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Recycle your old t-shirts to create these wonderful, ecologically-friendly Crispina ffrench.
bags to send goodies on Purim. Instructions for this project are courtesy of recycled textiles designer- Fold tee shirt in half vertically, so that sleeves are lined up one on top of the other.
- Using a plate or by eye, lightly trace a quarter circle around the neckline, starting from the center fold and ending at the shoulder. This will be the bag's top opening.
- Using sharp fabric scissors, cut through all fabric layers (should be 4 -- the front and back of the tee shirts, doubled over).
- Leaving the shirt still folded, lightly draw a line from the shoulder seams (starting approximately 2-3 inches from the opening --these will become the handles of the bag), to underneath the sleeve. Cut along this line, again through all four layers of fabric.
- Now open the folded tee shirt -- and match up the side seams so they are in the center of the shirt and the handles match up.
To finish the bag as a drawstring:
- Taking one of the discarded sleeves, cut a 1" strip from around the middle of the sleeve (not including any seaming) and pull taut, turning it into a long string.
- Approximately every two inches along the bottom seam of the tee shirt, cut a triangle wider at its base than it is tall -- don't go too far above the seam line.
- Using a bobby pin or straightened paperclip as make-shift darning needle, thread the string through the casement formed by the bottom seam and tie off with a bow. The triangular cuts make it easier to thread through the casement, and debulk the fabric so the bottom can be tied closed.
To finish the bag with tassled fringe:
- From the bottom of the shirt, cut 2-3 inch fringes, roughly 1-2 inches wide.
- Starting in the middle, or from one end, tie the fringes together back to front in double knots, finishing each knot with a gentle tug to stretch the fringe slightly.