Cheap Fun!

The kids (all three!) and the parents (and a grandparent, to boot!) have all enjoyed building creations with this set from Cranium.  It's a lot like giant Tinker Toys made of plastic, foam, and magnets.  And, for only $2 at a garage sale, it's been a heaping helping of cheap fun!

Tee-Bags, T-shirt Totes, Recycled T-shirt Shopping Bags--Whatever You Call 'Em--They're GREAT!

After a quick trip to the local thrift shop (on $2 bag day, no less!), I was stocked up on t-shirts for this project.

To begin, choose your t-shirt.  This may be the most difficult part!  My son chose this one since it was from a preschool he went to a couple of years ago.

Next, turn your t-shirt inside out.  Lay it out flat (on the floor or a table) and line up the sides and bottom (if the bottom is not straight across, sew a straight seam on the shorter side).

Sew a straight seam (I used a zigzag stitch) all the way across the bottom of the shirt (be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of all seams on this project for added stability).

To make a box-pleat bottom (that's a bottom that is flat like a brown paper bag (remember those?), open up the corner of the bottom seam and form a triangle.  See photos for detail.  Sew (and backstitch!) a seam across about about 3-4" down from the point.  The further down you sew, the larger the dimensions on the bottom of the bag will be.

First put your hand inside the corner.

Lay out the corner and smooth it flat with your hand into a triangle.

Sew across in a straight line from side to side.

Repeat for the opposite corner--be sure to make both sides the same size.

Turn the shirt right-side out again.  Smooth out wrinkles. 

Using scissors or rotary cutter (recommended if you have one), cut off the sleeves.  I cut away the factory stitching, but some people save it for extra strength. 

This would be saving the factory stitching...

This would be cutting it off...

Cut around the collar (about 1/2" around the front).

Then fold the shirt in half and cut away extra down as far as you prefer.  I cut some deeper since their graphic was not disturbed.  Some will either have to have a higher cut or lose some of their picture.

Voila!  You are done!

If you'd like, add a piece of covered (cover with clear tape or contact paper for easy wiping) cardboard for extra stability in the bottom.

Bonus:
The extra pieces can be used for the following:

Headband
(Yes, this is a self-protrait; no, I couldn't see my headband before I took the picture; yes, I should have adjusted it; no, I don't like this photo--at all!)

Tiny Hiny Crack Cover
(I'm going to have to patent this  before someone else does--it will be the newest craze!)

Necklace
(such strange things thrill them)

Here's everything you'll cut away: both sleeves, the collar, and a bit more under the collar

Two New Orleans-themed Tee-Bags

The "box pleat" or "gusset" bottom

I hit the jackpot at a few garage/yard sales the last two weekends! For around $38 I got everything in these photos plus a couple of shirts that are in the laundry room. That's what I call bargain shopping at its best!

In the mix, I got three dresses, two jackets, six sweaters, four pairs of pants, and at least ten shirts/blouses!

The most I paid for any one thing is $2; the least I paid is 25 cents.

We're going to Kansas City area in the next few days, so I hope the giant heat wave goes away--fast! It's been over 100 for a few days in a row, and in that area of the country there is also a "heat index" to deal with.

We have almost no humidity out in our neck of the country, so we are not used to the sticky, sweaty feeling of Northeast Kansas.

I'm hoping to get some new work clothes (well, new to me). I buy almost all of my workday clothes at the Goodwill in Lawrence, KS. It's actually really clean and nice. I can buy a pair of GAP or Banana Republic pants for about $4.00! Who wouldn't go for that??? I get a pair of Old Navy or GAP jeans for about $4.00 also, so that's a great value for my money. Okay, so someone else had their hiney in them a time or two, that's why God made washing machines!

If I have on something NWT (new with tags) it is probably from Wal-Mart or JC Penney (on the clearance rack for $5.00 or less). No one has ever told me I look like I get all my clothes from the Goodwill, but I think I would take it as a compliment if it ever happened. I also have bought clothes at garage sales and thrift stores. I have found some great buys (GAP denim shorts for $1.00) that are still very fashionable and have lots of wear left in them.

It may be getting a little extreme however since my sister showed me a skirt at Sam's for $17.00, and I about crapped my pants at the price (I could get a whole wardrobe for that at the Goodwill store!). It was a cute skirt.... I didn't buy it--surprise, surprise!

Well, gotta go check on Hunter (27mo.). It's too quiet, and that usually means trouble!