How-To's Day: Make a Reusable Tee Tote

Today's How- To is all about making a Reusable Tee Tote from old Graphic Tees.  These are fun, quick, and super functional!  I wish I could zap myself back to all my High School basketball tees and transform them all as graduation gifts.  OR, jazz up some old band tees for your rocker friends who wear their headphones all-day to the soundtrack of their lives...

 Anywho, Here is the fun all laid out.  I broke it down to a bunch of steps to spell it out, but this is something easy that a beginner could master quickly :)

You need:   A Sewing Machine

            Old Tee Shirts

  Scissors

Pins

Thread 

Step by Step-

STEP 1:

Flip the shirt inside out and fold a section in at one of the shirts bottom corners so it tucks flat inside itself.  I don't measure mine out, but feel free to test out different fold lengths to create the depth/ bottom of the bag.

STEP 2:

Pin the folded a section of the shirt so the folded lengths are secure for sewing.

STEP 3:

Since I don't measure mine out, I flip the secure corner over the top of the other side  to get the measurement to make both sides even.  Mark where the folded corner should meet on the one still to fold and then fold it on itself to meet that point.

STEP 4:

Pin across the bottom of the shirt.  Once you tuck the corners you have a straight line across the bottom to sew.

STEP 5:

Sew straight across the bottom making sure to backstich and secure the folded corners good.  I switched to a Ball Point needle and doubled back for extra security.

 See the great shape of the bottom from folding- The bigger or smaller you make it the more depth to the bag.

cutting the sleeve off on the side towards the neck

STEP 6:

Lay the shirt out flat to cut out the Sleeves.  Make sure to cut on the side closer to the neck away from the previous stitching.

 STEP 7:

I went in and stitched, backstiched and doubled back to secure the arm holes.

STEP 8:

Cut underneath the neck ribbing for the bag opening.  You want this to be bigger than the neck but not too big to where the shoulders are too thin to support a strap.

I like mine opening smaller than not

STEP 7:

Stitch, backstich and doubled back to secure the neck hole seams.  *This step also helps reinforce the handle across the shoulder seam from ripping out*

 Here is a close up of stitching over the shoulder for reinforcement

 Then all that's left is to Enjoy It!!!