
April 22, 2021
Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. Since I love to craft, I wanted to make something but also be environmentally-conscience. I chose to upcycle a t-shirt. Upcycling is taking something you already have and transforming it into something else.
I hope you join me and try this very simple project: a reusable t-shirt bag! Best of all, no sewing or skill of any kind is required to make!
Supplies needed:
- T-shirt
-Scissors
Steps:
1. Find a t-shirt that you no longer want to wear. Maybe use that one that has gone out of style, or one that has a small stain on it.
2. Cut the sleeves and the collar off of the shirt (this will form the handles of the bag). To make the opening of the bag a bit bigger, cut a deep U-shape where the collar was. However, do not make it deeper than the sleeve openings. At this stage, the t-shirt will look similar to a tank top.
3. Lay the shirt on a hard, flat surface with the bottom of the shirt closest to you. Cut a slit along each side of the t-shirt, about 2 to 3-inches long. This will help distinguish the front side of the shirt from the backside.
4. Holding both the front and back together, cut slits along the bottom of the shirt, about 2 to 3-inches long. Leave about a 3/4-inch between each slit. (Marking this out with a ruler is helpful). When you are done cutting, your shirt should look like it has fringes or tassels on the bottom.
5. Starting on one side, take one of the fringe pieces from the top, and its corresponding piece from the bottom, and tie them together a knot.
Continue on with each top-and-bottom set of fringes until the entire bottom of the shirt is tied into several knots.
Congratulations! You have created an up-cycled, reusable bag!
Now, what else can you up-cycle? Find more inspiration for up-cycling by checking out the following books from the Marathon County Public Library:

"JEANS AND A T-SHIRT: FUN AND FABULOUS UPCYCLING PROJECTS FOR DENIM AND MORE"

"RESTORE. RECYCLE. REPURPOSE."

"REPURPOSE YOUR JUNK "
image credit: MCPL