LOOKING 4 SOMETHING?

Honestly WTF

DIY Market Bag

Posted by on

With Earth Day just around the corner, we’re turning to artist and environmentalist Chris Jordan for inspiration. In this large-zoom photograph he has captured 1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags, the number used in the US every hour. And did you know that 2.7 billion plastic bags are used every day worldwide? Floored by these staggering numbers we were motivated to do a quick and easy DIY, recycling an old t-shirt into a reusable fringed market bag. We hope that it will also inspire you to use less plastic and paper!

 

You’ll need:
- an old t-shirt (the larger the shirt, the larger the bag)
- a pair of scissors
- a safety pin

Lay the t-shirt on a flat surface. Start by cutting off the sleeves, using the seams as a guide. And using a round plate as a guide, cut out a half circle into the neck of the t-shirt. To create the ties that will cinch the bottom of the bag, cut 2 one inch strips from each of the sleeve scraps. Cut each circular strip open and pull at the ends to stretch them out, creating 4 strings total. (Click images to enlarge)

Snip 8 evenly spaced slits along the bottom hem of the t-shirt. We cut 3 in the front, 3 in the back, and one each side.

Attach a safety pin to the end of one of the strings. Starting at the left side of the shirt, thread the string through two sections so that both ends come out from the left hem of the shirt. Do the same to the right side of the shirt with the 2nd string. Starting at the middle slit, thread the 3rd string through the section closest to the left side, under and over the 1st string and through the opposing section. Repeat on the other side with the 4th string. Pull each section tightly, tying the strings into double knots.

You can trim the strings but we like leaving the fringe as is. And . . . your new recycled market bag is finished!

Aren’t you excited to BYOB (bring your own bag)?

Make one for a friend. It’ll make their day. Happy Earth Day!

(top image from here, rest of images by Honestly…WTF; thanks to Leethal &  Lynn for the inspiration!)

125 Comments

  5. AlbeeLucky    April 19, 2011

    I love this. You just made the t-shirt bag so much cooler with the fringe. I so want to do this today. Thanks for the DIY.
    xo-http://AlbeeLucky.blogspot.com/

  16. Chelsea    April 19, 2011

    This bag literally just took me 15 minutes to make! Great DIY!

  17. Bree    April 19, 2011

    Oh! This looks great. Reminds me of those dresses I used to wear as a kid with the shredded t-shirt ends and beads. Can’t wait to give this a go!

  18. sarah    April 19, 2011

    how clever are you? Love the fringe! (and yipe! those numbers are a serious reminder that I need to get to WORK making reusable shopping bags; I’ve been meaning to do it for a long time)

  19. Natt    April 19, 2011

    I just finished the bag in no time at all and it turned out awesome. Great project!

  22. Linda    April 19, 2011

    I love this bag, but am a little confused at the point of the gathering at the bottom. Can someone help me out, I am dying to try this!

  24. erica    April 19, 2011

    @Linda, you basically run the 4 strings through a few sections at a time in order to cinch it closed. the reason why i’m so specific about the method and order in which to thread the strings is so that the fringe is evenly spaced. you can always just run one string through all the sections, creating one big cinch at the bottom of the bag. hope that helps!

  25. Jamillah    April 19, 2011

    LOVE THIS!! I have made the t-shirt tote but didn’t think to leave the strings to hang as fringe. BRILLIANT!

  26. Allison    April 19, 2011

    I just made this right now, really easy! And i love it! <3 Thanks for the idea!

  29. Linda    April 20, 2011

    Erica, that helps a great deal, thank you! On my way upstairs to find a t-shirt right now!!!

  31. Elisa    April 20, 2011

    I love this! I made one yesterday and it’s adorable x)

  33. victoria    April 20, 2011

    This is too cool. Ok, gotta go – going to raid my husband’s tshirt drawer now – he won’t mind.

  34. Raechel    April 20, 2011

    Am I the only one that is bummed you cut up a perfectly worn Zeppelin tour shirt?? I love this DIY, but as a tour shirt enthusiast it breaks my heart. I am praying it is a replica from Target or something… Note to other T-shirt hackers: please please don’t hack up tour shirts. There are weird people like me that collect them and treat them as historical artifacts. One person’s trash…

    PS- I love your blog and read it every day. This doesn’t change that. <3

  35. Michal    April 21, 2011

    I have this same shirt, but in gray, and I love that I have it but I NEVER wear it… I’m totally going home to make this back. right now.

  36. Valerie    April 23, 2011

    Wow! These are amazing!! Will definitely try it!

    forshoeswefall.blogspot.com

  37. tracy    April 26, 2011

    woo, i didnt imagine i can recycle our old t-shirt like that, actually my husband have many old t-shirt. it is a time to clean them up and have meaningful gift to friends !

  38. Caitlin    April 26, 2011

    i saw this today and thought it was so great that i ran home and did it right away. so easy! i can’t wait to try it on more t-shirts!

  39. Aja    April 28, 2011

    This is great, however the part at the bottom is really confusing! What are we threading the strings through? Do we sew a tunnel first? I re read this a few times and I am a sewer and I still do not understand. Please explain!!

  40. erica    April 28, 2011

    @Aja, after you cut the sleeves off and the half circle in the neck, pick the shirt up by the shoulders (now the handles of the bag). the bottom of the bag (bottom hem of the shirt) is completely open. you’ll need to thread the strings through the bottom to cinch it closed. no sewing required! unless, you wanted to turn the shirt inside out and sew the bottom closed . . . hope this helps!

  41. Aja    April 28, 2011

    Ok I understand now! You cut the slits about an inch or two above the bottom hem so then the bottom still stays together! I’m going to try it now. Thanks!!

  43. Tamara like Camera    May 23, 2011

    I made two this weekend! Totally awesome, and i LOVE not having to sew anything.

  46. KonfusedKid    May 29, 2011

    please help!!! i have nooo idea how to “thread” the bottom with the pin.. zoo extremely confused.. you attach 1 of the 4 strings to a safety pin and then what?

  47. erica    May 30, 2011

    @KonfusedKid, the strings are used to cinch the bottom of the shirt closed. So first you will have cut slits into the bottom hem of the shirt, creating passageways for the strings. I suggested 4 pieces of string for a fringed look. The strings are then threaded through the hem of the shirt, passing through each slit that you have cut. Pull them closed and there you go! Feel free to email me if you have more questions!

  51. Kim    July 6, 2011

    Love love love… however I just can’t seem to follow the threading order, perhaps it’s my dyslexia~ I’ve tried to enlarge the photo’s but still can’t figure out the order & what loops over what…. anyway, bag done & cute, but holes in bottom (so I obviously threaded wrong)… next attempt I think I’ll do more slits for more fringe. If anyone has a diagram for threading let me know. Love all the DIY projects you guys post ♥

  52. Erica    July 6, 2011

    @Kim, tread your strings through each slit without skipping any. the slits are only there to make the threading easier. essentially, you can take one string and thread it all the way around. the only reason we suggested using several strings was for the fringe effect. you’ll have tiny holes on the bottom but if overlaps the strings when threading each section and tie it super tight, the holes shouldn’t be a problem. hope that helps!

  54. bri    July 15, 2011

    This is so easy! I did the bottem a little different because i didn’t understand the instructions, but it is super easy and takes 10 minutes!

  55. Paige    July 18, 2011

    Oh, I cannot wait to make this one! I’m about to move to a small island off the coast of Virginia and I have been looking for some easy-to-make bags I can beach comb with. This one fits the bill perfectly!

  56. Nadia    July 26, 2011

    I’ve made these before, but just sewed the bottom. I love that you came up with a way to do it without sewing, it’s so cute! When I use them at the grocery store more often than not the bagger will hand them back to me and tell me I accidentally put a t-shirt in with my other bags. When I explain they either think it’s a great idea, or they think I’m totally weird. I also use these as gift bags. One time I even did a freezer paper stencil on the outside and gave it as a gift.

  58. stella    August 4, 2011

    i just made my bag from one of my sons old skull and crossbones t-shirts and it rocks!! it will make the perfect pool bag!!!

  59. Jane    August 6, 2011

    I just made a rockin’ bag for myself, and I am planning to make some as Christmas presents for all of my friends. I know they will love the quirky, yet chic style of the whole shebang!

  60. Maggie    August 15, 2011

    I’ve made three of these already and they’re so wonderful! Thank you!

  62. Tiffany    September 16, 2011

    I love this! I just made 2 “bags”. theyre so cute and easy to make!

  63. lmoe    September 17, 2011

    i tried it… not as good as in the pic but still freein awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  64. Sarabellum    September 27, 2011

    Has anybody come up with a clever way to make the top a little more finished looking? I tied a couple more strips of tshirt on the shoulders to gather it and make it a little better.

  65. Sarah    October 15, 2011

    this is awesom — but yeah, i don’t get how to do the bottom, help!

  67. Gretta    October 30, 2011

    I’m glad that someone posted about the Zep abomination! It does, however make an adorable bag. I would be just as excited to carry that bag than wear the shirt. This is really a great idea, i think we all could at least head down to our local thrift shop and save some paper and plastic. I am still confused as to how the top photo represents all the plastic and paper but I’ll keep staring at it until it makes sense.

  68. Anna    October 31, 2011

    Simple way to help the environment. And those numbers about plastic bags are really just awful.

  71. Suzanne    November 30, 2011

    This bag is SO EASY! As with so many others, I’ve got so many t-shirts I just don’t wear anymore. Because many have such sentimental value……this bag ROCKS! I look forward to going out today and using it for the first time! Thank you so very much for sharing such a wonderful idea!!!

  72. Tara Lee    November 30, 2011

    Amazing! Took me longer than it probably should have haha. I was a bit confused about the string part and which holes to go through and skip. I ended up doing every other one with one string, and then going back through the skipped ones with another string. I’m sort of new to the whole DIY/crafting scene, still though, it turned out quite lovely. There are some tiny holes in the bottom of the bag, but I’m not too concerned with that. This was a great tutorial for me! Thanks Erica!

  74. amy    January 23, 2012

    wow!!……thse r so cool man im so gonna try ths out…thnxxx :)

  75. Timmie    January 29, 2012

    Love this and especially the bell bottoms, where did you get them???

  76. Caroline    February 7, 2012

    HELP!!!!!! I can’t ge thte hang of the weaving part. I cut the slits and everything… How is it threading? I mean its slits with the tshirt’s sides sewn up?! ould you maybe dumm it down for me or something? Thanks

  79. afia    April 6, 2012

    i had absolutely no trubel in makin dis bag. it’s soooo cool! xoxo

  82. alex    May 24, 2012

    why would you cut up such a sweet shirt?!?!?!?! if you’re gonna do this, use a Prince shirt.

  84. woah    May 29, 2012

    wow what a joke i suggest anyone that makes one of these “shirt bag” sends ten shirts to some homeless african children so they don’t get skin cancer….way to make a useless “bag” out of something that could be of way more importance…….way to go women i think you’re at an all time low.

  85. Elliott    May 31, 2012

    Woah!! Don’t you think recycling a bag from an old t-shirt is better than going to any high street store to buy one considering that most mainstream brands & stores have dubious methods of manufacture.. Not to mention their participation in creating a world where their CEOs & stockholders have insultingly luxurious lifestyles whilst “homeless African children … get skin cancer”. :(

  86. Elliott    May 31, 2012

    Sorry and also I found it very sweet that this post was made to inspire people to think about their effect on the environment :)

  87. Patricia    June 5, 2012

    Great post, I love a good DIY project. I am getting a bit old for T-shirts but don’t want to get rid of them. This is a good way to recycle. Thanks :D

  89. Jessica    July 19, 2012

    Did you use a man’s T-shirt? In which size?

    Thanks =)

  90. Freeman    July 22, 2012

    I loveeeeee making these bags, I kid you not. I’ve made around like, 10. 5 out of my shirts, and a few others for friends. I can’t stop making these xD
    I have a fun little thing to add too: If you want to widen the bag a bit more, get something heavy, like a dumbbell weight ( i use 20lbs), put it inside the bag and lift the bag just so the weight pulls the bag down a bit to stretch it and makes it bigger by a bit ;)

  91. Cassidi Amster    July 24, 2012

    Just made mine! Perfect for the beach and pool :)

  92. Jenna    July 26, 2012

    LOVE this… Kind of confusing in the beginning, but I got through it and it turned out AMAZING :) thanks

  93. ginaLove    October 13, 2012

    i just made one from an old Upper Playground t-shirt which took me no more than 10 minutes from start to finish.. however, since the holes at the base are annoying me, i am going to undo that portion and pin the fringe to the bottom (while t-shirt is inside out, of course) and then sew it all closed to assure that nothing falls out.

    another idea is to cut a circle patch/liner to sew onto the base of the interior, so the hole becomes irrelevant…

    that doesnt help the non-sewers though. bummer.

    you have a wonderful blog with tons of awesome ideas. thumbs up on this diy.

  95. Lori    January 31, 2013

    Just made 2 of these! Such a great way to hold on to my favorite shirts :) Here’s a picture of the second one I made. Cut the fringe off of this one.

Leave a Comment

© 2010-2012 Honestly WTF | Powered by WordPress | Theme & Development | Creative Commons License
Pin It