Making a tote bag out of a t-shirt

Making a tote bag out of a t-shirt isn't a new trick.  In fact, it's a pretty old one that's been done in various iterations by the likes of Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, Honestly WTF, and many others.

So why am I doing it?  Because it's the perfect project to ease me into using my new sewing machine.  The version I made is quick and requires only basic sewing skills.  It's also no secret that I love cutting up my old t-shirts.

This particular t-shirt was signed by my friend's old band and I really, really like it, but it's too short for my torso so it has just been sitting in my closet for ages.  I'm glad it's getting a new lease on life as a tote bag!

No-Sew DIY Bow-Back Tank Top

I love redesigning my old t-shirts for lots of reasons.  It keeps my wardrobe fresh, which keeps me from getting bored and spending money on new clothes.  Also, I like skating in edgy/cute/cut-up outfits.  Plus, imagining how to redesign a t-shirt is a fun way to spend a morning coffee break or an afternoon workout (or both).

For this particular t-shirt redesign, I wanted something with a drapey, open back, but I didn't want it to be so open that it would fall off my shoulders and bother me while I was skating. The simplest (and prettiest) answer was a bow similar to the ones I made on the sleeves of this t-shirt.

If you want to make this top too, you'll need an old V-neck t-shirt, a pair of scissors, and some glue (I used E6000).  

Make sure the shirt fits a little bit loose because creating the bow at the back will tighten it up a little bit.

Place your shirt facing down on a flat surface and follow these directions...

1.  Cut a half-circle out of the neckline that's about 4 inches deep into the back of the shirt. The lower you cut this half-circle, the lower the bow will sit on your shirt.  Next, start at the bottom of each armpit, measure 6 inches down the side seams, and make a little mark with a pencil. Cut straight across the back of the shirt between your two marks being very careful to cut close to the side seams but do not cut through them.  Those side seams will keep the horizontal slit you just made from growing and growing until the shirt isn't wearable anymore.

2.  Insert your thumb into the horizontal slip and your forefinger into the half-circle at the neckline and pinch your fingers together.  This is where your bow will be.  If you're not happy with the placement, now's the time to cut the neckline a little deeper to correct it.  Once that's all sorted out, cut a 4 inch x 2 inch strip of fabric out of the extra fabric that you cut from the neckline.

3.  Wrap the fabric strip around the spot that you pinched and glue it in place on the inside of the shirt.  To keep the glue from leaking onto the front of the shirt, place a piece of cardboard or a notebook in between the front and the back of the shirt.  Let the glue dry fully before moving on to the next steps.

4.  Turn the t-shirt over so the front is facing up.  Cut off the neckline just outside of the seam that was used to the keep the neckline on the shirt.  Leaving that seam on the finished product will help it last as long as possible.  Now cut off the sleeves, also cutting these just outside of the seam so that seam stays on the shirt for structural support.

5.  Cut two strips off of the scrap fabric that used to be the neckline.  Wrap each strip around the top of each armhole to hold the straps in place in an aesthetically pleasing way.  Glue them in place on the underside of the strap.   Let the glue dry completely before trying on your finished creation.

I put mine on and skated around a bit this afternoon.  This shirt definitely achieved the drapey look in the back without becoming too loose to skate in.  I can't wait to wear it on our warmup ice tomorrow before the shows!

If you decide to make this shirt too, I'd love to see a picture of yours too!

Happy redesigning!
xoxo
Laura

Upcycling

Good Morning!

Today, while I was drinking coffee and browsing pinterest, I ran across this old picture:



It's from the Imperial Wartime Museums website, and it caught my eye because the message is so different from how most people operate today.  These days everyone, including me, has a tendency to throw things away at the first sign of a hole or a change in fashion trends.  I understand why we act like that these days, I really do, but I also sense a change in the air.  There is a whole generation of up and coming bloggers who aren't just throwing things away, nor are they just making do with their old things.  They're using their scissors and needles and paint and creativity to turn their old things into new things.  They're upcycling!

Oxford Dictionaries defines upcycling as reusing (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of higher quality or value than the original.

When I turned an old t-shirt into a tank top in this post back in April, I was upcycling, and I want to do it more.  Not only is it great for the environment because your stuff isn't ending up in a landfill, it also saves you money which is awesome because we all know how expensive crafting can get.
Here are a few examples of great upcycling projects from other bloggers:

1. Today's Nest made placemats out of old jeans:


2. My Tiny Universe turned an old t-shirt into this cute pillow:


3. Wood Pond Designs created these funny little stuffed animals out of old sweaters:

The moral of the story?  Next time you get sick of an article of clothing, google it to see how other people have upcycled it into something prettier, or get creative and make up your own new use for it.  The possibilities are endless.

Have fun!
xoxo
Laura