How to Make a T-Shirt into a Reusable Shopping Bag
By carrying a reusable shopping bag, you cut down on the use of plastic and make shopping easier and more enjoyable. Many retail outlets sell their own reusable shopping bags, but there are also a number of ways you can create your own. If you have old T-shirts lying around, you can reinvent them by turning them into reusable shopping bags. These bags have an advantage over commercially available options in that they are machine washable and fold up neatly to fit in your purse or bag.
Instructions
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How to Make a T-Shirt into a Reusable Shopping Bag
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1
Wash the T-shirt in hot water to get everything really clean and germ free before you do any cutting or sewing.
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2
Turn the T-shirt inside out. All the sewing will be done with the shirt inside out so that the seams are hidden.
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3
Line up the bottom hem of the shirt and use a sewing machine or serger to sew the bottom edge together completely just above the hem of the T-shirt. If you have trouble keeping the bottom edges lined up, use sewing pins to hold the front and back sides together.
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4
Line up the seams on the sleeves and use a rotary cutter to remove them from the T-shirt. You should remove the entire sleeve, including the sleeve seams. Once again, if you have difficulty keeping edges lined up, use sewing pins to hold the edges together.
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5
Keep the shirt laying flat and use the rotary cutter to cut out the T-shirt neck. Make sure to cut close to the neck ribbing on the sides of each neck. Cut a deep scoop neckline on both sides of the short.
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6
Use the sewing machine to hem the edges of the T-shirt bag to keep them from fraying. Some materials, like knit jersey material, do not have to be hemmed because they do not fray.
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7
Turn the bag right side out again and get ready to go shopping. The area where you removed the sleeves and created the scoop neck has created handles for your bag, and the flat bottom will allow for plenty of grocery storage space.
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- Photo Credit Creative Commons
