#BeGreenMonth: FIVE Ways to Reuse a T-Shirt!

We all have WAY too many T-Shirts, (I know I'm not the only one who has to force her t-shirt drawer to close), but Girl Talk has found ways for you to declutter that drawer, engage the creative side, AND help the environment! As you read in our previous #BeGreenMonth post, we discussed what upcycling is and how it is environment-friendly. There are a lot of ways to upcycle that old t-shirt (we saw a website that had FIFTY), but we are just showing you our five favorites!

1. T-Shirt Headband

Ok, these are my new obsession. There are few ways to make a t-shirt headband: you can braid it, you can make it turban-styled, or you can do the sailor knot! The sailor knot can seem a little difficult, but it's easier once you get the hang of it. This is my personal favorite because they're very Boho-chic and perfect for Spring & Summer!

Here is what you need for to make this headband! Good news, you will most likely need the same materials for all of these crafts! Yay!

Step 1: Just as stated before, you will most likely need to cut the hem as your first step for all of the crafts showcased here today. Cutting the hem enables you to stretch your t-shirt as needed.



Step 2: The number of strips you cut out has to be even or it won't work. In this example, I cut out eight strips, but I have also cut out only six before. It all depends how you thick you want your headband to be. After you cut them out, hold all of them and stretch them out. Don't worry if you're cutting isn't perfect, because it won't show through when you're done. (Believe me, I can't cut a straight line to save my life!) Stretching makes them easier to work with while doing the craft. And of course you want to stretch them at the same time so that they will all be the same length.

                                               

Step 3: After you have stretched the strands out, grab your scissors and cut the strands in half making them less loopy and more linear. Then divide the strips in two equal groups. As you can see from the picture, there are four strips in each group.

 

Step 4: Take one set of the strands and make a loop. With the other set, make a U-shape.

Step 5: Place the U-shape on top of the loop.

Ok, it's about to get a little harry, so just stay with me these next steps. We're almost done!!

Step 6: We are now going to start making the sailor knot! Take the left tail of your U-shape and put it underneath the left tail of the loop.

Step 7:  So the left tail of the U is underneath the left tail of the loop. Now, take the right tail of the U and put it underneath the top of the loop.

Step 8: Ok...this is where it gets a little harry (as you can see). So the right tail of the U is underneath the top of the loop, so now you'll grab that left tail of the U-shape and thread it. Thread it so that it over the loop, but under the right tail. Again, you take the left tail of the U and thread it over-under the loop and right tail. Once you do that, you'll start seeing the sailor knot shape.

Step 9: Step 8 was a headache, but it's smooth-sailing (sailor pun intended) from here! Now just pull the four ends of the knot tight so that it is secure.

Step 10: Go back to your old t-shirt and cut a rectangle out. It should be big enough to cover up the ends of your headband. This is to give your headband a clean look (aka where you will hide your cutting imperfections). Just glue the ends to the center of the rectangle and then glue the access of the rectangle over the ends.
                                      

Give it one more final stretch and it's ready to wear! You can wear it above your head, or across your  forehead. These are super comfy so you can wear it all day with no problem! If you still have questions, check out this video!

2. T-Shirt ToteA t-shirt tote is perfect when you're shopping at your local farmers' market. You don't have to use a paper or plastic bag anymore! Although it looks small, it can actually hold a lot! You can make this as simple or as complex as you like. Regardless, it is still cute! I cut the fringe tails off, but you totally can keep them and stretch them out if you like! 

3. T-Shirt Bracelets
Be boho-chic by making this t-shirt bracelet! This is great for pairing with other bracelets! For ours, we just simply braided three pieces together and then used a fourth piece to connect. For the full instructions, click here!

4. T-Shirt Roses
T-shirt roses are great for embellishing any of the great upcycling crafts that you see here! You can even make them into barrettes by gluing them on a bobby pin or barrette for a fun hair clip. I used them to add a little flavor to a vase. All you have to do is cut a strip from a t-shirt and hot glue it while you roll it! For full instructions, click here.

5. T-Shirt Infinity Scarf

 Infinity scarves are great accessories for any season! This scarf is perfect to wear during Spring or Fall because it's not too heavy. We really love this t-shirt upcycle craft because you can make it as simple or as complex as you like! All you basically have to do is cut the hem off, then cut as far up the shirt as you like (the more you cut up, the thicker the scarf), stretch, and done! For full instructions, click here!

We hope you have enjoyed learning about our five favorite t-shirt upcyling crafts! We would love to see what yours looked like! Show us on our Facebook, Twitter (@GirlTalkInc), or Instagram (@GirlTalkInc)!

Happy upcycling and happy #BeGreenMonth!!