2 T-Shirt Cinch Sack Tutorial – Earth Day Project

Sew a t-shirt cinch sack using 2 t-shirts. Great for upcycle and earth day projects. Super simple, cute and the kids will love them!

I’m a big fan of upcycle or reusing what you have.  There are many a sweaters that have been shrunk {not going to say whether or not that is on purpose} and then made into something new.

Finding a few t-shirts that haven’t been worn out, but just don’t fit the other day I got thinking that they would make some super cute bags!

This is a 2 t-shirt cinch sack, perfect for memory makers or to customize for the wearers likes.

The size of shirts I started off– blue size 10 kids. green- size adult small.

The cinch sack is lined, making the t-shirt keep it’s shape and last longer.   Everything to make the bag is from the shirts.  No other materials are needed.

 2 t-shirt Cinch Sack Tutorial

Materials needed:

2 t-shirts that you can cut up

Instructions for the T-Shirt Cinch Sack:

1)  Cut 2 pieces out of the t-shirt  for the outside of the bag–  14″ X 11″  {this size can be adjusted to your needs}

Try to center the design in the middle of the rectangle.  Don’t worry about having finished edges on these.  They don’t need them.

2)  Cut 2 additional pieces from the second shirt – for the lining, ADDING 1″ to the top edge of both pieces {this will be folded down on top of the outside to hold the ties, my size in the example would be 15″ X 11″}–

* cut out with the finished hem on one side, this will come in handy when sewing the bag together to have this finished already.

3)  Cut 2 strips 4″ long out of the neck or sleeve hem– used as the loops at the bottom of the bag

4)  Fold the strip in half and pin to the side of the outside piece — 1″ from the bottom

5)  Pin right sides together the front and back of the outside-  Sew around the bag, leaving the top open

6)  Repeat with the lining t-shirt  (there won’t be any loops to pin or sew)

7)  Stuff the lining inside the outside bag, wrong sides will be facing

8)  Match the side seams

9)  Fold the extra 1″ down, on top of the outside bag, Pin in place

10)  Sew around the whole top, along the bottom edge of the folded hem….. leaving a 1/2″ opening on either side of the bag for the tie opening.

11)  Cut 1″ wide ties X the length you need.  If your shirt isn’t large enough, sew the strips together end to end  *pull these ties and stretch them so they will naturally make a cord

12)  Tie one end of the strap to the loop at the bottom of the bag

13)  On the same side you tied the strap to, feed the tie through the hole, going all the way around the bag and coming back out of the same hole

14)  Make any kind of adjustments to the strap and wear!

For the Earth Day Project challenge I teamed up with a few others.  You will find their tutorials and projects here:

Head on over to find their projects:

make and takes- recycled paper tube train

kids stuff world- found things collage

kids activities blog- make a planet earth

childhood 101- paper mache

patchwork posse- 2 t-shirt cinch sack

no time for flash cards – earth suncatcher

For more cinch sack tutorials check out:

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