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How to Make Yarn Out of a T-Shirt

February 20, 2015 by Sarah White

how to make tshirt yarnI noticed recently that a lot of people were viewing my T-shirt yarn bag pattern over at About, so this is an appropriate tutorial to post right about now.

Making T-shirt yarn is actually pretty easy (though time consuming, and it can be hard on the hands if you have repetitive motion problems, so don’t expect to cut down a whole stack of shirts at one sitting), and it’s a great way to reuse shirts that have been stained or outgrown. Or if you make T-shirt quilts with the top part, you can make yarn with the bottom part.

The only tricky part is understanding how to cut the shirt to make one continuous length of yarn out of the whole body of the shirt. This tutorial from Makery has lots of great, large, clear photos so you’ll be sure to get it right the first time. (I don’t do the tape step that she shows, but it’s a clever way to get your strips even.)

It also has a great discussion of seams in shirts and whether you want to make yarn with shirts that have them. I love a good seamless shirt for making yarn, but the point really is to use what you have, so unless you’re a thrift store junkie don’t run out and buy shirts just to cut them up. Though I also have to say making yarn this way is kind of addicting, so you may be stealing from your friends’ old shirt piles soon enough.

Have you ever made T-shirt yarn? What did you use it for?

[Photo via Makery.]

How To Make Yarn From A T-Shir-T-Shirt Yarn Tutorial – From small projects like coasters and trivets to larger ventures like rugs and baskets, the possibilities are endless with this eco-friendly and budget-friendly yarn. So, grab those T-shirts, and let’s make yarn that’s not only fun to craft with but also a fantastic way to reduce textile waste and contribute to a more sustainable world!

Recycling, Plarn in the bag! Plarn! In this exciting tutorial, I’ll show you how to make yarn out of old plastic bags, opening up a world of possibilities for creative and sustainable projects. 

 How to Make Yarn Out of Old Jeans – Do you have a stash of old jeans you’re reluctant to part with, but they’ve seen better days? It’s time to give those worn-out denim wonders a new lease on life! Join me on a creative and sustainable journey as we learn how to make yarn out of old jeans. In this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll explore the art of upcycling denim into fantastic yarn that’s perfect for all sorts of projects

 

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Comments

  1. Barbara says

    February 21, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    I get my shirts at outlet thrift stores. I have found two that have 25c days. Most of my projects are $10 or less (rugs) I also make potholders & bags. All of my family and some of my physicians have a rug!

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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