How to Make a Tote Bag Out of a T-Shirt

Recycle an old T-shirt and you can make a handy drawstring tote bag. This Earth-friendly cloth bag can be used over and over again. Consider using it as a shopping bag, a beach tote or a duffel for sports equipment. The finished size of the bag will be close to the size of the T-shirt you begin with. For a small bag, use a kid-sized T-shirt. For a duffel, choose a man's extra-large shirt.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• T-shirt
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Scissors
• Tape measure
• Drawstring cord
• Safety pin

1. Turn the shirt inside out and smooth to lie flat. With the front facing you, pin closed one arm opening and continue pinning in a gentle curve around the shoulder and across the neck opening. Gradually curve across the other shoulder and past the other armhole. Space additional pins down both sides of the shirt. The pins will create a U-shape, which will be your cutting and stitching line.

2. Beginning at the bottom of the T-shirt, sew along pin lines, ending at the bottom of the shirt on the opposite side. Sew a second stitching line ¼ inch away from the first line for added durability. Remove pins as you sew.

3. Cut the excess material along the outside of the seam lines. This includes cutting off the arms, excess shoulder fabric and neck ribbing. Turn bag right side out.

4. Clip four horizontal, ½-inch holes for the drawstring to go through. Make one hole on each side of the side seams, with each hole 1 inch from the seam and 1 inch from the open end of the bag (which was the bottom of the T-shirt). Using a zig-zag setting on your sewing machine, zig-zag around the edges of the holes to keep them from stretching out. Alternately, sew hand stitches, like the finishing on buttonholes, with a needle and thread around the edges of the holes.

5. Fold under the bottom of the T-shirt ¾ inch to make a casing. Your drawstring holes should now be on the outside of the bag. Stitch a straight line around the bottom of the casing, below your drawstring holes.

6. Cut a length of drawstring cord that is 4 inches longer than the circular length around the bottom of the T-shirt. Attach one end of the cord to a safety pin. Put the pin into one hole and, pulling the drawstring with the pin, work it through the casing across the width of the T-shirt to the next hole on the opposite seam. Poke it out of that hole and reinsert it into the next hole (2 inches away). Again, work the pin through the casing to the other seam, where you will poke the pin out of the hole next to your starting point. Remove the pin and tie the drawstring in a knot.

7. To close, pull up on both loops that were created at the side seams.