How to Make T-Shirt Yarn From Old Shirts Without Waste

Most of us have a drawer of shirts too stretched, stained or faded to donate, and charity shops quietly bin a large share of the ones they do receive. One adult large tee, cut the right way, turns into 30 to 40 yards of chunky cord. That is enough T-shirt yarn for a small basket or the start of a bath mat, and it costs nothing but twenty minutes and a sharp blade.

I have cut a few hundred shirts into yarn in my workshop, and the difference between a smooth, even ball and a lumpy pile of broken strips comes down to choosing the right shirt, cutting one continuous strand and stretching it properly. Here is the whole process, start to finish.

Choosing Shirts That Cut Into Good Yarn

Not every tee is worth cutting. The best ones are 100 percent cotton or a cotton blend with no more than 10 percent elastane, in a medium weight jersey knit. Thin fashion tees tear when you stretch them, and heavy blanks curl unevenly.

• Look for tubular bodies. Shirts knitted as a tube with no side seams give a clean, unbroken strand. Many budget basics are still made this way, so check the sides before you start.
• Skip large screen prints. Plastisol prints crack and stiffen the yarn. A small chest logo is fine, since you can cut around it.
• Bigger is better. An XL or XXL shirt can give 50 yards or more. Children's shirts produce short runs that are only useful for joining.
• Solid colours dye well. Pale grey and white tees take fabric dye evenly if you want a coordinated set.

Wash and dry every shirt first so any shrinkage happens before you cut. If you are sorting a whole bag of textiles, our guide to the fabric scraps worth saving will help you decide what else to keep.

Tools You Need on the Table

You can cut yarn with scissors alone, but a few tools make the strips more even and much faster to produce.

Change the rotary blade once it starts skipping. A dull blade leaves stretched, chewed edges that snap later.

Cutting a Continuous Strand Step by Step

This is the method that gives one long piece of yarn from the whole body of the shirt, with no knots.

1. Lay the shirt flat and cut straight across just under the armpits. Cut off the bottom hem as well. You now have a tube.
2. Keep the tube flat with the side folds to the left and right. Fold the bottom edge up towards the top, stopping about 1 inch short, so a band of the top layer stays uncovered.
3. With the ruler, cut strips 1 inch wide from the new folded edge towards that uncovered band. Stop each cut at the band and never cut through it.
4. Unfold the tube and slip it over your arm or a chair back. You will see the uncut band with strips hanging from it.
5. Cut diagonally across the band, from the edge of the first strip to the start of the second. Repeat all the way round. This turns separate loops into one spiral strand.

Take your time on the diagonal cuts. A cut that goes too far splits the strand, while one that stops short leaves a lump.

Stretching T-Shirt Yarn So It Curls

Raw cut jersey is flat and ragged. Pull each section firmly between your hands, working along about 2 feet at a time, and the cut edges will roll inward into a smooth, round cord. Pull with even force, hard enough to feel resistance but not so hard that the fabric thins and goes translucent.

If a section refuses to curl, the shirt probably has a high polyester content or was cut across the grain. Jersey stretches most across its width, so strips must run horizontally around the body, never from collar to hem. Strips cut the wrong way stay flat and limp no matter how hard you pull, and they are better used as stuffing for a floor cushion.

Wind the yarn into a ball as you go. A loose centre pull ball works best, because tightly wound jersey stretches out of shape if you leave it for weeks.

Picking a Strip Width for Your Project

Width changes everything about how the finished yarn behaves. After stretching, strips shrink to roughly half their cut width.

• Half inch strips: make a bulky weight yarn suitable for a 10 mm hook, good for coasters, plant hangers and lighter bags.
• 1 inch strips: make a super bulky cord for a 12 to 15 mm hook, ideal for baskets, rugs and bath mats.
• 1.5 inch strips: give a very thick, dense cord for floor rugs and pet beds, worked with a 15 mm hook or by hand.

Cut a test strip from the sleeve before committing the body. It costs you nothing and shows exactly how the shirt behaves when stretched.

Joining Shirts Without Knots

For anything bigger than a coaster you will need to join several shirts. Knots create bumps that show through the stitches, so use a slip join instead.

1. Fold over the last half inch of the first strand and snip a small slit through both layers.
2. Do the same at the start of the next strand.
3. Thread the new strand through the slit in the old one.
4. Pass the far end of the new strand back through its own slit and pull gently until the join lies flat.

The join is strong and nearly invisible. It also lets you change colour neatly at the end of a row. If you enjoy reworking old knits, try felting old wool sweaters for a sturdier fabric you can sew.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much T-shirt yarn do you get from one shirt?

An adult large tee usually gives 30 to 40 yards of 1 inch yarn, and an XXL can give 50 yards or more. Thin or heavily printed shirts give less usable length.

Can you machine wash things made from T-shirt yarn?

Yes, on a gentle cycle in cold water, ideally inside a mesh laundry bag. Dry flat or on low heat, because high heat can loosen the curl and make joins slip.

What size hook do I need for T-shirt yarn?

Most 1 inch yarn works best with a 12 to 15 mm crochet hook. Thinner half inch strips suit a 10 mm hook, while thick rug yarn may need 15 mm or larger.

The Takeaway

Choose cotton shirts without side seams, cut one continuous strand, stretch it evenly and join with slits rather than knots. Make one basket from your worst shirts first, and you will learn more about width and tension than any guide can teach. More ideas for reusing what you already own live in the upcycling section.