Scarves repurposed from T-shirts. It’s nothing new. It’s been done. In about a zillion ways. But I believe that the best design for T-shirt scarves has everything to do with not just the graphics, but the cropping of them. I wear scarves, a lot, as where we live, near the Northern California Pacific Coast, it gets very cold in the evenings while watching kid’s outdoor sports as the fog bank hits around 6pm year ’round. T-shirts are such perfect material as they are so soft and flexible. So, here’s my quick and easy, no pins, minimal ironing T-shirt scarf project.
I began by digging through the Goodwill racks today in search of some yummy graphics.
I picked up several light-weight T’s from the Junior and Ladies sections and some heavyweight graphic T’s from the Mens and Boys sections. I did a quick-cycle launder on the shirts before cutting up.
I created a patchwork template from a standard No. 10 business envelope. Making a window template helps you isolate the section of graphics that works best. I prefer cropping tight on graphics. 
Some T-shirts yielded two to three sections of graphics, while others only one good envelope sized section. Using a white colored pencil on dark shirts and brown pencil on light, I traced out the rectangles and cut out the pieces. I used 20-21 sections for the fronts of my scarves.
After each section was cut, I laid them out in the best visual order then simply sewed one to another, 1/4″ seam allowances to the back. 
Once all were sewn together, I pressed the seams flat. I then created the back side of the scarves by cutting solid sections of the remaining T-shirt fabric. For my lightweight scarf, I again used the envelope for a template and made one more section than the front and sewed the horizontal seams askew from one side to the other, not intending for the seams to line up. For my heavyweight scarf, I used longer blocks of fabric.
I seamed back sections together, then stitched front scarf sections to back sections, leaving an opening for turning right side out. I trimmed away excess selvage and cut angles along each corner. I turned the scarves and stitched the openings closed. I pressed the finished pieces, using parchment paper when ironing over silk-screened sections.
Finished lightweight scarf.
Finished heavyweight scarf.
For added interest, I cut out a smaller graphic section and stitched it to the back of the heavyweight scarf. 
If you want to make a unique graphic scarf like these, watch for thrift store sales that offer $1 shirts, as the cost can add up pretty fast with this many shirts. Dig through the closets in your house for shirts no one really wears anymore. And, just like those T-shirt quilts, scarves make nice gifts using the personal T-shirts of someone special. In fact, while I was making these, my kids brought me rarely-worn shirts from their own closets to include in my new neckwear.
I love it!!!
I’m so glad you showed us how to make this scarf, Cathe! I love it {squeal}!! Bookmarking and hoping to make one soon!!
So incredibly cute, Cathe! Thanks for the great tutorial! What an awesome way to recycle tees! Your finished products look like something you’d pay an arm and a leg for in a trendy store. Great work!
Oh, what fun! this will be great project for me to do with my teens this summer – I pomised to teach them how to sew!
As always, thanks for sharing!
I love the color combos you’ve done with these two scarves…covers a whole palette of possible outfits! It’s got to be one of the easiest projects ever! With rock-star-worthy results! I’m IN! Many thanks for your inspiration & teaching!
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I absolutely Love that idea !
I have saved some of my kids T’s because I loved the shirt and/or loved my kids in that shirt, I had always intended to make them into a quilt or include them in a quilt. This project is so much easier and more immediate. Thanks
Just noticed my blog link is incorrect, have amended it now – Thanks
These are wonderful! I love how you used the best art from so many shirts – brilliant, and very affordable when you hit the thrift sales. Thanks, Cathe, looks like so much fun and so beautiful!
This is so awesome. I’ve got to hit the thrift store while there is still winter left to wear the scarf. Also this would be a great idea for all the flag shirt tees I’ve saved over the years.
I love your projects so much, and you never fail to inspire me. Thanks so much for your generous posts!
I just love this & your blog. I would be honored if you would link up your super cute blog on my blog stalkin’ page.
http://alaynahoward.blogspot.com/p/blog-stalkin.html
What a great idea!
I’m quite sure I could never find such cool and colorful T-shirts here in Denmark, but… I’ll give it a try.
Thank you for sharing!
Another great idea! This will be definitely on my to-do list. One more Cathe-project! Thank you so much for your tutorials.
Many greetings, Frieda
This I love!
great tutorial I love repurposing of objects its so resourceful
love this job absulately magnificant
this just be my favorite JSIM EVER! thanks Cathe!
Awesome project! I wish we had decent thrift stores in my neck of the woods. Sigh….
Hi Cathe-
What a fabulous idea – projects like this are why I love you!! My daughters literally have a hundred t-shirts that don’t fit and they don’t want to part with – I will be making two – they are going love them.
My best- Diane
Cathe,
Love this idea. We have so many old t-shirts in the office we have printed for clients over the years that we could make into scarves!
Alex
That is freaking AWESOME!
Before Christmas I made a circle scarf using some of my daughters baby and toddler tops and dresses. It doesn’t have the same rockin’ vibe as yours — more sweetness and light — but it’s so soft and every time I wear it I remember how tiny she used to be. I really like how you used the patterns on one side and just the solids on the other.
love this scarf! thank you for the detailed instruction! and i love that you used a #10 envelope as template. will be linking, if you don’t mind? a trip to the thrift store is in order…
what a fantastic idea, I’m afraifd I never see such cool t-shirts at out thrift stores
OH yes. You did it again, Cathe. I love it. Too bad I wore my favorite 80s t-shirts until they wore right through.
love.
What a fantastic idea! Very vintage looking, but bright and fun!
Very pretty! Did you use a serger to join the pieces, or a regular sewing maching with a stretch stitch – or something else altogether?
Hi Marty, to answer your question…none of the above. I’ve yet to master stretch material techniques, and for this pieced project it wasn’t at all necessary based on how it was configured and no need for stretching as it won’t get stretched. So, regular stitching on regular sewing machine without serging.
…always outside the box! Thanks again for sharing!
Wow! Loved these! What a fabulous idea…and even a way to preserve some of my little boy’s shirts that were his favorites….making them into a small quilt or pillow cover, etc. You really gave me some ideas to work with. Thanks for sharing!
Freakin’ Amazing!
It is your color choices that are so, so, so…AWESOME!
Thanks for sharing!
Amy
This nearly made me cry, Cathe! I am 54 yrs old, don’t wear printed T-shirts so well anymore BUT, I have a collection of “special” shirts from special places that date back to the 70′s! They take up a ton of space. I just have not been able to get rid of them. YOU gave me a new project and a huge space in the closet! You never cease to amaze me! Thank you! Also, I got to sit down with my new Country Living and enjoyed seeing your article.
Wow, a great use for old Tee’s!!! Thanks for sharing!
Love it!! I think it would be great to repurpose my kids old t shirts this way, too!!
This is pretty awesome – I might have to give it a try! My son has a lot of Harley Davidson tshirts that would really look awesome put together into a scarf!
I love this. I made my boys quilts out of their old athletic team tees for high school graduation, so I can hardly believe I never thought of this. I have a question though: Did you cut all your pieces in a single orientation with regard to the jersey’s grain? Not sure it would make a difference, and it looks like some of your “crops” might be wonky. Just wondering….
Hi Bunny, No, though I thought about it, I did not worry about grain when cutting as the pieces were small and with all sewn together and then again to a backing piece, there’s really no significant stretching going on with these scarves so it didn’t matter on these. Thanks for asking!!
THANK YOU so much for the great idea! I’ve been hanging on to scraps of a million old band t-shirts. Had plans of someday making a quilt, but I always get overwhelmed just thinking of making one! This is a great way to up-cycle my stack o’ band scraps! Thanks again!
What a fantastic idea. Thank you, Cathe! The PD has a ton of unsold t-shirts. I wonder if they’d give ‘em to me?
)
Thank you! I like the way you assembled the shirt pieces and you chose great graphics!
What a clever idea! I love it.
These are absolutely wonderful. I have got to make one.
supercute, I am wondering how it would look with rough edges out ( just sewn- not turned) it make it a more grungy look ( especially with rock band shirts)
ok, off to goodwill
This is super cool. You have a great eye!
would you sell one of these? I do not sew a stitch.
JoanE
Squeal! Great crafty minds think alike! I just made a t-shirt scarf using my old t-shirts for an Iron Craft challenge last week!
http://thebunnylog.com/journal/2011/02/09/winter-iron-craft-challenge-6/
this is an awesome idea! i love it. can’t wait to make one!
what a fabulous idea!!!!
thank you!
This is fantastic I can’t believe how beautiful these turned out for you. I need to search out some old T’s now.
Now that is talent, I can’t set still long enough to create something like that. Love it
Janice
I love this tutorial. Can not wait to go to my sewing room and put all those t-shirt bits to use. I have left overs from a t-shirt quilt. Still lots of great colors and small graphics that I couldn’t bear to toss. I would very much like to showcase this project on my blog. Thank you so much!
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This too cool! My daughter saw this and is now begging me to take her to Good will. LOL
I stumbled onto this website and I find this idea A…wait for it…MAZING! I have some printed shirts that didn’t quite come out right. I think I’ll make myself a scarf out of those shirts so I can remember, during this winter season, to learn from my mistakes and then make them into something trendsetting.
What a great idea! I love that you can add personal tshirts, as well. How fun for all ages!
I just love it! I never wear printed T’s but seem to accumulate them anyway… this is the perfect solution!
Seriously?? How do you come up with such amazingly cool projects?!?!? These scarves are the most creative and wearable DIY apparel project I’ve ever seen. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana, and the women used to make cloth out of stitched-up remnants of colorful fabric. This reminds me of that, but in a far more intentional, wearable way. Thank you for sharing your creativity so freely! I hope you start selling these. I would pay a lot of money for one.
These are GENIUS! LOVE them!
You should sell them…. I would most definitely buy one!
Thanks for sharing.
Love this idea…my oldest is away at college for the first time (sniff, sniff) and left behind lots of tees that don’t fit, but just can’t part with.
Question…can this project be done without a sewing machine? Other than the occasional button, I’ve never sewn a single stitch! Please tell me you have an idea for us non-sewers!
These scarves are the greatest. What a wonderful way to use children’s t-shirts they’ve outgrown, as well as re-purposed t-shirts from the second hand store. Thank you!!
i LOVE this!!!!
Your project turned out amazing again! Love how you assembled the colors and graphics in such a wonderful pattern.
Thanks for the great tutorial. I’m a visual person, and am especially appreciative for all the pictures! The envelope size template makes the graphic sections cut from it, much more interesting than using the entire printed part. I really love this scarf!
This is a wonderful idea! My kids are younger and grow out of their clothes fast. Sometimes they don’t want to give up their favorite shirts. I think they’d LOVE it if I made them scarves like this.
Found you through Gooseberry Patch! You have a LOT of great ideas! Can’t wait to see more! I’ll be back!
You have a new follower!
I love this project. Thank you for the explications.
have a good day
I’m a big fan of your blog !
You have gr8 taste in design:)
Your idea is great for tshirts that are old and loved that I just can’t throw out.
this is the coolest thing i have seen in a long time. it would be a super original idea for a blanket for the kids – guess i better start collecting tshirts! awesome!
Great craft!!
This is AWESOME!! What a great idea. I will be doing this!
Love this!
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Those scarves are so cool. I have a ton of t-shirts laying around…I think I’m going to have to try this! Interested in winning a blog giveaway? Check out this one http://www.cherrykingdom.blogspot.com It’s going to be amazing
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Great idea! I just cut a whole bunch of T-Shirts into rags recently. This great idea never crossed my mind! Thanks for sharing!
This is so clever! Scarves are so popular right now! Very impressive.
I just love your blog. I recently posted about your scarf ideas with the teeshirts. You are so talented and I get so much inspirtaion from you. Thanks Girl!
Debbie
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This is fantastic! I’ve actually never heard of this before. Great thrift idea!!
Thank you for a greate blog! I have been reading it to the end for several days now, love it!
Love from sweden!
I am beyond delighted to find your blog! Sooooo many great ideas! I love this scarf! It is now on my To-Do list… in the top spot!
Thank you!
Now that is an awesome project
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I get it now. I have listened so many times to the comments about all my “junk”… I think my problem is organization of all my “treasures”! Non-crafters really don’t get it and being the grand-daughter of a strong woman who lived through the depression I just can’t throw away the good stuff – (“one person’s junk is another person’s treasure” comes to mind). Thanks for the encouragement – and now I have to go organize and categorize… then CREATE!
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Cathe, I have been wanting to learn to sew for many years. When I saw this scarf, I knew now was the time. I had my t shirts cut up before I even bought a machine! It was my first project and it turned out fairly well, I will definitely wear it. I learned a lot, now I want to make more! Thanks for the inspiration!
SOOOOO CUTE!!!! very inventive and i would most definetly wear it!!
amazing scarves!! Am making one for sure!!
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How fun! I think I may need to make one of these for my little girl. She has some special shirts that she doesn’t wear anymore, and she’s is a big fan of scarves.
fabulous idea, what a wonderful way to recycle too!
I have just been sorting through stacks of t-shirts from my now grown & gone children. I just couldn’t bring myself to donate them the other day and now I know why!!! I am now planning a craft project to give as a nostalgic Christmas gift to both of them using their very own old graphic printed t-shirts. How cool will that be???? Thanks for the idea!!! I just came across your site via The Mother Huddle and I love it!!!
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It’s been a little while since I have checked the site and I must say that this was the best idea…ever! I have been hording my old favorite tee’s that I just couldn’t let go of. Shirts that I’ve had since middle school/high school, that had stories behind them like great friends and fun vacations. It just might be the most cozy, comfy scarf I’ve ever had…and it goes with everything.
Thanks for the great idea! My husband thanks you for helping me clear out about 2 boxes of shirts!
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I am so impresed by these scarves! I have NEVER seen this done before and they are so cool to look at! I am a new subscriber to your blog and I absolutely love your site! Thanks so much for sharing!
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Made this tonight with some of my husband’s old tees. Turned out wonderfully! I think 25+ sections for the front might be my plan next time. 21 was a bit short, but made a great scarf nonetheless. Thanks from a fellow Northern Californian!
Cute! I’m making one of those right now. Can’t wait for it to be finished!
I just wanted to take a minute to tell you how much I love your site. It is just so much fun and so very creative. Thank you so much for sharing all of your wonderful ideas.
I just stumbled onto this! I love, love, love it. However, I cannot tell from your directions what’s the difference between the lightweight scarf and the heavyweight scarf? What am I missing? Thanks!
The lightweight scarf is made from thin, American Apparel-style ladies T-shirts and the heavyweight scarf from heaver BeefyT style mens shirts. I still wear both (wore one out today!)
Hope that helps!
I love your t-shirt scarves. It has given me an idea to make a lap blanket or bigger. Thanks so much. You are very creative and talented. I’m going t-shirt hunting today and once I have collected enough, I’ll get busy. Thanks again.
What a great idea!!! I can’t wait to get started!!!
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this is awesome. I still have shirts saved from Jr. High, what a great idea. I must do this
Love this!!! Going to do after latest project gets done. Hint, you can use white chalk for outlining on the fabrics!! Thanks for posting!!!
I have been “planning” a t-shirt quilt for years but the project just overwhelmed me…. now this is a project that sounds manageable and do-able…and although I live in Florida, I too love to wear scarves! Thanks for the idea and the instructions!
These are awesome! Just another reason not to get rid of clothes…on no!
this is completely magical and i love it. thanks for sharing.
This is a great idea for me to use to repurpose all my T’s. Thanks for this neat idea. Have a blessed week. Elaine
Enjoyed this one…when I figure out how to use my machine…will definitely make some of these…thanks so much for sharing.
you ruined some AWESOME looking t-shirts for one scarf. What’s better: 20 t-shirts for 20 days of the week or 1 scarf that gets boring after a couple wearings?