To be honest with you, I’m not particularly “green.” I am cheap, though, and so I’m a fan of re-usable goods. This week, we’ll whip up a simple bag made from a tee-shirt. Throw a few of these into your car and politely answer “neither” when you’re given a choice between paper and plastic. It’s good for the earth, and it’s one less plastic bag you have to dig out from underneath your kitchen sink.

All you’ll need is a tee-shirt and a needle and thread. If you have access to a sewing machine, you can turn one of these out in a matter of minutes. If you’re sewing by hand, it’s an easy project to work on while you’re watching TV. This project is a particularly good way to use old work uniform tees and promotional shirts you get from special events.

The larger the shirt, the larger bag you’ll end up
with.

Lay your tee-shirt flat on a table, and cut the sleeves off like you’re making a rad 80’ sleeveless top. Next, Cut the collar off , by cutting a deep “U” shape where the collar was. The bottom of your “U” should be even with the holes you’ve just cut your sleeves. Congratulations, your bag now has handles!

Next, cut a square out of each side at the bottom of the shirt. These don’t have to be perfectly square, or a specific size, but try to keep both sides about the same. If you want your finished bag to show off the graphics on the shirt, turn it inside out before sewing.

Now, stitch along the bottom edge of the bag (in between the squares you cut out.) Try to keep your stitches close together and in a
straight line. You’ll be left with what appears to be a funky-looking leotard. To sew up the “leg holes” pull the opposite corners apart and
close up the gap perpendicular to the seam you’ve just sewn across the bottom. Once you’ve sewn all three seams, you should have an “H” shape on the bottom of your bag.
Make sure your knots are tight and secure the corners with a few extra stitches if necessary.

And that’s it! Turn your bag right side out and admire your handiwork. It’s so easy I know you’ll want to make more. Try turning a kid-sized shirt into a lunch bag, or an XXL shirt into a beach bag. Make a bunch and use them instead of a gift bag or wrapping paper. When they get dirty, just throw ‘em in the wash.