upcycling t-shirts

today I am making these upcycled re-useable grocery bags. yep, trying to be green.

First you get a shirt you aren't going to wear anymore... like this, that one on top there, and sew up the bottom, with it right side out. yes, right side out.

Next, you turn it inside out, and even out the bottom of it.  You are going to sew all the way across the bottom, without catching the seam you did on the outside.  This way, when you turn it back right side out, you have a finished looking seam showing, and its reinforced for your heavy groceries.


So turn it back so you're looking at the front, and line it up nice like you're going to fold it.  Lay it on a flat surface.  If you started with a tank top, you are probably done, but perhaps wishing it wasn't a ribbed tank top.

Go ahead and cut off the sleeves. I left the seam there for a little more stability, but do whatever you want here.  its easier to go thru one layer at a time if you want to keep the seam intact.  And use the scissors, a rotary cutter seems like too much work here.

Chop away at the neckline, but carefully.  The neck on this T was too small for groceries really, so I gave it one slice through the center of each layer.  I didn't like it for this one, but you might, so I'm showing you.

I went ahead and chopped the whole thing off, through both layers, and down to the lowest part of the front.  Much better!  This is a huge bag, and will hold a bunch. 

Watch out for stretchy t-shirts when you do this, the stretchy ones droop towards the floor pretty good when you put heavy stuff in there, but are awesome for bulky light stuff.