TL;DR
- What if we cut up old T-shirts at the public library?
- There’s something forbidden-feeling about cutting into a T-shirt, but I think it’s a good exercise. The Hyperlinked Library subverts hierarchy and doesn’t get stuck on the way things have always been done. The old library is a sentimental old T-shirt no one wishes to wear anymore. Change is scary, the first scissor cut is scary. But then it’s fun. The ambiguity of the outcome, the joy of creating. Believe in the journey! Make the new thing. I think this activity would help a lot of library staff and patrons get on board with the spirit of the Hyperlinked Library being one of change.
- Here’s how my DIY dog rope toy made from old T-shirts turned out: https://www.instagram.com/p/DdQumc4vUgR/
Program Ideas for Imaginary Public Library:
- Partnering with a local organization interested in reducing fabric waste, patrons would be provided old T-shirts or can bring their own. Tutorials could be provided, along with keyword search suggestions for finding more videos. Not every library has the means to get a sewing machine program started, but old T-shirts and scissors are easy to find!
- Crossover with fans of music genres and concertgoers that want to upcycle their band T-shirts. The library could promote music resources with a library card or compile a list of local karaoke spots.
- The library could enlist patrons who want to break a world record of making the longest T-Shirt rope ever, and brainstorming the imaginative use for such a thing. Perhaps the youth yearn for a life-sized pirate ship made of other upcycled things, let’s ask them.
- Partner with Reading with Rover somehow where students can keep their hands busy with making ropes while listening to a storyteller read a novel. (I found myself doing this very activity today, weaving a rope out of old T-shirts, while listening to readings in this class.)
Where did this idea come from?
- My husband and I had some old T-shirts that were sentimental to us but that we no longer wish to wear. Resistant to throwing them away, I decided this would be the perfect time to learn a new craft. I use Instagram over Google as a search engine when it comes to DIY tutorials. I can quickly find dozens of designs from different people showing me how they cut their old T-shirts, no sewing involved. I wondered if men and women cut their T-shirts differently. I wondered if I could cut a T-shirt for my dog. That’s how I landed on this tutorial on how to make a dog toy rope out of old T-shirts! https://www.instagram.com/p/DZgHqbXSb-n/
- What other things can I make out of T-shirts, I wondered? Coasters? Rugs?
One response to “Inspiration: Upcycling Old T-Shirts”
I LOVE this idea! Actually, you present several excellent program ideas! There is a reoccurring program at my library where teens create cat or dog toys for a local rescue. They seem to use new fabric materials each time, but using recycled fabric would be even better. I’d love to try and make a large coaster for the table out of t-shirts. They are usually made of cotton so they are stretchy too. I hope you had fun making a dog rope toy for your dog. I hope to try making something similar soon. Thank you for sharing these ideas!