had been thinking about cutting 2.5 inch strips, then squares to maximise the potential and I think this video pretty much nails that decision for me now. Thank you for sharing such valuable information! ♥

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Yw!! Can’t wait to see what you make with your little TCBQ bundle! ❤

[@rhondahenderson9327]

Thank you so much, I've wondered about this for a while!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

You're welcome! ❤️

[@reneegould646]

You are explaining this very well. Thank you. I have used this before but didn't realize how much was in one. 😊

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

It really is amazing! Now I’m gonna have to make a quilt out of the “binding strips” I made!😂

[@conniemurdoch8528]

So lovely to see you again! What a service you’ve done for us. Now we just come here to remind ourselves of how many yards of binding we can expect from any shirt. Knowledge to put a pin in and keep it handy. What you need (to pick the threads off your fabric is a “shtickey” . It’s a lint roller that you can use and then just rinse it off under the tap. It’s great for rolling up the threads.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Connie I have 4 (yes FOUR) lint brushes and rollers and thread pickers of various types, but at the end of the day, I just like picking them off, I guess! 😂 And thank you so very much! I hope this one is really helpful for us all! ❤️

[@conniemurdoch8528]

@@TheCatBirdQuilts lol, but do you have a flannel brush? I used to make a lot of receiving blankets and flannel pj pants for gifts (one year I made13+ pairs of blaze orange pj pants with sponge Bob themed print on top of it). That orange fabric almost made my eyeballs bleed. It took me all night the eve of Christmas Eve. Anyhow, I digress. I wanted to tell you that you are one tool short in your garment making/fabric fluffing tools. Since I used a lot of flannel, I would be frustrated when I washed the garment before giving it to the recipient. All kind of fluff and lint and threads would be on the fabric and it looked like the garment was rescued from the thrift store. So I got an old hairbrush and took out the bristles so I had a sort of paddle sized handle. To the *back* of the hairbrush, I applied the appropriate sized piece of self adhesive hook side of of hook and loop tape. That way I could easily and quickly remove all those bobbles of lint and returned the fabric to being new looking again. Be careful not to use this on knit fabric because it S ages knits badly. It’s only useful for napped fabrics. If you did a serger rolled edge don’t catch that in your nap brushing either because it snags the thread and pulls out a lot of the thread leaving a big loop of the threads. It’s even worse if you used wooly nylon. So with a little bit of hook side velcro and a handle from an old hairbrush that you don’t need you can return your napped fabrics to their former beauty and feel.

[@randylls5341]

👍 love your approach to ilt math.

[@carmenbailey1560]

Great video for that extra information for binding. Thanks for sharing 👍❤️😊

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you, Carmen! ❤️

[@klparker76401]

Great video. I’m almost ready to go shirt shopping!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Thank you! And hooray! ❤️

[@AvivaHadas]

"Waste" from orange plaid binding - string quilt fodder! (Also a place to use the purple if you make the like me with EVERYTHING. You "can" control the colors too... Yellow Oxford too!) Do you ever cut the shirts on bias for binding? I love a plaid on bias!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

I do!! And yes, it is so lovely. Of course that introduces the question of how much binding can you get on the bias (but I’m gonna pretend like I didn’t just ask that question!)

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

And my goodness, yes orange plaid for string quilts! Here for it. 👍🏻

[@michellenisun6308]

Thank you for this information!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Yw! You know I have to satiate my curiosity-and then share!😂❤

[@dianejobe8089]

I have xxl linen navy that I may use as binding. Maybe border if I can manage…

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Oooohh. Navy binding! 😍

[@marthapowers634]

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!!!!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

You're welcome, Martha! ❤️

[@diannplatt-roberts8692]

Great video. I'm in the process of deconstructing men's shirts to make a wonderful quilt. Amazing how much fabric is in the different sizes. I have a 5XL that is huge, which i haven'tcut up yet. Will probably use it in a QOV. And with the smaller pieces, I make potato chip blocks. 2.5 x 4.5 inches. Great way for me to use stash.

[@jennjennedington279]

I don’t know what a potato chip block is! I want to know!

[@jennjennedington279]

Now I know! I looked it up - great idea.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

@@jennjennedington279 😂 I had to know too (except from an IG message) and googled it too!!❤

[@gailgoldade547]

So informative! Thank you!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching and commenting, Gail! ❤️

[@cynithiadykes8537]

Been shopping consignment shop, last season shirts $1. Shirts are piling up!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

They pile up fast, don’t they?!

[@gina8330]

“Does that make sense?” I nodded my head and then realized how dumb that was. Lol. Then you said the same thing.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Lol! 😂😂😂 LOVE IT!❤

[@suemacfarlane7372]

Thank you sew much :)

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

You're welcome, Sue!

[@suematcham6336]

That is a lot of strips. I am even more pleased as I use 2 1/4 inch strips and I rarely join binding , border or sashing strips on the diagonal anymore especially if set patterns like stripes and plaids or plain . I have found they are less obvious.Which means that I only lose half an inch per strip. Yeah!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

It IS a lot of strips! And you're right--if you're a 2-1/4 inch binding user, then you'll get EVEN MORE strips out of your shirts! (as if you'd need more! lol! 😘)

[@gina8330]

It seems like sometimes you would lose more fabric going crosswise and sometimes lengthwise. If you’re going crosswise, the bottom of the shirt is usually curved. You would lose a lot in the curve. Also, you could get to the bottom strip and only have 2 1/4 inches left, all the way across!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

True! Really just depends on the shirt you’re using I think! (And how severely curved that bottom seam is!) 😳😜

[@MsRoosmarii]

What about cutting on the bias? wouldn't it be intresting made from a plaid/ gingham?

[@bethliebman8169]

So many yards. Who knew?

[@jennypare9564]

Ok wow! There is a lot more strips in a shirt than I would have thought. Thank you for taking time to do all the homework for us! I’m not a seamstress so if this is a silly question forgive me, would you have to worry about the grain of fabric when cutting the shirt for binding?

[@angelamyers1201]

In my opinion (also not a seamstress, but someone who has quilts made 20 years ago that are still kicking around), the short answer is no, not in general. The longer answer is probably more like, "it depends." I think how you cut with respect to the grain can vary the durability of your binding in some instances. And of course, if you have curved edges, you'll need to ensure your binding is cut on the bias.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

I agree with Angela (thanks for your great comment, btw, Angela-I appreciate experienced quilters weighing in with informed opinions!) I don’t *really* carefully watch the grain, but I do cut my strips consistently, and often using the back so all the strips are fairly on-grain. I also do a lot of twill binding from shirts which has a bias-like weave, so even if you cut it straight, provides a very durable, sturdy and flexible binding.

[@gina8330]

When you fussy cut the plaid to match, do you also have to “fussy match” when you do the joins? I don’t have a plaid to look at but it seems like you couldn’t just sew them together at the ends.

[@jennjennedington279]

This is just what I think, but… when you’ve folded it in half to attach it and then wrapped it around the edge you’ve got a narrow enough bit that I don’t think it matters if it’s a perfect matching join. If it is a really bold stripe or bold plaid it might show some but in a smallish plaid, nah won’t show enough to bother with

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

So it really depends on the plaid (even vs uneven)…I DID actually “fussy match” the binding seams in that binding and it wasn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be. ALSO (to Jennifer’s point) in the places that it didn’t exactly match, it wasn’t even noticeable in the end. 👍🏻

[@allisonholloway833]

How do you cut your strips on the straight? Do you have a video showing cutting a shirt up?

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

I start (typically) by cutting off the curved hem or the curved side seam. Once either of those is straight, I just treat it like regular yardage, using the newly straight side as the guide.🤓👍🏻 And no, I don't have a video showing cutting up a shirt since each pattern calls for different sized pieces---but maybe that will be one I can do in the future! 😘

[@bonnieh2123]

I wonder if it is a wash? If you cut the shirt width wise, you get more small strips which then needs to be joined and you lose 2.5” per join. If you cut length wise, you don’t need to join as many strips, but lose more on side. Lordy, this is taxing my brain. Regardless, this much binding from one shirt seems like magic.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Magic. Absolute magic! (And yes, I won’t even spend any more brain space on crosswise vs lengthwise!)🤩

[@suesheehan5958]

I'm in New Zealand where we use metres so need my maths checked... does 576 inches work out to be 48 feet? !!! Twelve inches in a foot? Right? Sounds ridiculous to get 48 feet worth of binding from one shirt... but amazing.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

That's right! And it IS amazing!

[@randylls5341]

Do you ever do bias bindings?

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Sometimes. But not usually.😉

[@miaswenson2837]

If you do straight seams instead of mitered you only loose half an inch

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Good point! (And easier to match plaid that way!) 🤓😊👍🏻

[@jennjennedington279]

They do get thick at that point with so many layers converging if you do straight seams. I of course did my first binding like that because you know… wasn’t about to waste those inches. But I haven’t done it again. Lumpy and bumpy at the joins

[@theresasuttle711]

Stupid question. What if you LEAVE the side seams in the shirt? Would you ever do that?

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Theresa, I haven't (yet) but I don't see why you couldn't! And it's not a stupid question.🤓

[@juliejeavons6949]

The reason that you still use Imperial measurements is because the French ship carrying the standard metre, kg etc. was sunk by the British during the War of Independence.

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

Well how about that!!

[@marilynmetz226]

Way too much talking, I couldn't stay.

[@sharon1934]

Small is enough for all but a king size quilt!

[@TheCatBirdQuilts]

I know! Isn't that crazy?!?