Rockin' Refashion: The Twisted Sister Tote

A really good friend of mine gave me an awesome 80's Twisted Sister shirt and told me to make something out of it; so I did. I made a rockin' tote bag that I can't wait to show off (pics to be posted soon). To make your own bag out of one of your retired, but beloved t-shirt you will need:

2 L or XL t-shirts
tailor's chalk
needle & thread
pins

You can use a machine or sew by hand, I did both. The project for a total noob like me took about 2 hours. Here's how I did it.

1. Measure 4" up from the bottom hem of your tshirt and draw a line straigh across the bottom of the shirt parallel to the hem. Next, cut through both layers of fabric, parallel to the hem and you will have a 4" wide tube. Keep this, it will be used to make the handle later. I chose a single long handle that can be word over the body, but if you prefer to make two short handles for a more traditiona tote, you can certain do that too. The world is your oyster and this is your bag, make whatever kind of handle you like to carry.

2. Draw the shape you like, using your tailor's chalk, to include the coolest part of your t. This will make the body of the bag. I chose to make a square, but you could make a heart, a circle, a triangle, or whatever shape captures the coolest part of your t. Cut this shape through both layers of t-shirt and then use it as a stencil to trace onto your other tshirt. If chose not to make the bag reversible and used a far less cool shirt to make the inside. You could use two totally awesome shirts and make a bag that is completely reversible inside out. Also, my design was cool on the front and back, so I used just the Twisted Sister shirt to make the front and back. You, however, can mix and match your shirts to reverse front and back, or in and out.

3. Pin your shirts together with the cool pictures facing in and lay your other shirt on top, making a super cool t-shirt sandwhich. Make sure to use your tailor's chalk to mark the top of your design, if you can't easily tell up from down.

4. Sew the sides and bottom edges of your shirts together. I chose an interesting looking stretchy stitch on my machine, but choose one that you like, but is designed to work on stretch knits. If you have an older machine, a medium width zig zag stitch will do. I used cool bright green thread to complement my t. Sew around the edges removing the pins before your needle gets to them. (Beweare the broken needle from trying to sew over your pins!) Be sure to leave the top open, so that you can put all of your awesome stuff in when you are done.

5. Turn your bag inside right (cook picture on the outside). Fold the top of the bag down, all of the way around about 1/2" and pin in place (pin to what will be the inside of the bag). Sew around to attach the outside t-shirt to the inside t-shirt. Do not sew straight through, or you won't be able to open the bag.

6. Finally, take your t-shirt tube from step 1 and fold in half, then fold in half again. Pin the edges and sew along the seam from end to end. This will make a 1" wide length of t-shirt to be used for the handle. Pin the handle in place and try on your bag to be sure that you like the length. Finally, hand sew on using a running stitch to attach the handles.

7. Rock out with your bag out!