What to do with all those old T-shirts?

On the second day of our training course Alicia came to teach us some simple things we can do with our old t-shirts. We will publish the descritpion of some of the transformations that took place during the morning session.

A bag from an old T-shirt

What you need is an old t-shirt, scissors, needle and thread, marker.



1. Fold the shirt in half (sleeve on sleeve).

2. Draw with the pen the way the shirt will be cut from center (inside) to outside below the armhole.

3. Cut the both sides of the shirt following the line drawn in point 2. The upper part now will contain the neckline and both sleeves. Lower (the one you will use) should look be simply rectangular.

4. Un-double the shirt and turn it inside out.

5. Make a cut in the top part (these are going to be the handles) and stretch the fabric slightly. Make them bigger or smaller - it is up to you.

6. Sew together the bottom of the shirt, thus closing the bag.

7. Turn it inside out and the bag is ready!

Photo: Carmen Molina
Pick the right T-shirt for this activity! Too wide t-shirt will make a reaaally wide bag!

Mina made an ¨advanced¨ bag from two t-shirts. Does it give you any ideas for your next craft?

A skirt from an old t-shirt

T-shirt  too big for us, scissors, measuring tape (we have to take our waist and hip measurement to calculate the length of the elastic), pen, needle, thread in the color of the shirt, large safety pin, elastic (approx. 4cm wide).

1. Extend well the shirt and pin it on both sides to keep it from moving.

2. Draw a straight line from armhole to armhole on the front of the T-shirt.

3. Cut the shirt into two parts following the line drawn in point 2.

4. Use the lower part of the (the rectangular one).

5. Turn it inside out.

6. Double it for about 4cm (depending on the width of the elastic). The double should always be about 0.5 - 1 cm wider than the elastic.

7. Fix the doubled part with pins.

8. Sew the doubled part closed (like making a tunnel).

9. Make a cut with scissors in the doubled part to insert the elastic.

10. Take a safety pin, attach it to the elastic and insert it in the cut made in point 9.  Pick the lenght of elastic wisely - it should not strangle you, but neither should it allow the skirt to fall.

11. Once you've inserted the elastic in a circle, take the safety pin out, sew the both ends of the elastic together and clothe the cut made in the doubled part.

12. Flatten well the fabric and distribute the elastic equally.

13. Turn it in inside out once again and the skirt is ready!

Photo: Monsterrat Guirado
This is the first skirt Rasha has ever made. It looks good, doesn´t it?