How to Make a Recycled T-Shirt Rug

Courtesy of Shannon Petrie

Hi Friends,

A creative way to upcycle your old t-shirts. If your T-shirt drawer is overflowing, put the extras to good use with this fun DIY. No matter how many times I thin out my T-shirt drawer, I always have too many. It seems like every time you get rid of one, you somehow get another one for free, right? If you, too, are inundated with tees, try upcycling the ones you never wear into something you'll actually use. You may be surprised by how many cool things a humble T-shirt can be transformed into. Get out your hot glue gun and dress up a plain doormat with colorful T-shirt fabric knots. Don't throw away those old T-shirts — they can easily be turned into a one-of-a-kind doormat to decorate inside your space.

Materials Needed:

• flat doormat
• 5-8 old T-shirts
• scissors
• hot glue gun and hot glue

Cut T-Shirt Strips
Starting at the bottom hem, cut T-shirts across into 2-inch strips (Image 2). Then cut the 2-inch strips into 4-5-inch long sections (Images 3, 4).



Tie T-Shirt Knots
Tie a knot into the center of each T-shirt section. Note: Prepare all the knotted pieces before you start gluing.


Add First Row of Knots to Rug
Place a strip of hot glue along one side of the doormat (Image 1). Stick each knot into the glue (Image 2). Continue the strip of glue and add more knotted pieces (Image 3). Glue the knots with 1/4 inch between them (Images 4, 5). Tip: If you're using a variety of colored T-shirts, glue the colors in a random pattern. It'll create a nice multicolored effect on the doormat.



Continue Gluing Knots to Mat
Keep gluing T-shirt sections in one straight line along an edge of the mat (Image 1). Continue to glue knotted T-shirt sections all the way up the edge of the mat. Move onto the next row. Place a strip of hot glue 1 inch from the previous row. Stick the knots into the glue strip, leaving 1/2 inch between each knot (Image 2). Continue to add glue and knotted sections until the full doormat is covered (Image 3).



You're Finished!

Use your personalized doormat to wipe off your shoes when you walk in the door...

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Live well,
Yvonne