I’ve been seeing Pinterest articles on making a rag rug for years. It’s one of those crafts I’ve always wanted to do but never got around to. Typically, I’ll bag up my old clothes and sell them at a thrift store, or give them away. But recently, I’ve started trying to put them to use if I can. So it was time to try the t-shirt yarn.
The concept was simple, a few cuts here and there and some pulling and you have perfect yarn to either braid into a rug, make into a basket, or anything else a creative mind could think of. Now, there are fabrics that don’t seem to work as well as others, and this works best with t-shirts of a plain color and without graphics. T-shirts with graphics your best bet is to make a handbag or apron out of them.
Recently, I also found out, while this is overall a simple project to accomplish, it is also easily screwed up. I was given a bag of clothes from my mom thankfully, and it took me a good 3 or 4 shirts before I got the knack of how to cut it up properly.
Once you cut up the shirt properly, you should have one long string of fabric. Pull on all of it and it will roll up into a yarn like shape. I did notice it only does this when it’s the correct fabric. Certain fabric just doesn’t roll and instead will fray. Some people will braid a strand of 3 and create a circular rug out of it. Other people will crochet it into various things. I’ve seen everything from blankets to baskets.
Materials:
- T-shirt
- Scissors
Directions:
Lay out t-shirt flat. Cut hem off bottom of the shirt, and across right under the armpits.
Lay out shirt and fold with the side seam about an inch below the other side seam
Cut strips about an inch. Only cut just past the first seam.
Once all the strips are cut you should have a funky looking design when you lay it out. Cut diagonally through each spot until you are left with a long strand of t-shirt. Pull fabric so it rolls into itself, and then roll into a yarn like ball.
Use this ‘yarn’ to crochet, braid, sew, or do your own unique thing with it!