Honestly Kids,
If I live to be a hundred – I’ll never get through the list of things I’d like to make. 😀
Maybe I’d have a chance if my list weren’t constantly growing, but there’s inspiration everywhere, and with the rise of internet – the possibilities seem endless!
In my heart, I’ve always had a soft spot for the clever, quirky, type of crafts. You know – stuff that’s made with unexpected materials or with an unusual process. I’ll never forget the “fried marbles” project when I was a young Girl Scout! We all stared in amazement when our troop leader actually tossed marbles into a frying pan! Back then; it was oh-so-popular to turn them into pendants!
Last week, I finally had a chance to make an ingenious item that I’d first seen over a year ago – a “scarf-necklace” made from a T-shirt! Talk about easy and so much fun! No sewing or special skills involved – just grab a pair of scissors and an over-sized cotton t-shirt from your closet.
Here’s the one I used – originally bought to wear as a beach cover-up, but the neckline is so high that it’s uncomfortable on a hot day, so I’ve hardly ever worn it.
I’ll include a link (below) to a youtube video tutorial but basically you lay the shirt flat and cut the area just under the arms, through both thicknesses.
You’ll end up with a fairly wide tube of fabric, which you’ll then cut into 1” wide strips. The strips have raw edges but no worries! After you vigorously stretch each strip – those raw edges will fold into themselves and be hidden.
Here’s a 1″ strip after it’s been fully stretched. It looks like a smooth continuous piece of cord.
Once you’ve cut and stretched all the strips – you’ll have a handful of “cords”. Tie the whole bunch together with a short length of T-shirt fabric (cut from a sleeve). Then, the sky’s the limit on how to wear this chic little number! Try it long… like this!
Or you could double it – the way you do with a long strand of beads.
Or even tripled for a choker effect!
Add a brooch, silk flowers, or handmade embellishments to spice up your new accessory.
Fun! And just think – you’re recycling, too!
Want to make one? Take a peek on youtube for dozens of variations and styles. Here are a couple to get you started.
Hugs,
