Recycled T-Yarn Kitchen Set

Now that Christmas is over, I can share my t-yarn kitchen set that I made as a gift. It was crocheted using recycled tee-shirts cut into yarn or tarn as some call this recycled craft material. My set included a trivet, potholder, knob cover and a skillet handle.

If crafting with recycled tee-shirts is new to you, here is my tutorial on how to create what I call curled t-yarn or tarn. Below is the free pattern for the round t-yarn potholder. I previously posted the patterns for the trivet hotpad here and the skillet handle cover here.

The knob cover pattern is available now here. I wanted to keep this post to just the free pattern for the round potholder so people could find each pattern more easily on my patterns page. In case you didn’t know, my patterns page has all my patterns listed together so you can find them quickly by clicking here.

T-Yarn Round Potholder Pattern

Materials needed:
One tee-shirt (white) and another partial shirt of contrasting color (blue)
Cut into 1/4 inch wide strips and gently pull to curl your t-yarn

Hook: K (6.5 mm) size metal crochet hook
Finished Potholder approx: 7 inches wide

Make Two

Rnd 1
Using magic circle with white t-yarn, work 6 Sc in circle. Do not turn your work in this project.

Recycling Plastic Six Pack Rings

This project involves recycling those plastic six pack rings you get from cans into useful towel holders. The rings are cut apart and trimmed with scissors. You may not have noticed but once the rings aren’t around the cans anymore, they aren’t completely round. Using the shape as a towel holder worked out great. It has a natural bend in the ring which accommodates a folded towel over the ring.

Of course I wanted to keep this a recycled crocheted project, so I used t-yarn or tarn to make this towel holder. T-yarn is the yarn created from recycled t-shirts and cut very thin into strips to cover this plastic ring.

Once you crochet a few rounds, you can slide your towel handle around on the plastic ring. The last photo shows about where you want to place your center over the curve in the plastic so your holder is centered. I used a thin tea towel to insert in the ring as it fits better than thicker towels.

Here is the free crochet pattern below. Enjoy!

T-Yarn Towel Ring Holder

Materials needed:
2-3) ozs of white T-shirt cut into 1/4 inch wide strip and stretched to curl into t-yarn
Here is my t-yarn or tarn tutorial on how to make yarn from recycled t-shirts.
1) plastic ring cut from a plastic six-pack holder
1) 5/8 inch button
Small amount of fingering or thread yarn for trim

Hook:J (6 mm) size metal hook

Description: T-yarn Towel Ring Holder
Holder measures 4 inches wide and 7-1/4 inches long when buttoned

Directions:
Row 1
Attach your t-yarn with Sl St around trimmed plastic ring. Sc loosely around the ring and join with Sl St to beg Sc. (Approx 34-36 Sc)

T-Shirt Recycled into a Wheelchair Walker Tote Bag

I recycled two t-shirts to create this wheelchair or walker tote bag. I crocheted from strips cut from the two tees about 1/4″ wide. Here is my picture tutorial showing how to make t-yarn from old t-shirts. I added a couple of novelty dice buttons to finish off my bag.

Maybe you’d rather crochet your wheelchair tote using regular yarn or even plastic bag yarn. Here is the link to the free pattern to crochet a wheelchair walker bag using regular yarn and this link will take you the tote bag pattern using plarn or plastic bag yarn.

So whether you’re into crocheting with recycled t-shirt yarn, plastic bag yarn or regular yarn, there is a free pattern here for everyone to create this handy wheelchair or walker tote bag. People who receive these totes really love them and they make wonderful gifts.

Free Pattern for T-Yarn Wheelchair – Walker Tote Bag
Materials needed:
2) T-shirts cut into 1/4 inch wide strips of T-Yarn or Tarn
2) 3/4 inch buttons

Hook:
J (6 mm) crochet hook

Description: Wheelchair/Walker Tote Bag
Bag measures 12 inches wide and 8-1/2 inches long with 7 inch straps

Directions:
Using blue t-yarn, Ch 36.

T-Yarn Baby Bib

Here is my latest t-yarn or tarn project that is created from recycled tee-shirts. I cut an old white tee-shirt up into a very narrow strip about 1/4 inch wide. The shirt I used had no side seams so I just cut around and around the body of the shirt to create one long strip. I then gently pulled on the strip to curl the t-yarn into a nice thin strand which I used to crochet this baby bib. Here is a tutorial on how I cut and curl the t-shirts into curled t-yarn or tarn.

So if you haven’t already tried crafting with recycled t-shirts, check out the process and give it a go. It’s a great way to repurpose those old t-shirts into cool new items.

Free Pattern for Crocheted T-Yarn Baby Bib

Materials needed:

One white T-Shirt cut into 1/4 inch wide strip and stretched to curl into T-yarn (about 1/2 of shirt used)
1/2 oz of cotton yarn (Pink used)
One hook and eye closure

Hook:
H (5 mm) USA size crochet hook

Description: Baby Bib measures 7-1/2″wide at middle and 11″ long

Directions:
Ch 18

T-Yarn Flower Baby Bib

Crafting with recycled materials is so addicting. I’m back with another green crafting project using a thrift store t-shirt I got free as it had a bleach stain. It was a pretty pink so I thought it would make a nice baby bib. This baby bib is crocheted from the t-yarn I created from the old t-shirt. Here is my tutorial on how I create t-yarn and how I curl it before crocheting. This baby bib uses about half of an adult sized seamless-sides t-shirt which has been cut into 1/4″ wide strips.

I had shared another t-yarn baby bib before but this crochet pattern has been simplified and makes for an even quicker project. I added flowers as an extra embellishment. I hope you enjoy this free baby bib pattern.

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Free Crocheted T-Yarn Baby Bib Pattern

Materials needed:
1) T-shirt cut into T-yarn approx. 1/4″ wide
2) Straps 12″ long cut from hem of T-shirt
Scrap piece of yarn for flowers

Hook:
H (5 mm) USA size crochet hook

Description:
Baby Bib measures 9 inches across and 8 inches long from neck edge to bottom center
Straps are 12 inches long each

Directions:
Ch 18

T-Yarn Flower Trivet Hotpad

Need a new trivet hotpad? Well grab that old t-shirt and start cutting. This cute flower hotpad was crocheted from the front piece of an old cotton tank top of mine. This particular tank top had side seams so I cut it across from side to side so I could stretch it to created what I call curled t-yarn. Here is my picture tutorial on how to make curled t-yarn.

The nice thing about these trivets is that they are a quick project and only require about 40 yards of t-yarn. Because this was a shirt with side seams, when I reached the side, I just cut at a diagonal to turn so I could work across the front again. Little “tags” are created when you make the turns but can be trimmed once you curl the t-yarn and can be easily hidden within your stitches or at the back of your work. As you can see, all my little tags don’t show. Anyway enjoy this recycled t-shirt project and happy green crafting to all!

Free Crochet Pattern for a T-Yarn Flower Trivet Hotpad

Materials needed:
One-half of a T-shirt – approx. 40 yards of t-yarn
Cut into 1/4 inch – 1/2 inch wide strips and gently pull to curl your t-yarn

Hook: J (6 mm) size metal crochet hook
Finished Trivet Hotpad is 6-1/4 inches wide

Rnd 1
Make a magic circle with t-yarn, work 14 Dc in circle. Join with Sl St to top of 1st Dc to complete first round. Do not turn your work in this project.

T-Yarn Magnifying Glass Case

I recently bought this magnifying glass and it did not come with a case. Well unless you have a case, you can’t toss it in a drawer without it getting scratched. So I set out to crochet myself a little cozy to protect the glass. I wanted something stiff and protective so I used a ball of t-yarn that I had leftover from a tank top that I cut up.

I cut my t-yarn or tarn only about 3/8 inch wide and then gently stretched it. Here is my t-yarn tutorial for the details on how I prepare my t-shirts into a yarn material. I only needed a small ball of t-yarn for this project and believe it only required about half the front of the tank top to make this magnifying glass case.

Click to Super-Size Photos

Here is another photo showing the glass as you pull it out of the case. Because the t-shirt yarn is stiff, the glass doesn’t need a closure and stays put inside nicely as I crocheted my cozy with a snug fit. My magnifying glass is 3 inches wide and the pattern below is for a cozy for this size glass. Adjust your stitches for a smaller or larger glass as you work your increases at the beginning. I kept constantly checking my fit after the first several rounds. I worked this project in the round and just made sure the glass fit inside the cozy as I crocheted further. Once you reach the correct width of the glass, you work single crochet stitches evenly to finish. Hope this makes sense and email me if you have any questions as you work the crochet pattern.

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Free T-Yarn Magnifying Glass Case Cozy Pattern

Materials needed:
Small amount piece of a t-shirt cut into 3/8-1/2″ inch wide strips and gently pulled to curl your t-yarn or tarn

Hook: H (5 mm) U.S. size metal crochet hook

Finished Case Cozy: 3-1/2″ wide x 3-3/4″ long
Fits a 3″ wide Magnifying glass

Using T-yarn, Ch 4.

T-Yarn Oven Mitt

I think most people know the yarn you can create from recycling old t-shirts is called t-yarn or tarn. But did you know that you can also recycle old cotton jersey sheets to make the same type of material?

I recycled an old cotton sheet to create this crocheted oven mitt. I cut the sheet into very thin strips and curled it as outlined in t-yarn making tutorial. I used half a twin sheet which is probably less than two t-shirts should be using tees to make your oven mitt.

Here is my cotton sheet before I started. I was lucky to get it free from the rag box at my local thrift store as it had a few holes and some minor discoloration. As you cut the strips you can work around any holes and the color differences really don’t show in the yarn that is created.

This recycled oven mitt project fits a woman’s size medium hand. Should you need a larger mitt, just do a few more rounds as indicated in the crochet pattern below. As always, I hope you enjoy my free pattern and have fun creating your own t-yarn oven mitt.

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Free T-Yarn Oven Mitt Pattern

Materials needed:
About half a twin jersey sheet or a couple of t -shirts cut into 3/8 inch wide strips and
gently pulled to curl your t-yarn or tarn

Fabric for the lining and one piece of insul-bright for heat protection

Hook: H (5 mm) U.S. size metal crochet hook

Size:
Woman’s medium sized hand

Finished Oven Mitt: 6″ wide x 10-1/2″ long with 7-1/2″ opening

Using t-yarn, Ch 44 and join with a Sl St to form a ring. My ring was approx. 7 inches wide if measured flat.

Rnd 1
Sc around the entire chain as you work along the ring. This allows you to slide the sts as needed
to get a smooth band around the ring. Join with a Sl St into beg Sc. (Approx 50 Sc)
Do NOT turn your work in this project. This project is worked in rounds.

T-Yarn Swiffer Sock

Need a swiffer duster sock? Well I did for my Unger so I cut up one white t-shirt and a small amount of a blue jersey sheet to crochet my duster cover. I cut my t-yarn 1 inch wide and stretched it gently as shown in my t-yarn making tutorial.

My Unger is a squeegee with a swiffer-like head on the other side. I want to be able to use the other side to dust and clean high areas in my house with the extended handle on the Unger.

I used the Craftstylish crochet reversible swiffer pattern as a basis for my duster cover. Because my tool is narrower than a Swiffer, I had to modify the original pattern. The beauty of the pattern is that it is easily adjustable to fit different sized cleaning tools. The pattern has great pictures and works up really quickly.

Okay now for my modifications:
I used N (9 mm) crochet hook. I chained 19 to begin my cover. I only crocheted 3 rows of ruffles in the middle. Then one round of SC in each stitch and then several decreases of Sc on last round to fit my Unger.

Finished size: Fits a tool head 10 inches long and 1-1/2 inches wide when stretched.

My finished t-yarn cover turned out perfect and I love the ruffles on the duster. It works great and I plan to use the same ruffle design to make a mop cover. Using recycled t-shirts for this project worked wonderfully as the cotton is soft and absorbent. Now I just need to get busy and do some cleaning with my new tool.