Girly. Vintage. Baseball. Whatever your style, there’s a T-shirt out there that’s sure to fit it to – well, a T! But, lurking in many a southeast Michigan family’s closet, there’s that cadre of misshapen, baggy, worn-out shirts that have served us well but are, shall we say, past their prime.
Want to give that top a second life? With a few snips, tugs and twists, consider it done. Metro Parent trolled the blogosphere and scored two simple DIY tutorials Check ’em out – and be sure to watch our original how-to video, just a few scrolls down, too!
Braided T-Shirt Scarf
Connie Yu goes ga-ga for “crafting, hot dogs and soft furry animals” – and her blog, This Old Dress, is a fun ode to her faves. The Canadian teacher has a knack for transforming T-shirts into neckwear, too. Try this if funky flair is your cup of tea.
Materials
- 1-2 used adult XL T-shirts (no side seams), washed and dried
- Fabric scissors
- Fabric paint (optional)
Instructions
- Lay the T flat and cut off the bottom hem and top portion (i.e., straight across under the armpits). Spatter the material with paint, if desired, and let dry.
- Cut 1/2- to 1-inch strips along the width of the fabric, creating loops. Don’t worry if the edges are jagged. Eyeballing is cool; just aim for roughly the same width. At least 13 strips is plenty.
- Gently tug along the length of the strips to curl the edges under. Try to stretch each loop evenly.
- Holding all strips, cut through at one point – so you have long strands of cotton instead of circular loops. Set one spare strand aside.
- Find something heavy, like a table. Use a leg to anchor the strands (for the braiding). Leave about a foot of free-flow “excess” hanging off the end.
- Divide strands into three (roughly) equal sections. Braid down the length of the fabric, leaving another foot of excess at the end. Note: Go slow and do small sections at a time, brushing out the loose strands – they’re prone to tangling.
- Gently remove the “anchor” and tie the two ends together with the “spare” strand you set aside. Wrap it around several times and double-knot to secure.
- Feather out the loose strands and cut random pieces shorter for a layered look!
Loopy T-Shirt Necklace
Bargain-hunting Salt Lake City mom Elizabeth Telford, who blogs and sells vintage wares on Etsy.com as WittyVintage, loves upcycling. She saw this necklace in a magazine and had to make it. Primo for the bit-boho mama!
Materials
- 1-2 T-shirts (adult medium to XL), washed and dried
- Fabric scissors
Instructions
- Lay the T flat. Cut off the bottom hem. Then, cut the fabric into length-wise strips (about 3/4 inches) till you reach the top.
- Pull each strip gently until they curl. Lay them all flat and together by the seams to form a long necklace. Note: This won’t apply if your shirt has no side seams.
- Double-loop the necklace (if it has side-seams, match seams-with-seams).
- Adjust the pieces if desired, varying the length. If you have seams, use a scrap piece of fabric to cover them (this part goes behind the neck) – and/or just to secure it.
- If you’d like, add a brooch or little flair.
