Tutorial for a T-shirt bag

Thanks to a suggestion from Meggiecat, I was able to retrieve this tutorial that I thought was deleted.

I like this bag by Craft_Wiki because it's a bit larger, with a flat bottom.
Check out how the neck opening is now the top opening for the bag.


This tutorial appeared on Craftacular in January 2007:

I made this bag out of some free t-shirts that were being handed out at a convention I attended. It's a nice size tote that is perfect for holding my knitting. I didn't line or interface my bag, so I'm careful not to load it up with heavy things.

This is more of a step-by-step of how I did it, rather than how to make your own. I just made it up as I went along.

Materials:
2- Tshirts (you could probably get by with just one, if you wanted) The size of the shirts depends on the size of the purse you want. Look at the neckhole to get a rough idea of the final size
Normal sewing supplies

Optional:
Interfacing
Lining fabric

I didn't line my bag, but I imagine you can figure out how to do it. Cut every t-shirt piece in the lining fabric and use the interfacing to stablize it.

Instructions:
1. Cut the t-shirt into a trapezoid around the neckhole. The neck won't be exactly on top, but rather pointing a little bit toward the front. The picture shows what it looks like when you unfold it.


2. Use the trapezoid to measure the size of the side pieces. I cut them wider on the bottom with a rounded top. I cut this from the second shirt.

3. Pin on the sides, and sew them to the front/back piece.


4. Measure the size of the rectangle for the bottom of the bag, and cut it from the left overs of the first t-shirt.

5. Pin and sew in the bottom.

6. Flip the bag right side out.

7. Cut off the bottom (the seam) of the second shirt. Then cut a strip about four inches wide.

8. Sew it along the side to make the handle. Turn it right side out.

9. Tuck the ends of the handle back inside (this will hide the edges), and sew the handles to the back of the bag (the shoulder blades, if you will). Make sure you stitch this well.

That's pretty much it. Not the clearest instructions, but that is more or less what I did.