Old T-shirts

[WillYouStewTheLambShankOh]

Purging my winter wardrobe today, I remembered a link on the "so resourceful" blog about making necklaces out of old t-shirts.

I fished out 2 cheap long-sleeved tshirts from the charity shop bag (saving the charity shop a trip to the ragbags bank - they really were sacklike.) I made a braided necklace with some old wooden beads woven into the lengths. Then, since most of the tshirt was left (just the bottom inch used up), I hacked away at them and made 2 very nice summer tshirts; cap sleeves with a scooped neck. Very satisfying, very chuffed.

I'm not sure whether the unfinished hems are the height of cool layering, or... tat.

Anyone else tinker with old t-shirts? Ideas & tips? I am eyeing up the entire family's cotton jersey items now...

:) Englebert... I like the sound of the skirts/dresses. Not sure how best to sew cotton jersey though without stretching it... zigzag stitch all the way?

Oops forgot to link think she's a mumsnetter, sure I heard about it here

Oooh WillYou glad I inspired you! I did think adding some wooden beads to the necklace would work well, any chance of some photos on your profile so I can admire your handiwork?

What colour t shirts did you use for the braided necklace?

OMDB - ooh it's YOU! Thank you, it's a lovely blog.

I will pop a pic up for a couple of days. Colours are purple and brown. I used embroidery thread to weave through the braiding. Some of the bead loops are too loose for my liking, will pull tighter next time.

Thanks Engelbert.

Looking forward to seeing the pics!

Here are some little projects that I've done with old clothes a revamped top fabric flowers I have some more projects that I'll be posting this week.

love the flowers wendy!

Thanks omdb. Your blog is great I am on all the time. My sewing skills are at the craft standard and nowhere near as good as yours!

Am currently altering tee-shirts from short to long sleeves (easiest to cut sleeve from second old top and simply stitch in place. but can use any fabric available). New garment looks more complete if same fabric is used at neck-line or to make fabric flowers to applique, or with strip sewn along bottom edge to look like part of long-sleeved garment layered underneath.

I lengthened some of Dd's vests using other vests. She is very long bodied and I had trouble finding vests that fitted properly...so I cut off about 4" from the much too small vests (got two strips from each vest) and zigzagged the raw edges ~ pulling the lower edge taut to 'flower' it and then stitched the straighter edge inside the vest.

She's had longer wear out of the vests ~ 8 months so far!

i have an easy t-shirt hacking tutorial on my blog maximumrabbitdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/01/t-shirt-hacking.html

also a more complicated one here
maximumrabbitdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/01/puff-collar-2-work-in-progress.html

i've also just cut the bottom off an oversized t-shirt under the arms and trimmed off the hem i wear it doubled really warm :)

sorry messed that up! here's the links :)

maximumrabbitdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/01/t-shirt-hacking.html

maximumrabbitdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/01/puff-collar-2-work-in-progress.html

Vintage, I made one of those scarf tube things last year. Very nice too!

trouble is now i can't throw any tshirts away as i may NEED them!

I'm the same! I have loads of old clothes with pretty prints that I might be able to use. sometime in the future!!!

I've been gathering ideas for all my miss-shapen Ts (Is it only me who finds M&S £5 T-shirts only last about 3 washes before going short and wide?)

Ideas here....

pinterest.com/celinap/upcycled-clothes/

www.craftastical.com/2010/06/share-craft-toddler-rag-tag-t-shirt.html

cosaverde.com/blog/2010/mar/15/creative-reuse-lowly-t-shirt/

thisideaattic.blogspot.com/2010/05/upcycle-old-t-shirt-into-cute-shrug.html

Oh, and this one....

www.instructables.com/id/FASTEST-RECYCLED-T-SHIRT-TOTE-BAG/

I love Threadbanger. They are mad, but the ideas are inspiring!

I've used plain tees of DDs & made them into easy to wash & wear summer dresses - by adding a skirt & a motif on the front in a contrasting print - she likes them with RaRa type skirts ATM, but has been long. short you name it over the years -

I've also done this for her with old Tees of my own, though that requires a bit of running in etc - & also picked up image details from the skirt print & made an iron- on motif on the computer, for example a rose printed pleat cloth on the skirt, became a rose motif with the words "Sweet Summer Flowers" with diamantes etc added after wards - the motifs are great for hiding any damage too :)

do you just use an ordinary straight stitch when sewing 2 pieces together?

I use zigzag.

oh. really small zigzag? do you stretch it first?

No, never small in my case and no to stretching as it would not let things sit flat or smooth iyswim?