I first published this post on knitted cloths from old tees about a year ago, but it’s such a great way to upcycle tees from the thrift store, I thought it worth re-posting!
One of our craft club challenges this summer was to upcycle an item into something to be used for a different purpose. Although knitting cloths from old clothes was not an original idea, it turned out to be a lovely little endeavor that I think I’ll stash away for a handmade Christmas gift for someone special.
I started with some tee shirts my son has outgrown (you Call of Duty fans, I hear you gasping as if I’ve committed blasphemy!)
The second step is to cut the tee shirts into long strips that can be tied together and wound into a ball. I followed this helpful tutorial on instructables.com. After some trial and error, I found that cutting the strips very narrow made knitting easier (I used a size 11 needle.) If you prefer wider strips, make sure you use a larger knitting needle (size 14). I also cast on 14 stitches instead of 10 suggested by the tutorial.
Cloths of any size and for any purpose can be knitted from old tee shirts, but I discovered a surprising use for these precious cloths – their chunky texture makes them perfect facial cloths that add a bit of exfoliation. Pair them with a luxury soap and they make a thoughtful and lovely gift.
C’est la première fois de ma vvie que je poste un message sur un blog ! Mais il fallait que je vous dise que j’adore le votre, tout y est : humour, économies, récupération, savoir faire, tendresse, créativité… et plus encore. J’ai 74 ans te suis fan de “bidouilles” depuis… toujours. Je reste charmée de vos jolis projets et de votre façon de nous les offrir. Allez, foncez!
C’est tellement doux ! Je vous remercie de vos aimables paroles. Je suis heureux que vous appréciiez mon blog.
Gorgeous table! I love the vibe! Nice touch on the chocolate piano keys. And Moroccan couscous? Recipe? That looked delicious!
Ok recipe coming soon👍
Hi, cute idea, I now want to make a recycled bathmat… However, I’d try and adapt the cutting of the tshirt into going around the whole garment in a spiral. It’ll mean you get a straighter ‘yarn’ without corners, and the tiny overlocked seams on the sides of tshirts aren’t gonna cause you too much of a problem, certainly less than some big clumsy knot in the middle of your work. That said, I haven’t tried either yet!
Thanks for this, I like your blog! (Though it does make me feel like I’m not doing enough with my free time).
thanks for commenting! it would make an awesome bath mat! you should join along on some of our monthly challenges… sounds like you are very crafty!