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Time
10h00

Keep those too-small band t's !!!
This is a great project to recycle all those old Band Shirts you just cant let go of ...even if they dont fit you anymore. >.< Just make it into a pillow!

I actually found this Bob Marley shirt at a Goodwill, and immediately thought of my friend Marcus (who loves him). So i decided to make him this pillow for Christmas. I thought an average pillow was too boring so i dug through my t-shirt scraps, and decided to make a braid around the trim ...jamaican colors of course. :) I CANT WAIT to give it to him!!
This is the SOFTEST pillow i have ever felt. So i'm gonna have to destroy one of mine to make my own too.
(The time is me guessing; since i hand-sewed this whole project)

Posted by DarkAshHurts Published See DarkAshHurts's 112 projects »
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  • How to make a recycled cushion. Tshirt Pillow W/ Braided Edge - Step 1
    Step 1

    Turn your shirt inside out.
    Draw a straight line across the top, below the neckline.
    Cut off both sleeves of the shirt, and across the top where you marked.

  • Step 2

    OPTIONAL:
    If you want a completely straight perfect pillow, draw a straight line from the smallest part of the shirt (where the shoulders were), down to the bottom. And cut off sides. Then your pillow will be completely even.

    ...I skipped this step because i cant tell the difference in shape when its stuffed. And i wanted to save time in my hand-sewing ....hand-sewings too hard! >.<

  • How to make a recycled cushion. Tshirt Pillow W/ Braided Edge - Step 3
    Step 3

    Pin all the open areas together (or all sides if you cut them off) to sew together.
    But leave a large gap in the bottom corner, to turn it rightside-out and to stuff it later.
    (i used safety pins)

  • How to make a recycled cushion. Tshirt Pillow W/ Braided Edge - Step 4
    Step 4

    Sew all pinned areas together. But dont sew the gap!!!
    Then turn it rightside-out again.

    (the pics showing the gap i left ...and awful hand-sewing):P

  • How to make a recycled cushion. Tshirt Pillow W/ Braided Edge - Step 5
    Step 5

    MAKING THE BRAID:
    - Cut long 1in strips from a tshirt or scraps. Pull on them to stretch them out. Sew the ends of the strips together to make them even longer.

    - Then braid them all together. You need enough to go around the entire pillow (meaning a lot!).
    Keep doing this till you have enough, then knot or sew the ends.

    (My braid is Jamaican colors to match the shirt. Try any combination of colors you want!)

  • How to make a recycled cushion. Tshirt Pillow W/ Braided Edge - Step 6
    Step 6

    Once your braid looks long enough...
    Starting on the corner opposite the gap you left in the pillow, sew one end of your braid down flat. Covering the sem.
    Continue sewing the braid flat around the pillow, always over the seam. Dont pull it tight or anything, just sew loose and as straight as possible. It helps to put your hand inside the pillow.

  • How to make a recycled cushion. Tshirt Pillow W/ Braided Edge - Step 7
    Step 7

    Once you reach where your hole is STOP.
    Then stuff your pillow with polyfil or stuffing from another pillow (which i did), until its fat and squishy. ^_^

    Then sew the hole up.
    Then continue sewing overtop the seam with braid. Sew the end to the other end of the braid. And your DONE!

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Comments

DarkAshHurts
DarkAshHurts · 119 projects
thank you. Happy
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Summer
Summer · Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, DE
The braids fit great with the shirt! And good tutorial too Happy
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DarkAshHurts
DarkAshHurts · 119 projects
Thanks for the favs guys. ;)

I also forgot to add that you might have to adjust this tutorial for a sewing machine (as i hand-sew it). I dont own one, so i dont know how it would work. Good Luck!
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