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How to Make Yarn Out of a T-Shirt

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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

 

Comments

  1. 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?

Beyond Basic Pumpkin Knitting Patterns

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork. 

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn. 

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look. 

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me. 

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. 

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.