Make your own Tshirt Bag

What can we use if we don't have a clean old T-shirt or fabric scissors?

If you don't have a clean old T-shirt, use a clean pillowcase or large cotton shirt of similar size, and if you lack fabric scissors ask an adult to carefully use sharp household scissors to cut the bottom hem and the 1-inch fringe to avoid jagged edges.

My knots keep coming undone — how can we fix that?

If the knots keep coming undone after you tie each pair of matching front-and-back fringe strips into a tight double knot, retie using an extra knot or a square knot and secure it with a tiny dab of fabric glue or a quick stitch from an adult before turning the T-shirt right-side out.

How can we adapt this activity for younger or older kids?

For younger children have an adult measure 6 inches, cut off the bottom hem, and pre-cut the 1-inch fringe so the child can practice tying the double knots, while older kids can do all the measuring and cutting themselves and add sewn pockets or decorative details before turning the shirt right-side out.

What are some ways to personalize or strengthen the finished T-shirt bag?

Personalize and improve the bag by painting or adding iron-on patches while the shirt is flat and smoothed, turning the sleeves into shoulder straps or sewing a fabric-lined bottom for extra strength, and threading beads onto the fringe knots before turning the T-shirt right-side out and filling it with books or snacks.