Thursday, July 26, 2018

threadbare memories





Happy Thursday, friends!  Today I want to share a post with you from 2012--it's been my most popular post by far and it's one of my favorites too. 

 You know I love helping with room designs and this is an easy way to make meaningful wall art for your space. 




As a mother of three boys I have come across two dilemmas.  Yes, only two.  What to put on their bedroom walls that both they and I will like?  and What to do with all of those threadbare t-shirts?  You know the ones--the this is my favorite shirt so I'll just put it on the end of my bed instead of in the laundry so I can wear it again tomorrow shirts.  They're worn so much that they become a sort of uniform for an age.  Those shirts used to annoy me but now just the sight of them brings back so many memories. Kind of like seeing my old 10th grade KFC uniform and the memories that it brings back.  Ok, not like that at all. The truth is, I miss some of those little pieces of knit.   
Enter the t-shirt canvases...


I began making these when my boys were little. It takes about 5 minutes and can be an easy collage to add to as shirts are outgrown. I don't use all of their t-shirts, just the ones that spark a memory. 

Begin with a canvas and a well-loved shirt.

  
The canvas I used today is 6x6 but you can use any size.  I had to go small because this shirt is so small.

 Put the canvas inside the shirt and wrap the shirt around it. 
You have to finagle it a bit to get the graphic on the canvas evenly. 

Grab your trusty staple gun and begin stapling around the edges. 
It works best if you staple opposite sides first. 



Once you've stapled the shirt enough so that it isn't pulling, cut off the excess.


 
All done.
   

You have now become an official t-shirt canvas artist.

Click here to jump to my writing blog!


65 comments:

  1. Ive been trying to figure out for 10 yrs what to do w my old college tshirts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm impressed that you still have them after 10 years! You could also hang them on the wall with no spaces in between--would give it a completely different look!

      Delete
    2. Another great idea is to hang up an extra curtain rod and make a set of 'curtains' from old t-shirts. I did this with extra t-shirts with the 'old' logo when our school redesigned its logo a year or so ago. Makes a fun, bright set of curtains. Also, since I have a little girl who has those sparkly/gaudy dance recital outfits (which are about $60/each!), I make them into an extra set of 'curtains' in her room too. Cute way to display them. Love the t-shirt canvas idea...

      Delete
    3. You can also cut the square out and then sew them together to make a t-shirt memory quilt.

      Delete
  2. A good idea for souvenir t-shirts too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes! That would definitely be a wall full of memories!

      Delete
  3. Dang, so simple and yet so cool! Could also do with men's tshirts for "man-cave" setting. I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Is there any way around the cutting? I don't think the guys would be happy with me cutting their shirts even with the coolness of this project.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Years ago I did this with an acrylic box that comes with a white insert, cut extra holes in back of white box carefully shove tshirt inside, put acrylic over picture side and hang up. Also avoid cost of frame with canvas stretched on it, just buy frame put cardboard on one side, stretch tshirt on it staple then fold shirt in back and cover back with another piece of cardboard then staple cardboard to back cut small hole in top center of cardboard to slide on nail and hang up.

      Delete
    2. Glad to know there is another smart person in this world. Common Sense it’s called

      Delete
  5. I used record album frames from Target for t-shirts!! Great way to decorate a dorm room!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very Cool! I've been saving my kids shirts thinking when they are grown, I'll make them one of those t-shirt quilts. But I can already tell they'll have too many to use for that! I'd love to use my son's soccer shirts to decorate his room like this. Thanks so much for sharing this tutorial!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was thinking the same thing about the quilt....except I cant sew a straight line to save my life, so this works out so much better!

      Delete
  8. where do you get the canvas at and is it expensive?? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lori, any craft store like A C Moore, Michael's , Hobby lobby,etc will have the canvas on frames.Depends on the size and where you go, but usually not too expensive.

      Delete
    2. Walmart's craft department (19) has a variety of canvas much cheaper than some craft stores.

      Delete
  9. Awesome idea! Being a Diamondbacks baseball season ticket holder for the past 13 years, I have so many t-shirts but never knew what to do with them. This is easy and anyone can do it -- thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sure wish I would have seen this before I started quilting one that will probably, more than likely, never get finished.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Awesome idea for some of the favorite tshirts! Love quilt idea as well since I have 4 young adults & many, many shirts.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Or use shoe box lids!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love this! I think it will work well for my husband's college shirts that he won't get rid of either! Boys of any age! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Love this! So many Girl Scout and travel shirts would find a fabulous home like this, and much quicker than me making the quilt I want to out of them. But then there's the figuring out of where to display them. Hmmm....

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow! Those are unique canvas shirt decorations to your kids' room. Thanks for sharing this idea to fellow homemakers. More power!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love this idea! I will be doing this with 3423432 shirts we have lying around.

    Great idea! Thanks :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Going to do mine in Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, Penguins and Pitt. Could get shirts from yard sales or 2nd hand shops. Can't wait, what a cheap way to do a sports themed basement. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Excellent idea! I am doing this for my husbands "man cave". What do you do to keep cloths moths and other pesky insects from eating the tees?

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love this idea!! Question, these are hanging on the wall, they are bound to get dirty/collect dust/ect...do you have this problem or suggestions as to cleaning them? Ultimately they are t-shirts, but it is still art that you want to preserve.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I've been looking for a way to display all the former t-shirts from my team at the middle school where I teach...wanted to hang them from the ceiling tiles, but I guess it's a fire-code violation. This may be the solution :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. This is an interesting and so well maintained blog. Whole article is too good and well written.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I am doing this for my little boys super hero themed room! Great way to repurpose his shirts and have inexpensive wall art:)

    ReplyDelete
  23. so nice collection of T-shirts designs you have wow
    so interesting

    ReplyDelete
  24. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Made a tee shirt quilt using gridded interfacing with slashing etc. used 22 shirts cut into 10'' squares. sewing from back to catch 1/4 seam... worked like a dream!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Nice post! I used this pattern to make a bathing suit cover-up for my daughter. I did not cut down the middle of the front. Instead of a vest it is a dress. The way it gathers in the back allows for a little flair at the bottom. Super easy and super cute.

    Vintage Rock T Shirts

    ReplyDelete
  27. I think I saw a lot of unused jersey shirts in my brothers room. Anyway, thanks for giving me this wonderful idea in your post. I am sure can put it in practice.

    Cheap Canvas Prints

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi hope you doing great. This is an amazing post for me. I have lot's of t-shirts in spare because of small size and am big now. This is very creative. I will try this.
    wholesale Blank T-shirts

    ReplyDelete
  29. Hi, I'm so happy with your blog site, it contains all the matter which i was searching for. It looks like you spend a large amount of time and effort in writing the blog. I am appreciating your effort.You have a very nice collection. Design of t-shirt also impressive. There are many websites who famous for graphic t shirts online.
    Thanks for sharing such a nice blog..

    ReplyDelete
  30. That is a great idea! Since kids tend to outgrow their old clothes and jerseys pretty fast, it seems a waste to just leave them at storage, especially the ones that are vintage and really popular prints. And it's certainly not a good idea to throw them away! At least by turning them to canvass, you can convert them into additional displays for their room, or even in rec rooms. Cheers!

    Jennine Stalder @ Uniform Express

    ReplyDelete
  31. Great Design! forest and lakes offers free blank t shirts for fashion designer to DIY or Screen Printing! If intested, please contact with nina@forestandlakes.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. My grandson brought a T shirt back from England and it soon became too small Thanks to this great idea I can take it from the place he hid so it won't get thrown out and make it a feature



    ReplyDelete
  33. I read your blog such a helpful to me…… Thank you for posting.
    Wall art posters

    ReplyDelete
  34. I need help in learning how to keep the clean. My apt gets very dusty Any advise?

    ReplyDelete
  35. I’m so glad I stumbled across this post, and thank you for this wonderful idea. My daughter passed away in March, I will never get rid of anything but I hate that her life is sitting in totes. I am having a quilt made but she loved clothes and I have so many shirts leftover.

    ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  36. The writer of this blog is really very professional. Every single line of this article is well written. New use of vocabulary is a great effort. At the same time tense, indirect speech was also sued in good manner.
    รับผลิตผ้ากันเปื้อน

    ReplyDelete
  37. written content. I added new knowledge to my database for essay writing skill.
    ผลิตผ้ากันเปื้อน

    ReplyDelete

  38. this is a beautiful information that you have shared with us , thanks ! :)
    t shirt printing
    tent card
    sticker printing

    ReplyDelete
  39. Best Selling T Shirts, Hoodies and Long Sleeve apparel that are just for aunts. Super cute and printed on high quality tees. Check back often for the newest and trending. Great gifts for birthdays, new Aunts and Aunties, Christmas, Valentines and matching outfits with nieces and nephews

    ReplyDelete
  40. Keep it up,
    If you want to custom sweatshirts then Promotional Product provides wide collection of sweatshirts.

    ReplyDelete
  41. The post is really informative but there are many ways to increase your learning these 5 WAYS TO UTILISE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING will deliver you everything in an informative way.

    ReplyDelete
  42. This tee looks absolutely amazing! The blank t-shirt brings out the color in your eyes too. I absolutely positively love the work you do on the t-shirts. Hats off guys.

    ReplyDelete
  43. These T-shirts are really good as well I like it too

    ReplyDelete
  44. i never found such a beautiful written blog like yours
    https://www.apparelshopusa.com/10-activewear

    ReplyDelete
  45. i never found such a beautiful written blog like yours
    t-shirts

    ReplyDelete
  46. tShirts Manufacturers in Chennai will let you some of the guidelines on drying the clothes over the winter season which have been such a big task to manage. let you to know more and more on maintaining the clothes will give ideas on maintaining the older clothes with newer looks.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Stainless Steel Nameplate customized t shirt Trichy, Chennai, coimbatore, Madurai https://srimprint.com/

    ReplyDelete
  48. Stainless Steel Nameplate https://srimprint.com/name-plate/stainless-steel-nameplate/

    ReplyDelete