Britt at Cucumbersome did a fantastic tutorial on how to make necklaces made from recycled t-shirts and inspired by necklaces found at Urban Outfitters. You can make a necklace in as few as five minutes. What a great use for t-shirts that are bound for the thrift store! Britt wrote a wonderful tutorial on how to make them, including all the things she learned while making her three sample necklaces. [click here for full tutorial] [via luvinthemommyhood] [another tutorial at ecoterre]

UPDATE (How to):

This tutorial is no longer available due to some company out there who sells similar necklaces threatening the author of the post with a lawsuit for sharing a “trade secret.” Britt sensibly removed the post. Well, my friends, I am here to tell you there is NO mystery to how to make these necklaces. Basically, you get jersey (knit material like t-shirt material) or an actual t-shirt, cut it into one-inch strips, and stretch the strips. They turn into tubes, similar to what is shown in the photo. You can sew or tie them together. EASY!

If you use t-shirts, just lay the t-shirt flat, cut across the body of the tee in many 1″ strips. Stretch the strips, combine them to make a necklace.

You can customize these however you like – use as few or as many strands as you want, add beads, buttons, studs, or other embellishment. Use any color of t-shirt, add paint (Britt says to paint the inside of the shirt because the t-shirt tubes roll so the inside is showing on the outside).

Project Estimate:

  • T-shirt, on hand or $1
  • Rotary cutter & mat, on hand

Total: FREE or $1

p.s. this tutorial at ecoterre has illustrated directions for making a t-shirt necklace

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