I am a huge fan on no-sew projects from recycled clothing. If you were a fan of my no-sew DIY Workout Shirt, you will enjoy this one as well. Plus they will look très chic when worn together! Behold, a scarf that is perfectly lightweight and easy-to-wear to your Yoga or Bar Method class and stylish enough for running errands around town!
Oh, and did I mention there is no sewing required?!
DIY Multi-Strand Scarf
Makes one stylish scarf
Ingredients:
1 old T-shirt (the bigger the better)
1 pair of scissors
1 ruler
10 minutes
1. Start with a large T-shirt. Any old shirt will do! Seamless is a plus!
2. Cut off the bottom hem of the shirt. Then cut 1in – 2in wide strips horizontally across the shirt from bottom to armpit. You can cut as many strips as you would like (I liked my thick strips the most). The more strips, the more strands your scarf will have. You can use a ruler to guide a straight line across the shirt, but don’t worry if they aren’t perfect.
3. Set the bottom hem aside. Stretch all of the remaining strips until they become long, and the raw edges start to roll inwards.
4. Cut one end of the bottom hemline so it becomes a string.
5. Using the strip of bottom hemline, knot it around the strands to secure them in place.
6. Wrap the strip a few inches around the center of the scarf, and back over to meet the other ends. Knot the ends together tightly.
7. Trim the loose ends and tuck the knot underneath the wrapped fabric.
Viola, a stylish scarf to wear to yoga! Wear it long or bundle it up, it’s super fun and easy-to-wear!
Post or email your photos if you make a scarf! I can’t wait to see your creations!
Kelsie
May 4, 2012 at 4:00 pm (13 years ago)Love this!!! and the BBM shirt! Go Catherine!!
Catherine
May 4, 2012 at 4:03 pm (13 years ago)Beckley By Melissa is one of my favorite brands! My fav BBM shirt just happened to match the color scheme for today’s Fashion Friday! xoxo
Tracy
November 15, 2015 at 11:59 pm (9 years ago)Hi my name is Tracy and I love all the ideas that are available for the visitors on here, I am having a hard time finding tops to wear back in 2011 I had a double mastectomy and since 2013 I had 7 more operations and I have a lot of nerve damage in my chest area my last operation was a Dorsey flap so I am numb across the back area and I don’t have a lot of money to get new clothes I am at the lowest level in my life financially and divorced with no help I am not a good sewer but I do try to reuse the clothes I have an this site is the best Thank You for the EASY way to show me how to reuse what I have and the pictures are available that helps alot you guys make me feel like I am a woman again I fix my clothes and I feel good I have to hide the chest area of all my tops grateful for your site
Tracy here is my email address if any one has any more ideas tyeastadt@hotmail.com
Jessica
May 5, 2012 at 12:58 am (13 years ago)Why did you get the good fashion gene in the family…. I feel like a failure with all your cool ideas. This is amazing!
Catherine
May 5, 2012 at 10:59 am (13 years ago)Haha thank you! You are creative too, plus you got the business skills!
Toni
June 5, 2012 at 10:54 am (13 years ago)Love how easy your instructions are!!! The step by step pictures!!!!
Catherine
June 5, 2012 at 4:23 pm (13 years ago)Thank you! xo
Gretchen
June 9, 2012 at 4:37 pm (13 years ago)Hey, just wondering, what size of a Tshirt did you use? I like the length of the scarf and the other tutorials’ scarfs don’t look as great as yours. Thanks!
Catherine
June 9, 2012 at 6:07 pm (13 years ago)My shirt was a men’s Large! xo
Emily S.
July 7, 2012 at 1:44 pm (12 years ago)I was pleasantly surprised by how easily the fabric (mine was a 100% cotton shirt) curled and stretched! Awesome, quick and easy project. Thanks!!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/545063_10151100945123619_605406043_n.jpg
Catherine
July 7, 2012 at 5:37 pm (12 years ago)Your scarf turned out so cute Emily! Thanks for sharing your photo! xo
Beth Leatherman
July 14, 2012 at 10:35 am (12 years ago)My strands won’t roll. Any suggestions?
Catherine
July 14, 2012 at 3:42 pm (12 years ago)Oh no! Another reader has the same problem! It could be the type of fabric or weave of the shirt that you are using? The shirt I used was 100% cotton!
Marianne
January 6, 2014 at 8:33 pm (11 years ago)I had the same problem, then realized that my tshirts were not 100% cotton. It might be good to note that in the tutorial.
Michelle Ayala
April 18, 2016 at 1:04 pm (9 years ago)To make them roll, stretch the strips. 🙂
Beth Leatherman
July 15, 2012 at 4:25 pm (12 years ago)I tried another of my old shirts and it didn’t work either. They are labeled “100% cotton.” I tried one of my son’s, also “100% cotton,” and it worked well.
The strands from my son’s are pretty much all the same length. Is the one in the photo looped twice? Or should I cut some strands and make them shorter? There was no seam, so my strands are continuous.
Catherine
July 16, 2012 at 10:26 am (12 years ago)Hi Beth! I am not sure why your scarf is not turning out correctly! My strands are not double looped, only single! I wish I could be of more help!
Eric Pun
December 3, 2016 at 4:13 am (8 years ago)The photo’s scarf looks like double looped, but what u need to do is take half of the top part strands and fold it downwards, then ur neck will look like it has two loops of strands 🙂
Leslie
July 21, 2012 at 9:16 pm (12 years ago)I just love this idea. Mine turned out great. I plan to make one in another
color. Very stylish.
T,
July 25, 2012 at 12:16 pm (12 years ago)Easy and beautiful ! I’ll try to do that
Catherine
July 25, 2012 at 4:31 pm (12 years ago)Yayy I can’t wait for you to try it 🙂
Emilee
August 24, 2012 at 12:26 pm (12 years ago)I made this scarf today with my daughter & our cousin, they are 9 & 11 years old, and they loved it! They used 2 t-shirts a bright blue & a bright green. The main body of each scarf was one colour and the tie part the other colour. They are very cute and so easy to make. I picked up new $1 t-shirts at a local liquidator – can’t get better than that! Thanks for the fun idea!!
Catherine
August 24, 2012 at 1:20 pm (12 years ago)Too cute!! xo
Meghan
September 25, 2012 at 6:54 pm (12 years ago)Super cute 🙂
I’ve got so many compliments on this!
Kathy Drummonds
October 8, 2012 at 5:13 pm (12 years ago)This was wonderful, and easy, thank you.
Becky
October 10, 2012 at 8:02 am (12 years ago)I am addicted to these T-shirt necklaces/scarves. Your tutorial is great.
Thanks!
Ruth Sullivan
October 27, 2012 at 10:24 pm (12 years ago)i make these to sell at my holiday boutique. BUT when cutting the strips all the way across, leave a 1″ to 2″ cut strip at one side (so all the strips are joined at the side seam). if you want, cut one strip completely across (2″ to 3″ wide) to be used to wrap the piece that wasn’t cut….
Hilarie
November 8, 2012 at 7:34 pm (12 years ago)For someone who has no design skills, I am pleasantly surprised at how easy this is!!!! I will be making these for Christmas presents. Thanks for the DIY tip
Lindsey
December 10, 2012 at 10:52 am (12 years ago)I found that for the strands that wont roll you can still make a super cute scarf by cutting slits halfway through the width of the strips about 2 inches apart and then flipping it over and going inbetween each of the slits cutting halfway up the other side too. 🙂
Love this idea! I’m making christmas gifts out of these!
Nana13
September 8, 2015 at 12:46 pm (9 years ago)Can’t figure this out! Need a tutorial – visual learner!
Nancy
December 14, 2012 at 10:51 am (12 years ago)Another simple idea is to use the sleeves in the same fashion to make a groovy headband. Works great for people with semi-crazy hair.(Super naturally curly/ generally out of control.) It can actually hold mine down.
Elizabeth
December 17, 2012 at 5:46 pm (12 years ago)WOW! You are awesome! I wanted to find something easy to make as an additional present for my sister for Christmas. I did this today between 10-20 minutes, and it turned out GREAT!
Thanks! Thank-you soo soo soo much for putting this up. I am definitely subscribing!!!!! LOVE THIS! I’m going to make 3 more!!!!
Rita
December 28, 2012 at 10:59 am (12 years ago)my t-shirt hade seams. how do you hide the other seam?
Cathy
January 7, 2013 at 11:27 am (12 years ago)I found this tutorial on Pinterest, and made 3 scarves in 30 minutes! So quick and easy! I was shopping for cute, lightweight scarves for an upcoming cruise, and this saved me $ and legwork. Now, I’m going to hit clearance racks for some fun, beach-y colors. Thanks!
Yelda
January 29, 2013 at 7:57 am (12 years ago)Oh,Catherine!
You are my MOTIVATION!
Please never stop blogging!
JR
February 28, 2013 at 7:35 pm (12 years ago)Beautiful! how do you get the ‘rings’ of the scarf in so many different sizes, short and long? Do you need to use childrens’ small T shirt strips and also L size men’s ones? Please advise me! Thank you!!
OneL
June 11, 2013 at 11:41 am (12 years ago)Love your idea, however, before we read your tutorial I cut the t-shirt strips vertically keeping a one inch strip across the top creating a hula skirt look. Do you have any creative ideas on how we can salvage our great work?
schoenstricken
July 3, 2013 at 6:13 am (11 years ago)Hi! I just put a Link from my german blog to your very cute DIY.
Best wishes from Berlin,
Jessica
schoenstricken
July 3, 2013 at 6:17 am (11 years ago)Not very smart: Here is the link:
http://schoenstricken.de/2013/07/upcycling-sommerloop-aus-t-shirtgarn/
😉
Catherine
July 3, 2013 at 3:55 pm (11 years ago)Aww thank you so much for sharing my DIY! Hugs and kisses form CA, USA! xo
Melody
August 25, 2013 at 5:22 am (11 years ago)Just made 3 last night when I couldn’t sleep. I’m making some tshirt wall art from some favorite travel tshirts and wanted to try to creatively salvage the bottom halves. Success! I also used some recently salvaged shoe accessories from some old beloved flats to use as trim over the wrapped end. Worked perfectly. Thanks for the Awesome tutorial!
Sarah
September 12, 2013 at 6:11 pm (11 years ago)Thanks! Made one and posted about it on my blog with links to yours!
Kate
September 19, 2013 at 5:21 pm (11 years ago)I made one this afternoon and it turned out adorable!!! Great idea, thank you! Email me if you want to see the picture and I’ll send it.
Tamara
November 26, 2013 at 12:02 pm (11 years ago)I love this idea for Christmas presents but when I showed my co-workers, they questioned how these scarves would hold up after washing. Any feedback from experience or are these one time only wear?
Amy Senter
January 21, 2014 at 1:15 pm (11 years ago)Great idea! I wanted to let you know that I included your link in my blog if you want to check it out: http://amyroachsenter.blogspot.com/2013/12/crafting-for-uncrafty.html#more
Teresa
August 18, 2014 at 6:35 pm (10 years ago)To give the scarf some “bling”, I added a step between 4&5….after cutting all your strips, cut one end of each strand and, using a toothpick, push the material through beads-using as many, or as few, as you’d like, and experiment with different combos. When you’re done with the beading, glue the ends back together-don’t worry about how “messy” it may look, this is where you’ll wrap the material in step #5. Check out my photo of my latest creation at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202566665961798&set=t.1650815783&type=3&theater
Vivian
September 24, 2014 at 9:41 pm (10 years ago)Love the idea and it is so easy to make! Thank you ^_^
Bryan
December 22, 2014 at 2:10 pm (10 years ago)Hey There. My wife and I are doing DYI christmas and I trying to make one these for her. I noticed in the comments you said you didn’t double loop the one in the pic. Are there two scarfs different lengths? Or are you doing something else that I’m not picking up on?
Catherine
December 22, 2014 at 4:48 pm (10 years ago)Hi Bryan! Awww this is great, your wife will love it! The scarf photographed is doubled. It is really really love front the shirt strings being stretched out. When i put the scarf on, I twisted it and wrapped it around again so it is double layered. You don’t have to make it that way, leave it long so your wife can wear it super long or wrap it double layered!
Mar
April 3, 2015 at 2:31 pm (10 years ago)I just made one in the same heather gray and it looks great! I was going to e-mail you a photo but I couldn’t find any e-mail address here. Anyway, thanks for posting this! I’d also like to do it again, this time with 2 t-shirts, for more coverage/thickness.
Melinda
December 23, 2015 at 4:02 pm (9 years ago)Freakin’ awesome! Thanks a lot! This is a great idea for a quick, trendy, item. Hope she likes it.
Cheryl Farrell
December 10, 2017 at 3:55 pm (7 years ago)Love it, but how do you get the different lengths and do you attach all strands in back of scarf. Thanks Cheryl
Jessica Imiela
December 7, 2018 at 2:15 pm (6 years ago)This is so lovely! I’ve made 2 but they go a bit funny at the seams on the sides of the shirt, not sure why mine seems to curl the other way around to expose the seams???
Amaya Arevalo
December 2, 2021 at 8:06 am (3 years ago)Just made this today. It was sooooo easy and fun, and it turned out great! I used a Medium shirt, and it came out a bit smaller than I expected. Probably would have been better if I had used a Men’s Large or Extra Large shirt. Still, an easy and cheap gift and I can say was handmade! 😀