Personalize Any Old Tee With a Stencil and Fabric Paint

Stencils are great for transforming old tees and just about anything else you want to spice up. You can go out and buy some stencils, or you can make your own if you have a steady hand. Once you have your stencils, just place some paper, cardboard, or old newspapers around the stencil and apply some paint. Just like that, you have a brand new tee that's no longer a boring single color.

Just make sure you use fabric paint, which shouldn't be too hard to find. A lot of DIY stores sell fabric paint in both spray cans and small paint cans.

Crochet Cozy Slippers From Old Shirt Strands

It doesn't have to be winter to enjoy wearing a nice pair of cozy slippers around the house. Instead of buying a new pair from the store, try sewing your own using yarn made from old shirts. Slippers are fairly easy to crochet as long as you have some yarn, scissors, and a crochet hook. The best part about this idea is that you can create any design or pattern you want.

You could go for a pair of solid-colored slippers or let your imagination run wild and crochet your own patterns. There are also plenty of tutorials out there for walking people through crocheting.

An Open-Side Look That Doesn't Need Sewing

Look no further if you're looking for an easy, machine-less way to convert an old oversized shirt. This top idea doesn't require much work and can completely change a shirt's look. Just cut off the sleeves of an oversized shirt, and you're pretty much good to go — the larger the shirt, the better. And if you want to make it a bit more professional looking, then you can use hemming tape around the sleeves.

You might also want to trim some of the lengths off the shirt and use hemming tape there as well to give everything a more professional look, but that's completely optional.

Add a Pocket

You might not actually use them, but we think t-shirts with pockets are great. Pockets just add an interesting little touch to what is otherwise a boring wardrobe staple. And you can give your t-shirts some pockets with fabric, scissors, and cardboard. Just use the cardboard to trace your design, cut your fabric, and sew your new pocket to whatever shirt you like.

The best part is pockets look perfect at home when you mix and match fabric, so your new pocket doesn't have to match your shirt. In fact, it sometimes looks more interesting when your pocket doesn't match your shirt.

The Possibilities Are Endless if You Turn Old Shirts Into Yarn

A few of the items on this list call for extra fabric, so it's good to keep a variety stored for when you want to take on your next project. And there's a way to recycle old t-shirts into usable balls of yarn instead of going out and buying new yarn. Just use some scissors to cut across any old shirts you might have and trim the seams.

After that's finished, fold your shirts in half and make more diagonal cuts, leaving you with strands you can fold up into little balls of yarn. Just make sure to use a variety of colors.

Use Bleach to Create Your Own Graphic Designs

Bleaching your old tees might sound like a cardinal sin, but it can make for some pretty cool designs. Assuming that you don't just want a splattered look, you'll need some cardboard, bleach, and stencils of whatever patterns you want. Put your cardboard inside your shirt, so the bleach doesn't bleed through to the back of the shirt, then place your stencil down and spray away.

However, just be sure to wash your bleached shirts by themselves after they dry so that you aren't bleaching your other clothes or spreading unwanted bleach spots to your new creations.

Turns Shirts Into Stylish Socks

If you're like most people out there, you probably find yourself running short on socks from time to time. Well, prepare never to worry about countless pairs of lost socks again. There's a really cool way to upcycle old shirts into unique socks. All you really need is a pair of scissors and some elastic strips. Of course, you will have to do a bit of simple sewing to seam everything together.

However, this is a really cool and eco-friendly way to recycle old shirts that would've otherwise probably ended up in a landfill somewhere. It's also a good way to make sure you never run out of socks again.