Old T-shirt to Trendy Tote Bag

Who doesn't have an old t-shirt looming around and taking up space in their closet? Let's be honest, I have too many. Most have some sort of sentimental value, so the idea of trashing them or getting rid of them makes me a wee bit sad. Here's an idea to up-cycle an old t-shirt that holds a special place in your heart. Convert it to a tote bag and it will have a special place for your groceries to nestle up inside. I originally saw this idea on Martha Stewart and have since seen many ideas for this project. I'm going the classic route & using an old t-shirt. You can also use up some fabric scraps to add some fun (& color). [I suggest adding embellishments at the beginning of the project; it makes things a bit easier]

Start with a flat, inside-out, washed & ironed t-shirt. Pin along the bottom of the shirt & sew. I like a rounder bottom, so I sewed an arc by the sides. Cut off the excess fabric.

Cut both sleeves off the shirt. These will be the handles.

Use a large bowl to trace around the neck of the shirt. Cut out the half circle you just traced. This will be the opening to the bag.

Now turn the shirt right side out and you're ready to load the new bag up with a change of clothes, some groceries, or books to return to the library. Here's my bag stuffed with books. It's quite stretchy & has a lot of room. A traditional tee works well too!

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!