Introduction: No Sew T- Shirt Tote Bag
This no sew t-shirt tote bag is a great project to do if you're looking to re-purpose an old t-shirt. No sewing skills are required, and the bag can be made in less than 20 minutes. This project is fairly simple and is a craft that can even be done with kids. The tote can be used to hold almost anything, depending on the strength of the fabric, and it can be used to make a fun trick- or - treat bag for Halloween.
Materials:
Sharp scissors
Old T- shirt (thick fabric recommended)
Colored tape (anything that stands out against your t-shirt)
Ruler or tape measure (optional)
Step 1: Cut Off the Sleeves
Cut off the sleeves. To make the cuts even, fold the t-shirt in half and cut both sleeves at the same time. Cut the fabric just past the seam where the sleeves are sewn to the body of the shirt.
Step 2: Cut Off the Neckline
Take your scissors and free hand cut off the collar of the shirt. It is recommended to cut a slightly oval shape as opposed to a round one. Make sure the back and front of the shirt line up and are cut to the same distance. This step is where the straps of the tote bag are finished.
Step 3: Determine Depth of the Bag
Turn the shirt inside out. Decide how deep you want your bag to be and line up your tape so the bottom part is where the bag will end. Anything under the tape line will be used to close the bottom of the bag.
Step 4: Cut the Fringe
Start by cutting the left and right side of the shirt from the bottom up to the tape line, separating the top half from the bottom half of the shirt. Next, use your scissors to cut fringe on the bottom of the bag. Cut both the back and the front layers of the shirt together so they line up. Cut the slits from the bottom of the shirt to the tape line and make them about ½ inch apart.
Step 5: Tie the Fringe
Take the first pair of fringe and tie it into a knot. Then tie two more pairs. Grab one of the strands from 2 and tie it to one of the strands from 1. Next take the other strand from 2 and tie it to one of the strands from 3. Tie another pair of fringe next to 3 and then take the remaining strand from 3 and tie it to your new knot. Continue to do this for the whole bag. The purpose of tying the two strands of fringe together like this is to close the gap between fringe pairs.
*Note: a pair of fringe means one piece of the front and one piece of the back of the shirt. They should sit one on top of another if the shirt was cut correctly.
Step 6: Finish Your Bag
Once all the fringe is tied, remove your tape and turn your bag inside out. Finish the bag by tying knots at the tops of the handles or tie some of the scrap fabric on as embellishments. If you want the fringe to be part of your bag, skip the part where you turn the t-shirt inside out.