Creative Ways To Upcycle Old T-Shirts

T-shirts are a versatile garment with mass appeal. They can be worn as outerwear or underwear and are available in a variety of colours, patterns, and styles. They can also be customised to display one's interests, tastes, and affiliations.

If you're looking to make something new out of an old T-shirt, there are plenty of options. You could turn it into a dress, a rug, a headband, a workout shirt, a braided bracelet, a dog toy, or even a pair of shoelaces. You could also use the fabric to make something completely new, like a pillow, a necklace, or a skirt.

If you're interested in making a T-shirt from scratch, you'll need to create a pattern, cut out your pieces, sew the shirt together, and add a neck binding. You can also add your own custom designs using methods like iron-on transfers, direct-to-garment printing, or embroidery.

Sewing a T-shirt from scratch

Create a Pattern:

Firstly, you will need to create a pattern for your T-shirt. You can do this by tracing an existing T-shirt that fits you well. Fold the T-shirt in half vertically, with the front side facing out, and lay it on a large piece of paper. Pin along the perimeter of the shirt, paying close attention to the back neckline and sleeve seams. Then, use a pencil to lightly trace the outline of the shirt. Repeat this process for the front of the shirt, and then for one of the sleeves. Remember to add seam allowances to each piece. Label each piece (back body, front body, and sleeve) and mark the fold lines.

Choose Your Fabric and Cut Out the Pieces:

Select a fabric for your T-shirt, such as a knit fabric or a cotton jersey. Wash, dry, and iron the fabric to pre-shrink it and remove any wrinkles. Fold the fabric in half, with the right sides facing each other, and lay it on a flat surface. Place your pattern pieces on the fabric, following the cutting instructions. Pin the pattern pieces to the fabric and cut them out carefully.

Sew the Shoulders and Sides:

Take the front and back pieces of your T-shirt and line them up, with the right sides facing each other. Pin and sew the shoulders together using a straight stitch. Open up the shirt and lay it flat. Pin and sew the sides of the shirt, starting at the underarm and working your way down to the bottom edge.

Attach the Sleeves:

Pin the middle of the sleeve curve to the middle of the armhole, with the right sides of the fabric together. Gradually pin the rest of the sleeve curve to the armhole, working on one side at a time. Sew the sleeves to the armholes, removing the pins as you go. Repeat this process for the other sleeve.

Add the Neckband:

Cut a strip of fabric for the neckband, ensuring it is slightly smaller than the neckline of your T-shirt. Fold the strip in half lengthwise and press it with an iron. Pin the neckband to the neckline, starting at the centre and working your way outwards. Stretch the neckband slightly as you pin to ensure a snug fit. Sew the neckband in place using a zig-zag stitch, which will allow the fabric to stretch.

Finish the Edges:

Try on the T-shirt and mark the desired length for the waist and sleeves. Add a seam allowance to these marks and cut off any excess fabric. Fold and hem the bottom edge and sleeves, using either a straight or zig-zag stitch, depending on the fit of your T-shirt.

And that's it! You have now sewn a T-shirt from scratch. Feel free to add your own creative touches, such as a fun print or embroidery, to make it truly unique.

Using iron-on transfers to print designs

Using iron-on transfers is a budget-friendly and accessible way to create custom t-shirts at home. This method is best for small batches and simple designs, and it works best with cotton fabrics. You will need an inkjet printer, transfer paper, an iron, and a steady hand. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Choose your design

Any design, logo, or image can be used, but make sure you only use your own creations if you intend to sell the t-shirts. Oddly shaped designs will require more precise cutting, so be prepared for this. You will need to upload your chosen design onto your computer and ensure it is in the correct format.

Step 2: Purchase the right transfer paper

You can buy transfer paper at stationery, craft, and office supply stores. There are two types of transfer paper: one for transferring onto white and pastel fabrics, and one for transferring onto darker colours. Transfer paper usually comes in the same dimensions as printer paper, but you can cut it to size if needed.

Step 3: Prepare your design

If you are using light-coloured t-shirts, you will need to mirror or reverse your image before printing. Your printer may offer this option, or you can edit the photo in a photo editor. Test the mirror image by printing it on regular paper first. You can skip this step if you are using dark-coloured t-shirts.

Step 4: Print your design

Crop the photo if you only want to transfer a portion of the image. Check that your image will fit on the transfer paper by clicking 'preview'. If it is too big, choose 'fit to scale' in the printer's menu or reduce the size of the image in a photo editor. Choose 'landscape' in your printing options if your photo is wider than it is tall. Make sure your transfer paper doesn't have a right and wrong side, and always read the directions before proceeding.

Step 5: Cut out your design

Cut around your image exactly, ensuring no blank transfer paper is left. You can use a ruler and an exacto knife to achieve a clean cut.

Step 6: Prepare your work area

Choose a smooth, heat-resistant surface such as a table, countertop, or ironing board. Cover the surface with a cotton pillowcase to protect it and the t-shirt. Follow the ironing instructions on the transfer paper, or assume a general iron-on printing procedure by setting your iron to 'cotton' or 'high' and ensuring it is dry with no steam. Allow the iron to heat up completely.

Step 7: Prepare your t-shirt

Iron your t-shirt on top of the pillowcase until it is completely flat before applying the design. You don't want wrinkles in your final product!

Step 8: Apply the transfer

Place light transfer paper face down and dark transfer paper face up. Ensure your image is straight and in the correct position. Press the iron firmly onto the t-shirt, applying pressure with your whole hand. Follow the instructions on your transfer paper for how long to iron—it may take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes. Move the iron as little as possible to maintain even, constant heat over the entire image.

Step 9: Let it cool

Remove the iron and let the image and t-shirt cool for a few minutes. The paper should feel room temperature. Carefully peel off the paper backing.

Step 10: Wash your t-shirt

Wait at least 24 hours after applying the transfer before washing your t-shirt for the first time. Wash and dry your t-shirt on a cool setting, and turn it inside out for added protection.

Dyeing a T-shirt

Prepare Your Work Area:

Start by laying down a tarp, old bed sheet, or newspaper to protect your work surface from the dye. If you're working on a table or stand, be sure to cover it as well. Put on gloves to protect your hands from the dye, and have a pair of rubber or plastic gloves nearby for later.

Prepare the Dye Bath:

Fill a large plastic container with 1 gallon (3.8 litres) of hot water. The container should be big enough to fully submerge your T-shirt. Choose a fabric dye in your desired colour and read the instructions to determine how much dye to use. As a general rule, if the container can dye 2 pounds (0.91 kg) of fabric, and your T-shirt weighs 1 pound (0.45 kg), use half the container of dye. Add ½ cup (118.3 mL) of salt per 1 pound (0.45 kg) of fabric to the dye bath and stir well. The salt will help the fabric absorb the dye.

Prepare Your T-shirt:

Make sure your T-shirt is made with a dyeable fabric such as cotton, wool, linen, silk, nylon, rayon, or ramie. Avoid fabrics like polyester, spandex, acetate, or acrylic. If the care label recommends dry cleaning only or washing in cold water, do not attempt to dye it. Soak your T-shirt in hot water, then wring it out. This step will help the fabric absorb more dye. If you want to create a tie-dye design, bunch up sections of the damp T-shirt and secure them with rubber bands. You can also draw your design with chalk, as it will wash off in the dye bath.

Dye Your T-shirt:

Fully submerge your T-shirt in the dye bath, pushing it down with your hands to remove any air bubbles. Leave the T-shirt in the dye for about 30 minutes. If you want a richer or darker colour, leave it in the dye for an additional 15-30 minutes.

Rinse and Wash Your Dyed T-shirt:

Wring out the excess dye over the bucket, then rinse your T-shirt under warm water until the water runs clear. Switch to cold water and continue rinsing and wringing. Finally, machine wash your T-shirt in warm water, and dry it in the dryer on a regular setting.

Caring for Your Dyed T-shirt:

To preserve the colour, hand wash your T-shirt in cold water using a gentle detergent. Hang it up to dry on a clothesline or drying rack. You can also machine wash your T-shirt, but be aware that the colour may fade over time.

Making a T-shirt quilt

Preparation:

Before you start, examine the T-shirts you plan to use and ask yourself the following questions:

• How many T-shirts are available, and how large are they?
• Will all of the quilt panels be cut the same size, or will they be different sizes sewn together in a jigsaw puzzle-type layout?
• How large do you want the quilt to be? Do you have enough shirts, or do you need additional fabric to fill in the spaces?

Cutting the T-shirts:

First, wash, dry, and iron the T-shirts to remove any wrinkles. Then, use sharp scissors to cut out the front panel of each T-shirt, cutting as close to the side seams as possible to leave as much fabric as you can. Cut off the sleeves, connecting seams, neck banding, and any hemmed areas. You should be left with a rectangular panel. Repeat this process for all the T-shirts you plan to use.

Designing the Quilt:

Lay out your T-shirt panels on a flat surface and shuffle them around until you are happy with the design. You can also cut pieces of coordinating fabric to fill in any gaps in the T-shirt arrangement, leaving enough fabric for a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

Trimming the Panels:

Trim the T-shirt panels according to your desired quilt design, leaving enough fabric around the edges for a 1/2-inch seam allowance, plus an extra inch that will be cut after the fusible interfacing is applied. Rotary-cutting tools can be useful for this step.

Fusing the Interfacing:

Follow the manufacturer's instructions to fuse the interfacing to the back of the T-shirt panels, ensuring that it is securely bonded. Then, trim the panels to your desired size, remembering to leave a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

Sewing the Quilt:

Pin the panels together in your desired design, and then sew them together using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Press the seam allowances open, and then join the rows, matching intersections where the seams meet if necessary. Cut the batting and backing fabric to the size of your quilt top. Layer the batting between the top and backing, and pin the three layers together. Sew the layers together using a stitch design of your choice. Finally, sew quilt binding around the perimeter of the quilt with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

Tips:

• Unless you plan to fill in gaps with complementary fabric, you will typically need at least 12 T-shirts to make a throw blanket-sized quilt. The number of T-shirts required depends on the size of the shirts.
• If a standard sewing machine needle snags the T-shirt fabric, switch to a ballpoint needle designed for knit fabrics.
• If you are new to quilting, consider making a small practice quilt with fabric scraps from your T-shirts before working on the real quilt.

Braiding bracelets from T-shirt fabric

Step 1: Cut the T-shirt into strips

Cut the T-shirt into 3 strips that are roughly 1-inch wide and about 12 inches long. Don't worry about cutting the strips precisely as the ends will roll in.

Step 2: Prepare the rattail cord

Cut the rattail cord into 3 10-inch strings. You can find rattail cord in fun colours at craft stores.

Step 3: Begin braiding

Anchor the top of the T-shirt strips with a bobby pin or rubber band, separate them into 3 strings, and start braiding.

Step 4: Finish the braid and attach the magnet

When you get to the end of the braid, snip the ends, bunch all the pieces together, and glue a magnet to the bracelet. Do the same to the other end, making sure to wrap it around your wrist to get the right length before attaching the second magnet.

Step 5: Cover the magnets

Cut two little pieces of fabric and fold them over the magnets, gluing them in place.

Step 6: Experiment with different materials and designs

Once you know how to make a braided bracelet, you can experiment with different materials and designs. For example, you can use string or embroidery floss to create your braided bracelets. You can also try using suede ribbons, a thin chain, and lace trim for a vintage look, or cut strips of different types of fabric for a bohemian look.

Frequently asked questions