Throughout this book I will use terms and techniques that will allow us to deconstruct a T-shirt (or any other shirt) to get the largest amount of workable material. Familiarize yourself with the parts of your T-shirt.
The hem is the finished edge on the bottom of a T-shirt and on the ends of sleeves. The fabric is folded under about an inch or so and sewn into place. In the projects Drawstring Sleeve Bag and Reusable Produce Bag, we actually take advantage of the existing hem to make reusable bags. This is one way I try to maximize existing characteristics of a garment to practical reuse.
APPLIQUÉ Stitched by hand or machine, appliqué is a method of applying a piece of fabric on top of another piece of fabric.
BASTING Stitching used to hold two pieces of fabric together before sewing with a more permanent stitch. If done using your machine, use the longest stitch setting.
BATTING Used in quiltmaking, this material is the middle layer between the top and bottom fabrics.
BIAS The 45° angle that runs diagonally across the lengthwise piece of fabric.
FABRIC GRAIN The lengthwise or crosswise thread in woven fabric. If you take a close look at your fabric, you’ll see the threads run in two directions. This is the grain. With jersey knit materials (or your T-shirts) you will notice that the stitches on the right side of the fabric make columns similar to a pattern you might find on a knitted sweater.
INTERFACING A material that is either sewn into or ironed between fabrics to add structure and stability.
NOTIONS A tool or accessory for sewing—pins, zippers, thread, or anything used for a project that is not the fabric.
SEAM ALLOWANCE The measurement that extends past the sewing line. In the United States this measurement is usually expressed in fractions of an inch.
My time is precious and best spent sneaking in cuddles with my family along the way. I don’t have the space or energy to invest in an expansive tool kit, so over the years I’ve narrowed it down to the basics. You can make nearly everything in this book with just a pair of scissors, a T-shirt, and a needle with thread. Certain products help make swift progress of your T-shirt crafting, such as a rotary cutter, straight-edge ruler, and cutting mat. And of course, a sewing machine.
Along with sharing some techniques that can be used to customize your fabric, tips for sewing jersey knit (T-shirts), and skill-building practices, I am going to break down what tools work best for each.
SCISSORS
Work best for cutting out patterns, cutting along curves, dissecting T-shirts, clipping curved seams, trimming loose threads.
Quite possibly one of the hardest-working tools in your arsenal, scissors are worth investing a little more money into so that you can get a good pair and dedicate it only to cutting fabrics. If you try to cut through T-shirts with any run-of-the-mill craft-box scissors, you’ll find that the fabric gets wedged in the scissors and won’t cut. Or if it does cut, the edges will be chewed up. I have a variety of sizes of scissors in my studio, and each one has its advantages. Most often I reach for a pair of spring-loaded Ginghers that will cut through several layers of fabric like butter. They are very well made (in Greensboro, North Carolina) and cut beautifully. They’ll last you a lifetime if you get them sharpened occasionally and use them only to cut fabric. I also keep a smaller pair nearby for narrow cutouts in my appliqué work. For beginners, you can absolutely get by with a pair of shears.
tip> SHARP SCISSORS
Regular use of scissors for cutting fabrics will dull your blades. You can take a large piece of aluminum foil, fold it in half a couple of times, and cut through it multiple times to resharpen your scissors. To have them professionally resharpened costs around $7; services may be available at your local crafting store or quilt shop or a hardware store.
ROTARY CUTTER
Works best for large cuts, precise straight lines when used with ruler, cutting through several layers of fabric.
You might confuse this with a pizza cutter, but it’s much sharper! Essentially it is a round razor-sharp blade with a handle. You roll over the fabric with it, and it cuts. Rotary cutters are available with different blade sizes and can fulfill a number of needs. A larger blade size means you can cut through more fabric faster. A 60mm blade is perfect for cutting yardage, while the 18mm is mostly used to make smaller cuts or to work around curves. I typically use my 45mm rotary cutter (every day!) partnered up with a ginormous self-healing mat and translucent 24˝ nonslip ruler. It’s the perfect size for doing both big and small cuts.
tip> ROTARY CUTTERS
To get the best use from your rotary cutter, use it with two other tools: a self-healing mat and straight-edge ruler. You’ll have no problem finding them bundled together in kits at an affordable price.
The replaceable blades are recyclable, but why not trade them in for new ones? The L.P. Sharp Company (lpsharp.com) will exchange your blades for less than the usual cost of purchasing replacements. Their program allows you to send in a minimum of five blades of any brand, size, and condition in exchange for new Olfa brand or generic blades.
SELF-HEALING CUTTING MAT
Works best for providing a flat surface to work on, keeping your tabletops from getting cut.
In addition to protecting your table or floor from cut marks, a cutting mat can be used to mark angles and other measurements when cutting out fabrics. They generally have measurements, just like a ruler, and grid lines. I recommend getting the largest mat that can fit your workspace. Keep in mind that if it does not have a dedicated place, the mat must be stored lying flat or upright; it can’t be rolled or stored like a band poster.
Self-healing mats appear to seal themselves up after each pass of the rotary blade. They are made of some mystery material, a PVC vinyl composite. Eventually, particularly with heavy use, they’ll stop “healing,” but until then, they provide a continuously smooth surface to cut on!
NONSLIP RULER
Works best for making straight cuts on your fabric.
Nonslip is the important part here. Do not try to use a regular yardstick when cutting fabric with a rotary cutter. It most often will not end pretty. Nonslip rulers contain a special feature that resists slipping, so you can safely cut your fabric.
MARKING PEN
Used for tracing patterns or templates onto fabric. Here’s an über-thrifty reuse tip perfect for those times you can’t find anything else to use: save the small bits of soap bars and use them as marking chalk.
SEAM RIPPER
With any luck you won’t need this too often, but it’s entirely okay if you do! Seam rippers are actually a great tool for deconstructing garments to upcycle. You don’t have to pluck each stitch one by one—instead, slide the seam ripper under the stitches on one side of the seam. Do this every third or fourth stitch and you should be able to carefully pull the seam apart.
STRAIGHT PINS
Work best for keeping fabrics aligned.
Not everyone pins all the time when sewing, but pinning can be very helpful, especially when working with knit materials. A pin is a thin piece of metal with a sharp point at one end and a round head at the other. Pins temporarily fasten materials together. I’m not sure there is a right or wrong way to pin. Over the years I’ve seen it done in every way imaginable. My best practice is to place the pins parallel to the seamline as if they were stitches. Pinning the fabric this way helps prevent you from sewing over the pin, too!
tip> STITCHING OVER PINS?
When using a sewing machine it might seem like a good idea to sew over the pin—I do not recommend doing this. It’s a gamble—sure, most of the time you’ll stitch over the pin but if you don’t you will break a needle or thread, and worst of all you can seriously damage your machine. Instead I like to keep a magnetic pin holder or shallow box to the right of my machine while I work. When sewing along my seam, I remove pins 1˝ before I reach them and set them on the pin holder—never taking my eyes off the seam.
Also … not all pins are the same. There are pins specifically for quilting, dressmaking, and appliqué, just to name a few. The style of pins that work best is really a matter of preference. Try out a few styles before settling in. I found that I prefer to use straight pins with big bright balls on the heads. They’re easy to grab and easy to see if you happen to drop one.
NEEDLES
Works best for … sewing!
These come in a variety of styles for many uses as well. For your machine, I recommend a stretch, ballpoint needle. This special needle is designed for sewing knit fabrics. A ballpoint needle has a slightly rounded tip that allows it to slip through the fibers of your T-shirt with less obvious punctures. It also prevents skipped stitches. You could also use a universal needle if that is what you have on hand. If you do, it’s important to understand that as the needle punches through the woven jersey knit fabric, it creates tiny tears in the fabric that will likely get worse as you wash and wear. The same idea goes for picking up hand-sewing needles; you can use a multipurpose needle, but a ballpoint needle is best for jersey knit.
If your sewing machine has an option for zigzag, you most likely can use a twin (double) needle. Be sure to read your machine’s manual for proper setup. This method is great for hems: it builds strength in your seams by creating two straight-stitch lines on top of the fabric with zigzag underneath.
MATERIALS
In addition to T-shirts, the following items will be needed for some projects.
Stuffing Available in a variety of materials including organic cotton, cotton/poly blends, and recycled polyester batting is used to fill plush toys, pillows, or even seat cushions. You can purchase little tools or carefully use a chopstick or pencil end to help pack stuffing into place.
tip> STUFFING
The trick to good stuffing is to first push small puffs of filling into the corners and crannies before filling your main body.
Batting This is flat stuffing that comes in rolls or precut sizes for easy use and can be used to make seat cushions or for quilting. You can find a variety of eco-friendly options available.
Interfacing T-shirts are comfortable and cozy, but that doesn’t always work out well when you are using them to craft something else entirely. Interfacing is an additional layer applied to the inside of fabric (most often used in garments or handbags) to add firmness, shape, structure, and support. In this book I recommend a variety of interfacings, including fusible or sew-in, woven or nonwoven, and knit. They’re available in light, medium, and heavy weights. In each project I’ll specify the type of interfacing, used but you can choose to use any brand.
However, I am a fan of Pellon Sheer-Knit interfacing. It is silky soft, lightweight, and knit, which allows the T-shirt fabric to stay comfortable to wear. It can be applied with an iron. I use this for two reasons: Anytime I appliqué a design onto a T-shirt especially for babies, I will use the sheer knit to cover up any stitches on the inside of a finished shirt to create a smooth surface that is less likely to cause irritation. I also like to use it when I am patchworking with knit material. Jersey has a tendency to curl under, so this adds a little stability without bulk. It can be purchased by the yard in white or black.
Tip to Save the Planet
Quilters Dream Green is a soft, cozy batting made completely from recycled plastic bottles. Even the packaging is recyclable! Each pound of Dream Green batting keeps ten plastic bottles out of our landfills.
Fusible webbing An adhesive material that fuses fabric to fabric or to another porous surface, such as wood or cardboard. It comes in a wide range of choices and can be purchased prepackaged or by the yard at your local craft store.
Tip to Save the Planet
Substitute upcycled flannel (cut from your favorite lumberjack shirts) in place of lightweight or midweight interfacing. Not only does it offer a great amount of support, but it’s still soft and helps to reduce even more clothing going into our landfills!
No matter how quickly technology progresses, hand sewing will always have a place. It’s a fine art that I have yet to master. I usually resort to a running stitch, but other common and good-to-know stitches include the backstitch and whipstitch. Pick your favorite. A couple of projects also call for you to do a ladder stitch.
I’m the type of maker who doesn’t waste time mocking up an idea and instead jumps in headfirst. Yes, sometimes it doesn’t always turn out as I planned, but I love that risk. Failure only provides me with a new opportunity to re-create and serves me well for gaining new skills and insights. Embrace the idea that a slightly miscalculated cut or slip of the paintbrush will not be the end to your finished product. Armed with the basics, I hope that you’re inspired to follow your own instincts along the way and design something never before seen.
Customizing your experience along the way is a great way to let your unique personality come through in your works of art. You might find yourself wandering the aisles of the thrift store just about to pull your hair out looking for the perfect T-shirt. Why not make it yourself? Taking discarded materials and turning them into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece is fun and easy.
Dyeing and Painting
Dyeing T-shirts to any color you can imagine is as easy as adding salt, water, and a packet of dye into your washing machine. With the help of fabric markers and paints we can design knit material unlike anything in the stores by using things we already have around the house to create patterns and geometric shapes or to use as stencils.
Rummage through your junk drawer, check the fridge for leftovers, or take a walk outside to find inspiration. Use toilet paper rolls to stamp circles. Create your stamp by cutting out a simple shape from foam and mounting it on a solid surface. Paint an ear of corn and then make prints by rolling it over your fabric. Painter’s tape can be used to make plaid.
Appliqué literally means “to put on” in French (oh là là—you just said something fancy!) and is a technique used to decorate the surface of fabric by applying one or more pieces of cut fabric on top of another fabric. Using T-shirts along with fusible interfacing, you can create no-sew appliqué by simply using a hot iron or sew your finished design down using a machine stitch or embroidery stitches. Designs can be as complex or simple as you like.
Appliqué is used in the Cuff Bracelets, Deer Plushies, and Reversible Dog Shirt projects in this book.
The type of fusible webbing you use is up to you. You’ll be able to buy this either in packaged sheets or off the bolt at your local craft or fabric store. Both sides are generally covered with removable paper or film.
To get started, trace your design, in reverse, onto the paper backing using a Sharpie marker or pencil.
Cut out the general shape, leaving 2˝ excess around the design, and remove the paper backing from the side without the traced design.
Place your cutout onto the wrong side of the appliqué fabric and press with an iron as directed in the product instructions. Allow to cool and then cut out the traced shape. Cutting too soon can cause your trusty scissors to get gunked up with glue residue over time.
Now it’s time to apply your design. Remove the paper backing and position in place. When you’re happy with the placement, iron to set it as directed on your main fabric (T-shirt, pillowcase, etc.). Many fusible web brands require no sewing and if gently cared for will not peel off. Some products promise no sewing required, but my best practice is to always sew the appliqué down.
Using a sewing machine or embroidery stitches, finish the edges as desired.
How to Use Patterns and Templates
As I mentioned earlier, time is of the essence when it comes to my sewing. I’m going to take a guess that it might be the same for you too. Anytime I create patterns for appliqué designs or to be used with fusible webbing (which you will be doing throughout the majority of this book), I will trace the object directly onto the webbing using disappearing ink, a pen, a Sharpie—whatever is in arm’s reach. Patterns to make the templates can be resized using a home scanner or your local print or office supply store.
Imagine my surprise when I talk to people who are afraid to sew knits! I never realized that it was considered fussy or difficult. When all of this began, I just dove headfirst into my pile of tees and figured it out along the way. There was a sense of confidence in knowing that the shirt I was cutting up and sewing could be replaced for just $1. On the other hand, I was petrified of sewing with woven cotton. Fraying edges, special stitches, and $8 or more a yard! Talk about high maintenance.
Over the years I picked up a few tips and tricks—many of which we use in this book. They will help you manipulate knits and conquer sewing with them without a bunch of fancy tools or machines.
NEEDLE Whether you are sewing by hand or machine, outfit yourself with the correct needle—ballpoint needles (sometimes called stretch or jersey needles) are the best for knitted fabrics, but universal needles will also work. (See Tools.)
THREAD Use an all-purpose polyester or cotton-covered polyester thread. The polyester content allows for a bit of stretch.
Tip to Save the Planet
If you can find it, Gütermann makes a 100% recycled polyester thread called Sew-all Thread 100 m rPET.
CURLING When piecing a pattern together and constructing a garment, the edges of jersey knit fabric can be hard to align because the material tends to curl up. Use a clear, washable glue stick to tack the edges together; readjust until they are lined up perfectly. This can also be used to help keep two pieces of knit (or any other shifty fabrics) together if you do not have a walking foot attachment. Interfacing or spray starch and an iron also help to stabilize knit materials.
STRETCHING AND PUCKERING What is this walking foot I speak of? It’s a special attachment for your sewing machine—and if you have to purchase one, it’s worth the investment. The walking foot helps the feed dogs on the sewing machine move multiple layers of material through the machine together without shifting apart. This helps prevent puckers, twisting, and stretching of your knit material as you sew.
Let the feed dogs and walking foot do their job; don’t pull the fabric, which stretches it, or push so much that you ruffle it. It’s easy to forget this if you are used to sewing with material with less give. Evenly feed fabric through the machine to avoid distortion of your finished project. And go slowly.
SERGER MACHINES OR ZIGZAG STITCHES are brought into any discussion about sewing with knits. They’re used to help secure seams and prevent stitches from breaking when the fabric is stretched. Many of the projects in The Upcycled T-Shirt are made using a straight stitch. This works well for us because many of the projects we make will not have a lot of stress on the seams. However, for wearables, I recommend you increase the length of your straight stitch; this will give it more flexibility.
Use your old and ready-to-discard T-shirts to create yards of fabric for any sewing or crafting project. Use a ¼˝ seam allowance. Here are two methods.
Patchwork Method
1. Cut even squares or rectangles from shirts. (The Summer Flounce Dress, is made from 8˝ × 12˝ rectangles.)
2. With right sides together, using a narrow zigzag stitch or a serger, sew rectangles (or squares) together along 1 long edge.
3. Continue piecing a new rectangle to the previous set until desired yardage width is reached.
tip>
You can also place the pieces wrong sides together using either method to allow the seams to show and be part of the design element. But choose a method and stick with it for a single project.
4. Begin the next row in the same manner.
5. When a new row of the same width is created, stitch it to the previously constructed fabric until the desired fabric yardage length is achieved.
Strip-Piecing Method
1. Cut strips at least 2½˝ wide and as long as you can.
2. With right sides together, using a narrow zigzag stitch or a serger, sew strips together along 1 long edge.
3. Continue piecing a new strip to the strip set until the desired yardage width is reached.
4. When the desired fabric width is reached, trim the bottom edge even. (This is easiest to do with a quilting ruler or straight edge, a rotary cutter, and a cutting mat.)
If you need a longer length, make rows and connect them end to end until you reach the desired length.
(Approximations)
For yardage:
1 large T-shirt = ⅝ yard of fabric when pieced together
1 X-large T-shirt = ¾ yard of fabric when pieced together
For T-shirt yarn:
1 large T-shirt = 15 yards of 1½˝-wide T-shirt yarn
1 yard of 60˝-wide jersey knit fabric = 35 yards of 2˝-wide T-shirt yarn
1. Spread a T-shirt on your cutting mat. Flatten out any creases, as they’ll create a jagged inconsistency in your yarn.
2. Fold in half widthwise—put the side edges of your T-shirt together and the sleeves together.
3. Place a straight-edged ruler just above the bottom hemline. Cut completely through all 4 layers using a rotary cutter. When you pick up this fabric it is a loop that you can cut to the desired length.
4. Measure up from the last cut to the desired width of yarn you’d like. I prefer to cut mine 1½˝–2˝; this general size, after being pulled taut, is the perfect diameter for drawstrings, packaging details, and headbands.
tip>
For the best T-shirt yarn, use T-shirts that have no side seams.
Method 2: Continuous
1. Lay out a T-shirt on a work surface. Cut a horizontal line directly under the sleeves. Also cut off the hem on the bottom of the shirt. You need only the middle section for this project. Put the top and bottom pieces into your scrap pile.
2. Place the shirt section on your table with the open edges at the left and right and the folded edges at the top and bottom. Fold 1 side edge of the T-shirt toward the other, leaving a 2˝ space at the top. Smooth the T-shirt out. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but large creases can give the strips jagged, inconsistent edges.
3. Without cutting the space at the top, cut the fabric into strips of desired width. Be sure to cut completely through the 4 layers of material, stopping just after the side edge that you’ve folded up. (In other words, you do not want to cut the 2˝ space at the top!)
4. Carefully unfold the T-shirt so you can see the separate strips. Begin cutting the strips diagonally across at the top 2˝ that are still connected. Starting at the first strip, cut diagonally to the second strip. Repeat across.
5. Now that you have a single strip of T-shirt yarn, pull it through your hands to create the tube shape. This enables the edges to curl.
6. Keep pulling until it is all tube-shaped.
One men’s size Large T-shirt yields about 14 yards of T-shirt yarn in 1½˝–2˝ strips.
In this book you’ll find several ways to put your yarn to use, including the Arm Knit Throw, Seat Cushion, Reusable Produce Bags, and Macramé Plant Hanger—but also know that T-shirt yarn can be used in favorite crochet or knitting projects that call for bulky yarns. Scrappy strands of T-shirt yarn that are left behind will be perfect for surprising your furry friends with treats of their own! (See Pet Toys.)
Joining Yarn Strips
I created a single strand of T-shirt yarn using a series of slipknots from short scrappy strips.
1. After cutting all of the strips to the desired width and length, make a small snip cut on both ends.
2. With 2 strips at hand, take a strip (yarn B) and pass it through a slit in the other (yarn A).
3. Take the beginning end of the yarn B strip and feed it through the slit in the opposite end of the yarn B strip. Pull tight.
