Powered by Step 1: FASTEST RECYCLED T-SHIRT TOTE BAG
Are you looking for a great, low-cost recycling project to do at home or with a group? This is IT! This is a great way to use last season's team t-shirts or a previous year's event t-shirts! Re-purpose an unwanted t-shirt today and easily turn the shirt into a re-usable tote bag.
With just two quick seams and some fast cutting---you are finished! These t-shirt totes are strong and washable! Use for groceries, library books, tennis balls, gym clothes or pool supplies---use for anything you need to carry!
Did You Know.... Plastic shopping bags are typically used less than 30 minutes and only 1 % are recycled. The average American adult uses approximately 288 bags a year, or 22,000* in an average lifetime... make and use a Recycled T-Shirt Totebag today! *Source: 2008 Piedmont Environmental Alliance, NC
This is my first Instructable- any comments are appreciated. I am doing this recycling project for my Girl Scout Gold Award- I hope to share the information with as many people as possible! Thanks for your interest-
UPDATE: Thank you for your support and words of encouragement- I have successfully completed my Girl Scout Gold Award Project! Thank you for helping me spread the word- just say no to paper or plastic!
Step 2: STEP ONE
COLLECT THE FOLLOWING SUPPLIES:
-Heavy weight cotton T-shirt (heavy weight fabric & Youth size XL or Adult S or M work best)
~ 3- 5 straight pins
- Pencil or pen
- Dinner plate
-Scissors
- Sewing machine
Step 3: STEP 2
-Choose an old t-shirt and smooth it flat on a table. Use scissors to cut and remove the sleeves---make sure you leave the seam in place---this keeps your tote strong!
Step 4: STEP 3
-Position a plate about halfway over the neck opening of the shirt. Trace the plate with your pencil or pen. This will be your cutting line to create the opening for your tote bag. Cut along the traced line with the scissors.
Step 5: STEP 4
-Turn the T-shirt inside out and pin the bottom of the T-shirt-- along the hem--- closed.
Step 6: STEP 5
-Use the sewing machine to sew the bottom of T-shirt hem closed. Reinforce your tote bag by sewing over this seam a second time!
-Your bag is now sewn closed! As a variation you may consider adding a "gusset" at the bottom corners- as several commenters have- that's where you sew across the corner at at right angle so that the bottom of the bag has more depth and is not just flat---it "boxes" the corners of the tote bag.
-Another variation to consider....see the picture below of the pink t shirt tote bag. My friend and I added pockets to the tote by using the cut away sleeve scraps and fashioning them into pockets. We added the three pockets onto the front of the tote! These are more decorative than useful...next time I add pockets, I will make them deeper.
Step 7: STEP 6
-Turn the shirt right- side- out. YOU just made your own recycled tote bag!
Fill it with groceries, gym clothes, pool supplies, library books, etc! Keep one handy in your car!
T-shirt Totes are Machine Washable, Reusable and Strong! Just say NO to "paper or plastic"!
License: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.
