One of my favorite items to up-cycle from my wardrobe is baggy t-shirts. I don’t know how I accumulate so many, but when I’m ready for a quick wardrobe refresh, they’re always the first to meet the scissors! If you’re new to the refashioning game, don’t panic! Today I’m going to show you one of my favorite tried and true refashioned t-shirt hacks: the No-Sew Fringed Festival Tee DIY.
Revamping a t-shirt is the easiest way you can revamp your wardrobe in a short amount of time and with very little effort. The best part? You don’t need anything more than a pair of scissors and a great show to put on in the background! Not only can you DIY a killer new top in about 30 minutes, but you can also save some clothes from visiting the donate bin. Giving your clothing new life is a great way to reduce your clothing waste and live more sustainably. Looking cute and being eco-friendly? Now that’s a WIN-WIN in my book!
Supplies:
- T-Shirt. (This styling works best with a loose fitting tee. Mine is a men’s size S for reference, but any oversized fit will do.)
- Scissors
*optional tools*
- Tailor’s Chalk / Any Marking Tool
- Ruler / Measuring Tape
Step 1: Remove the sleeves and hemline from the top.
*optional* Step 2: Wearing your shirt inside out, use your tailor’s chalk to mark where you’d like you tassels to start. I chose to start mine just above the waistband of my jeans, and used that as my guide.
You could also totally skip this step and simply eye-ball it. If that’s the route you’re going, move on to step 3.
Step 3: Remove shirt and lay on a flat surface. Using the ruler as a guide, cut tassels. Again, you could also ditch the ruler and just wing it. The thinner your cuts, the more tassels you’ll end up with. I cut mine about 1/4″ wide for reference, but it’s really up to you.
Step 4: Knot each individual strip of fabric. The tassels will start pretty flat, but after one washing they’ll curl up on themselves for a more streamlined, hippie look. After that, you’re all done!
And that’s all! Now you’ve got a completely refreshed tee perfect to wear on its own for those hot summer days or as an elevated everyday piece layered under a cozy cardigan. This DIY would look amazing with a thrifted piece or that favorite tee that happened to develop a few holes near the bottom from tucking it into your jeans (that’s not just me, right?).
If you try out this No-Sew DIY Fringed Festival T-Shirt, make sure you tag me on Instagram so I can check out your style! Want to see more handmade fashion goodness? Check out my me-made wardrobe including sewn garments, project ideas, and other refashioned pieces here!
Until next time, Happy Making!
-XO-
C
