This is my very first blog post and I thought it would be appropriate to use this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Nancy Tokar, and I am the owner and primary t-shirt quilt maker for Minnesota T-shirt Quilts. I am located in Maple Plain, Minnesota, west of the Twin Cities. I have been a quilter for years but a passionate t-shirt quilt maker since 2011. I wanted to tell you a few things about myself and, my passion for t-shirts, and my goal as a t-shirt quilt maker. Don’t worry, this will most likely be the only blog where I talk about myself, because all I want to talk about is making t-shirts quilts.

My Background

I have been a t-shirt quilt maker for the past six years. During some of that time I worked for a t-shirt quilt company and then recently (in August 2016) I launched my own t-shirt quilt business. I also am employed as an occupational therapist, at a large orthopedic center in the Twin Cities. I have been married for 26 years to my husband, Rick Tokar. I have two adult sons. My oldest, Coleman, will be teaching math for the first time in the Pittsburg, PA school system. And my youngest son, Cooper, who will be a junior at the University of Mesa in Grand Junction, Colorado this fall.

How I Got Involved in T-shirts Quilts

I knew when my son was a senior in high school I would be making a graduation t-shirt quilt for him. When he was a small boy we went to a graduation party and the graduate had her t-shirt quilt hanging on display. I was quite surprised when my young son pointed at the quilt and said “I want to have a quilt like that, mom.” I immediately started saving his shirts for the future quilt I knew I was going to make.

Several years –and several saved t-shirts- later, the time had finally come.  I had been a quilter for years, but I had never made a t-shirt quilt before. I searched the internet looking for a t-shirt quilt design I liked.

I made my sons t-shirt quilt, people loved it, and I have been making them ever since. Plain and simple!  I am so happy to have found my passion.

How I Understand the Meaning of T-shirts

Whether it’s an athletic, academic, drama or musical achievement or accomplishment, I understand the drive and commitment required. I also know what the challenges of completing a task (no matter the outcome) can represent and mean to a person. I have trained and run (at a slow pace) 13 marathons, including Grandma’s, Twin Cities, Chicago and Paris. I have always been more sports-minded and still play hockey at age 53 in a Minnesota Women’s league. It’s the training you do before the race that builds your character, makes you sweat, and challenges your dedication. And those shirts are your reminder of that commitment! I am no longer running, but I loved the sweat and hard work involved and I now put that effort and dedication into my work at Minnesota T-shirt Quilts.

I just can’t explain the excitement I get with each new box of t-shirts a customer sends to me, and how much fun it is to see all the life that has been lived as I unpack those shirts. I feel honored to be trusted to transform these loved t-shirts into a quilt that will be used not only for warmth but also for reflection of the years gone by.  What can I say, I am obsessed with t-shirts.

What Makes my T-shirt Quilts Different

Besides the unique quilt design (another blog), it is my personal passion to make sure every one of my customers is not only 100 percent satisfied with their quilt, but also overjoyed with the final product.

To that end, I keep my customers involved in every step of the process. Through emails and phone calls, I am in constant communication to ensure that your t-shirt quilt is made just the way you want it. My goal is to exceed your expectations!

That’s a little blog about who I am, what I do and why I love to do it!  Please check out my website at www.mntshirtquilts.com and see what you think.

Your T-shirt quilt maker,

Nancy Tokar