T-Shirt Scarves

Each winter just seems to get colder and colder! I frequently find myself bundled up in three jackets. Well, that's not as trendy as it sounds. What has been trending, however, are these homemade scarves. I've noticed people wearing around these scarves made out of t-shirts! They're so simple to make and take only about ten minutes; quick and easy.

What you need:

• T-shirt (tank tops work too)
• Scissors (rotary cutter and board are an optional alternative)

1. Trim

Unlike most things, there is no exact science to this. You simply cut two lines: one beneath the armpit, and one above the bottom hem.

I used a pair of scissors, so the lines weren't as straight as they could have been with a rotary cutter. It doesn't change the final product, but it would be more crisp in the beginning process.

You can toss the top third of the shirt, but save the hem to finish the scarf. 

2. 1-inch Strips

If you can just remember the "1-inch rule", you're good. Cut 1-inch strips across the middle portion of the shirt. Leave about one inch near one of the side hems so your scarf doesn't fall apart. It should look something like this:

3. Roll

This next step is the trickiest, but it's still not too hard. Grab the top of the shirt that's not cut (the left side in my picture above) and roll the hem downwards until the cut up garment starts to resemble a scarf. Again with the inch, your hem should be rolled until it's about one inch long. This isn't rocket science, so you can be a bit lenient. 

4. Stretch

To complete the t-shirt scarf look, grab two ends of the scarf and pull. By doing this, you make the cut strips longer. They also roll up and hide any imperfect lines made by scissors. If you're using a softer fabric, be careful not to rip it! 

5. Tie

Here is the part where you get to use the old trimmings from your shirt! To make the scarf keep it's shape, you simply tie a strip of the trimmed fabric around the hem of the scarf. To be creative, I used a strip of fabric from an old pair of jeans I had lying around. 

Voila! 

The first time making these may not turn out perfect, so I'd recommend making a "trial" scarf before starting on your favorite shirt! 

This could be fun for...

• DIY gifts
• party activity
• just finding a use for old clothing
• staying warm in the cold with style

Since this is my first blog entry, I feel like I should give credit to my mom for inspiring me to start a blog of my own. You can check hers out at http://sub-urbans.blogspot.com/

Remember, live creatively. :)