How to Make a Purse With T Shirts

This Emily the Strange T-shirt would make a great purse!

These days going green is all the rage, and here's a way to go green, be fashionable and have a fun project. Even Martha Stewart likes the idea of recycling, except she turns T-shirts into shopping bags (basically sewing up all sides and enlarging the neck hole).There's a lot of room for creativity with this project, and as you become more adept, you can add embroidery, beads or sequins. You can also use two different T-shirts so there are designs on the front and back--coordinate colors or themes, whatever you like.

Things You'll Need

• Old T-shirt with a logo or design
• Sewing machine, needle, thread
• Sharp scissors
• Lining fabric
• Strap or handle material

Instructions

1. Lay the T-shirt flat on a hard surface.

2. Line up the bottom hem. Use sharp scissors and cut the bottom off. Cut off the arms (both sides). Cut off the top (neck hole, top of shoulders). You should have a square or rectangle, based on the kind of shirt you began with.

3. Measure the height and width.

4. Turn the T-shirt inside out (with the T-shirt design or logo inside) and pin the sides together.

5. Get the fabric (repurposed cotton is recommended) you’re using for the lining and fold it inside out. You want a fabric that is going to give more structure to a typical stretchy T-shirt.

6. Cut the lining fabric the width dimension of the T-shirt, plus 1 inch. Cut the lining for the height measurement of the T-shirt, but add 2 to 4 inches.

7. Pin sides of the T-shirt and the lining together.

8. Measure and cut out a piece of the lining fabric for an inside pocket. Make the size for your cell, PDA or keys. Make two inside pockets if you need them.

9. Fold the top, bottom and sides of the pocket(s). Iron sides down, and sew the sides and the bottom to the inside of the purse.

10. Turn right side out. Fold the top edges of the lining and the T-shirt several times. Pin. Turn inside out again. Sew the top edges of the purse.

11. Make the strap/handle. You can use a recycled web belt as a shoulder strap, or you can purchase purse handles from a fabric store. You can also use round embroidery hoops (use one for the front and one for back, sew the hoop using the entire top of the purse and gather the fabric to the center). You could use a leather belt, but you would have to know how to rivet it to the bag.

Tips & Warnings

• If you use a sewing machine, this project will move along more quickly, but it can be made by hand-sewing.

• This is a great mother/daughter, Girl Scout or sleepover project.