Skip to main content

Super Mario T-Shirt Tote

I seem to be slacking even more when it comes to posting. Oops. I was a precinct official in the elections on Tuesday, though, so the majority of my time the past few days has been eaten up by preparing, working and then recouping from that.
But anyway.

This is technically a re-post, but eh. It’s my blog. :P

There are about fifty bajillion ways to make a tote bag from a t-shirt, but this is my preferred method. It’s quick, easy and requires no sewing! Hooray! Plus it’s a great way to upcycle some of those old shirts you just can’t bear to part with.

You will need:
A t-shirt (any size, new or old)
Scissors
Yarn needle (optional)
Beads (optional)

This was the shirt I used. I picked it up for $4 at Big Lots. It’s a kids size, so it makes a pretty decent tote bag.

DSCN3054

Seriously, look how cute it is! Mario! Luigi! Bullet Bill! Goombas!
Ok, I’ll stop. It’s pretty obvious I dig this shirt, I suppose.

DSCN3056

Begin by using your handy dandy scissors to chop off the sleeves and collar of your shirt. You can shape the collar to make the opening of your bag different, but I chose to keep it simple.

DSC_0019

DSC_0020

Cut some strips from the sleeves and set them aside for now.

DSC_0021

Use your scissors them to cut some slits into the hem of the t-shirt. This will form the bottom of your bag. Make sure to use the hem to your advantage (meaning, don’t cut too far!)

DSC_0022

The number of slits you cut into the hem will determine how many holes/gathers are in the bottom of your bag. You can make it so that the bottom gathers into the center, by just cutting one set of slits. This makes the bag narrower at the bottom, so  I chose to cut more slits, making four gathers/holes in all. This makes the bottom of my bag a bit wider.

DSC_0023

One that’s done, take your yarn needle and thread one of your t-shirt strips into it. (You don’t necessarily have to use the needle for this, but it does make the process easier.)

DSC_0024

Feed the thread through the hem.

DSC_0026

Pull it so that it gathers, and then tie it off. Repeat across the bottom of the bag.

DSC_0030

You can stop at this point, if you like. I chose to string some wooden beads from my stash onto the threads, to add a little bit of pizzaz.

DSC_0031

Cute, eh?


And voila! You have a super cute t-shirt tote bag, all ready to put to use!

DSCN3057

I have heard these make fantastic shopping bag alternatives, but I’ve never tested this theory. I think they’d make fantastic gifts!

DSCN3060

So there you have it.

Oh, and just because..

DSC_0029

This is Pepper, who feels it is her duty to supervise my crafting. She’s so silly!

Hope you enjoyed! :)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

As Seen on Pinterest - The Retirement Survival Kit

One of my co-workers recently retired. I'm happy for her, because she really deserves it and everything...but I hate that she's leaving me!  I tried to bribe her into staying. I even threatened to lock her in the office and refuse to let her go.  Oddly, she didn't like that suggestion.  Since she was set on this notion of retirement, I immediately began scouring Pinterest for some sort of cute retirement gift for her. I knew I'd find something there, and I was not disappointed! Fairly soon after beginning my search, I came across the 'Retirement Survival Kit'.  (Photo from Pinterest - original pin link ) The pin was a link to an eBay auction, but of course my first thought on seeing it was "I can do that!". So I did.   I really should have taken a better photo of it. But this is all I managed to get. So, uh, ta da! I changed a few of the items around (the original link was from the UK, so some of the items weren't available)

Bofur Inspired Hat Pattern

 (Check out this handy dandy Pinterest ready graphic I made!) In The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, one of the dwarves (Bofur) wore this really, really awesome hat.  I fell in love with it, and decided to see if I could crochet my own version of it.  Well, first I scoured the internet, hoping for a pattern, and when I didn't find one THEN I decided to make my own.  And since I know there are others out there who would love to have this pattern, I'm posting it here! PLEASE NOTE: You may make items and sell them using this pattern, but PLEASE link back to the pattern and credit me as the source. It's only fair! :) The Bofur Inspired Hat Pattern You will need: Red Heart Super Saver (I forgot the actual color name, but it’s brown, okay?) Lion Brand Homespun in Edwardian H hook, I hook HAT : with I hook and brown yarn Chain 5 & join with sl st Ch 2, work 11 DC into loop, join with sl st (11) Ch 2, work 2 DC into each st, jo

As Seen on Pinterest: Pillar of Cloud and Fire Craft

Woo hoo! It's time for another As Seen on Pinterest post!  This time, it was a cute little kids' craft to go along with the story of Moses and the Children of Israel being led through the wilderness by the pillar of cloud by day, and fire by night. It fit nicely into one of our Sunday School lessons this quarter, so we decided to give it a whirl! Here's the original pin: You'll need toilet paper tubes, construction paper, tissue paper (white and orange), scissors and tape. It's a pretty straightforward craft, really. Cut the construction paper to cover the tube and tape it down. Then cut a generous square of the tissue paper (one in each color) and use some tape to stick it to the insides of the tube. That part is a bit tricky, but with some finagling, it can be done! And that's it! Isn't it cute? The kiddos loved them too. It was so great hearing them telling others what it was and what it signified. Unt