Reversible Upcycled T-Shirt Bag

I can not be the only person who has a bajillion t-shirts that I love, but can't get rid of.  A t-shirt quilt is a great way to use those shirts... A t-shirt bag is another!

Easy Smeezy T-Shirt Bag

What you will need:
2 non-cutup shirts
1/2 yard other fabric
Sewing machine
scissors
thread


1. Cut off neck and sleeves.

2. Cut fabric into 2 strips of 6' x (whatever the length of your fabric is) I had a super long scrap for this one, so I did one really long one that I then cut in half after step 6

3. Turn shirt inside out and sew along bottom of shirt and up the arm holes.  For a deep bag go at the already hemmed shirt bottom, or cut it shorter and hem along that bottom.  Where my hand shadow is on this shirt is where I cut mine.

4.  Iron the strips in half (3") or if your iron starts smoking the night you decide to take pictures for the tutorial, you can just pin it.... ironing is definitely easier.

5. Tuck raw edges inside, and iron (now 4 thick and 1.5")

6. Sew .5 hem around outside of long strips

7. With on shirt right side out, and the other inside out, put the right side out shirt, inside the inside out shirt.  This way right sides are together, but the backs are facing out... for now.

One is tucked into the other, right sides facing together, then adjusted so neckline cuts match. (below)

8. Sew together along neck hole, leave a opening by the strap holes to turn bag to rights.  This should be about 1.5"/2" on each side.

9. This is the slightly confusing part.  Pull the fabric through the little hole where the straps will go, so you can now see the front of both bags.  Now, it will look like a weird 8 with arms (below).  Move the one bag into the other.  This way there is printing on both sides of the bag. This tutorial is a bit of a different bag (though totally cute) but it is great at showing the reversal and re-tucking.

10. Fold in strap holes and sew strap into that area.  Reinforce really well.

~TADA~

Notes:
If you want to use only one shirt, trace and cut two identical shapes out of other fabric.
The sewing of things right sides together, birthing them through a little hole and then re-folding is weird.  Watch the video linked here.
Some shirts have printing really close to the neck of the shirt.  Keep that in mind when sewing.  You can see in my step 9 picture, one of the shirts I used was that way.
With the strap this way, It is a cross-body style.  To turn it into a two strap shopper style bag, in step 3, don't sew up the arm holes, but sew them in a big U when you are doing step 8.  Now you have four holes for straps to go int.