The BEST T-Shirt Yarn Making Tutorial: Uses the Entire Shirt!

If you’ve ever looked at a pile of old t-shirts and felt a twinge of guilt about tossing them, this tutorial is about to become your new favorite thing. Making t-shirt yarn — also called tarn — is one of the most satisfying upcycling projects you can do at home. It’s practically free, endlessly customizable, and the results are genuinely impressive. Rugs, baskets, tote bags, wall hangings, pet beds — all of it starts with a simple strip of fabric cut from a shirt you were about to throw away.

But here’s the thing most tutorials miss: they waste a huge portion of the shirt. The classic “loop method” skips the seams, ignores the sleeves, and leaves you with maybe half of what you started with. This tutorial is different. We’re going to use every single scrap of that shirt, from collar to hem, including the sleeves, the side seams, and even the neckband. By the time we’re done, you’ll have a generous ball of continuous yarn with almost no waste whatsoever.

Let’s get into it.

What Is T-Shirt Yarn and Why Should You Make It?

T-shirt yarn is exactly what it sounds like — yarn made by cutting old cotton knit t-shirts into long, continuous strips that curl naturally into a soft, rope-like cord. Because t-shirt fabric is a knit (not a woven fabric), the cut edges roll inward on themselves, creating a smooth, rounded strand that’s surprisingly sturdy and pleasant to work with.

The benefits are hard to overstate. Cotton t-shirt yarn is washable, durable, and soft. It works up quickly on large crochet hooks or knitting needles, so even beginners can finish a project in a weekend. It’s also completely free if you use shirts you already own, and it’s one of the most meaningful forms of textile recycling because it keeps fabric out of landfills entirely.

Commercially produced t-shirt yarn exists, but once you know how to make your own, you’ll never need to buy it. Homemade tarn has a texture and character that store-bought versions simply can’t replicate.

What You’ll Need

You don’t need much to get started, which is part of what makes this craft so accessible.

Shirts: Start with at least two or three medium to large adult t-shirts to get a feel for the process before moving to smaller sizes. Larger shirts yield more yarn per shirt, which means fewer joins in your finished project. 100% cotton knit fabric works best because it stretches and curls beautifully. Poly-cotton blends work too, though they tend to be a little stiffer. Avoid woven fabric shirts like oxford cloth or chambray — these fray rather than curl, and they won’t give you the same smooth yarn.

Sharp fabric scissors: This is non-negotiable. Dull scissors will make the cutting process frustrating and will give you ragged edges. A good pair of fabric shears makes an enormous difference.

A cutting mat and rotary cutter (optional but helpful): If you’re making large batches of yarn, a rotary cutter and self-healing mat will save your hands and speed things up considerably. However, scissors alone work perfectly well.

A ruler or measuring tape: For keeping your strips consistent.

A flat surface: A table or hard floor works great for laying out and cutting.

That’s genuinely all you need. No special equipment, no expensive tools.

Preparing Your Shirts

Before you cut anything, spend a minute prepping each shirt. Wash and dry it if you haven’t recently — this pre-shrinks the fabric and gives you a cleaner result. Lay the shirt flat on your cutting surface and smooth out any wrinkles.

Now, here’s where this tutorial diverges from the standard approach. We’re going to break the shirt down into sections and handle each one separately, so that nothing goes to waste.

The sections are:

• The body tube (below the armpits)
• The upper body (above the armpits, including the shoulder and neckline area)
• The sleeves
• The seams and neckband

Don’t cut yet. Just identify these sections visually. The body tube is the largest and most straightforward part to cut, so we’ll start there.

Step One: Separating the Body Tube

Lay the shirt flat. Using your scissors, cut straight across the shirt just below the armhole — essentially cutting off the entire top of the shirt, including the sleeves and the upper chest and back. You want to cut in a straight horizontal line from one side seam to the other, just under where the sleeve attaches.

You should now have two pieces: the lower body of the shirt (a fabric tube, closed at the bottom by the hem and open at the top where you just cut), and the upper portion of the shirt with sleeves attached.

Set the upper portion aside. We’ll come back to it.

Step Two: Cutting the Body Tube into a Continuous Strip

This is the heart of the classic t-shirt yarn technique, and it’s a small but satisfying bit of geometry. The goal is to cut the tube into one long, unbroken spiral strip rather than a series of separate loops.

First, remove the hem. Cut along the very bottom edge of the shirt to remove the folded hem seam. You can discard this (or save it for stuffing or another craft), since the thick hem doesn’t curl the same way as the rest of the fabric.

Fold the tube. Lay the fabric tube flat. Now fold it so that one side is slightly shorter than the other — offset the two layers by about one inch. This offset is the key to the whole technique. The front layer should stop about an inch short of the back layer at the top.

Cut your strips. Starting from the bottom (the open end, not the folded-back end), cut strips from the bottom edge of the fabric upward, stopping before you reach the folded-back portion. In other words, you’re cutting through both layers, but stopping about an inch before the edge of the shorter (front) layer. Cut strips that are about 1 to 1.5 inches wide, depending on how thick you want your yarn. Thicker strips mean thicker, chunkier yarn. Thinner strips make a finer cord better suited to more delicate projects.

When you’ve cut all the way across, unfold the tube. What you’ll see is a series of loops connected by an uncut strip along one side.

Cut the connecting diagonal strips. Now lay the fabric flat and cut diagonal connecting strips between each loop. Starting at one end, cut at a diagonal from one loop to the next, zigzagging up the uncut strip. This converts the series of loops into one single, continuous strand of yarn.

Stretch the strip gently as you go. Because t-shirt fabric is a knit, it will curl in on itself and stretch slightly, creating that characteristic rounded, rope-like shape. Wind it into a ball as you go.

Step Three: Using the Upper Body Section

Here’s where most tutorials give up and toss the rest of the shirt. Not us.

Take the upper section of the shirt (the part with sleeves). Lay it flat. Cut along the shoulder seams to separate the front panel, the back panel, and the two sleeves from each other. You should end up with four relatively flat pieces of fabric (front upper body, back upper body, and two sleeves), each with at least one seam edge.

Trim off any thick seam allowances — the side seams and shoulder seams tend to be denser and won’t curl as nicely. A simple straight cut about a quarter inch inside each seam is enough to remove it.

Now cut each of these panels into strips, just as you did with the body. Because these pieces aren’t tubes, you’ll cut straight strips from one end to the other and then join them.

For the front and back panels, cut horizontal strips about 1 to 1.5 inches wide. You’ll end up with a series of short strips that need to be joined into one continuous piece.

Step Four: Joining Strips Together

Joining strips is easier than it looks, and the technique creates an almost invisible join once the fabric curls.

Hold two strips end to end. Lay one end of the first strip on top of one end of the second strip, so they overlap by about a half inch, and so the two strips form a cross or plus sign (one going horizontal, one going vertical).

Make a small diagonal slit through both layers of fabric at this overlap — cutting from one corner of the overlap to the other corner. You’ve essentially made a small triangular opening through both pieces.

Now fold the long end of the first strip through the slit, pulling it all the way through. Pull snugly. The two strips are now joined in a way that locks them together without any knot and with minimal bulk. Trim any tiny tails if needed.

Repeat this process for all your short strips until you have one long continuous strand from the upper body panels. Add this length to your main ball of yarn.

Step Five: Cutting the Sleeves

The sleeves are small but worth saving. Cut off the cuff hem just as you removed the body hem — a straight cut along the edge to remove the thick fold.

Each sleeve is already a tube, so you can use a simplified version of the spiral technique. Because sleeves are tapered, the easiest approach is to simply cut them open along the underarm seam to create a flat panel, then cut that panel into strips and join them the same way you joined the upper body strips.

Alternatively, if your sleeves are large enough (as with long-sleeve shirts or oversized tees), you can use the full offset-tube spiral technique for each sleeve individually.

Either way, you’ll get a useful additional length of yarn that would otherwise have gone to waste.

Step Six: What to Do with the Neckband and Seams

The neckband and seam allowances are the toughest parts of the shirt to use, but you don’t have to throw them away entirely.

The neckband — that ribbed ring of fabric around the collar — is dense and stretchy. You can cut it into short strips and use it as a sturdy tie or connector in woven projects, or save a collection of neckbands and braid them together into a chunky accent cord. Some crafters like to use neckband loops as natural rubber-band-style ties for bundling their yarn balls.

The thick seam strips you trimmed from the shoulder and side seams are similarly dense. Save them in a jar. Once you have a good collection, they make excellent stuffing for patchwork cushions, dog toys, or draft stoppers.

If you’re a weaver, even these scraps can be woven in as weft on a frame loom — you don’t need long continuous lengths for that technique.

Tips for Better T-Shirt Yarn

Strip width matters. A wider strip means a thicker yarn and a chunkier finished texture. For rugs and baskets, 1.5 to 2 inches is ideal. For bags or wall art, 1 inch gives a nicer drape. For finer work, you can go as narrow as 3/4 inch, though anything thinner tends to be flimsier.

Color matters too. Solid colors give clean, bold results. Stripes create interesting patterning effects as the yarn spirals. Mixing colors from different shirts lets you create your own ombre or speckled effect — just join strips from different shirts as needed.

Stretch as you wind. After you cut each strip, give it a gentle tug along its length. This activates the curl and firms up the strand. It also helps you spot any weak spots or thin areas that might break under tension during your project.

Store your yarn in balls. Wind your finished tarn into a ball as you go, pulling gently from the outside rather than the inside when you use it. This prevents tangling.

Don’t stress over imperfections. Slight variations in strip width actually give homemade tarn its charm. A strip that’s a bit thicker here or thinner there adds character to finished pieces. The rustic quality is part of the appeal.

What Can You Make with T-Shirt Yarn?

The possibilities are honestly enormous, but here are the most popular and most beginner-friendly uses.

Rugs are probably the number one use for tarn. A simple crochet rug using a large hook (12mm to 25mm) works up incredibly quickly and is nearly indestructible. An oval or round crochet rug using single crochet stitch is a great first project.

Baskets and bowls are another favorite. The sturdy nature of tarn makes it perfect for structural projects. Crochet or knit a simple cylinder and it will hold its shape without any armature.

Tote bags are fast, practical, and make lovely gifts. A basic market bag in double crochet takes only a few hours and uses a surprisingly small amount of yarn.

Pet beds are an excellent use for softer, thinner tarn. A flat crochet circle or oval, made large enough for your pet to curl up on, is one of the most appreciated handmade gifts for animal lovers.

Macramé and weaving both work beautifully with tarn. The weight and texture of t-shirt yarn gives wall hangings a relaxed, bohemian quality.

Plant hangers are a surprisingly good use for tarn, especially if you’re working with thin strips. The stretchy nature of knit fabric actually works in your favor here, allowing the hanger to flex slightly.

A Note on Quantities

One adult large t-shirt will typically yield somewhere between 50 and 120 yards of yarn, depending on how large the shirt is, how wide you cut your strips, and how efficiently you use the whole shirt (which, now that you’ve read this tutorial, should be very efficiently indeed). For a standard bath mat or small rug, plan on three to five shirts. For a full-sized area rug, gather ten to fifteen shirts. Tote bags usually need two or three shirts. Baskets can often be made from a single large shirt.

Final Thoughts

Making t-shirt yarn is one of those crafts that rewards you on multiple levels at once. There’s the satisfaction of the making itself, the pleasure of watching a pile of old clothes transform into a useful material, and then eventually the pleasure of the finished object — a rug you made, a basket you wove, a bag you crocheted from something that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill.

The whole-shirt approach in this tutorial means you’re squeezing the absolute maximum out of every single shirt, honoring the fabric and the labor that went into making it in the first place. Even experienced tarn makers often find a few new inches of usable material once they start treating the sleeves, upper body, and neckband as resources rather than scraps.

So pull out that bag of old t-shirts you’ve been meaning to deal with, grab your sharpest scissors, and get started. Your first ball of homemade yarn is closer than you think.