Learning how to make a t-shirt blanket without sewing is incredibly simple. The process itself only involves a lot of cutting and tying. However, simplicity does not always equate to ease.
Removing the need for the needle and thread makes the creation of the blanket simpler, but it radically increases the amount of time needed to make the sheet. Nevertheless, you do not need to do it all in one sitting anyway.
You can do it over the span of multiple days and continue at any time. The process is so easy and so simple that you could watch TV while doing it!
How To Make A T-Shirt Blanket Without Sewing
Step #1. Gather the materials
The materials needed are a bunch of t-shirts; an old blanket, sheet, or fleece; a pair of scissors; a marker or tailor’s chalk; a ruler; and a 12” x 12” square cutting mat to use as a template. If you don’t have any cutting mats on hand, you could create your own template with a piece of cardboard.
When creating your own 12×12 square using cardboard, keep in mind the straightness of your lines. Any unevenness and wrong angles will directly translate to the quality of your blanket.
It is recommended to use at least 20 shirts to create a 4 foot by 5-foot blanket.
Step #2. Cut the t-shirts’ designs
Lay down your shirt flat on a table or on the floor, and put the cutting mat or the cardboard square on top of the design. Using a tailor’s chalk or a marker, trace the outline of the square onto the shirts.
Using a ruler, measure an inch from each side to create a smaller square in the middle. Make lines of 1-inch increments on the space between the smaller and bigger square.
Using a pair of scissors, cut the shirt’s design off by following the bigger square. Afterward, cut the lines to create little strips at the end of the square.
For the corner strips, cut all four of them in half to divide them into two.
Repeat this step until all of the shirts are cut up and have little strips or frills on their sides.
Step #3. Tie the shirts together
This step is the easiest but is also the most time-consuming.
Line up the t-shirt squares next to each other. There should be five columns and four rows to ensure that the resulting sheet is longer than it is wide.
Make sure that the strips of the squares are lined up to each other.
Tie a knot twice with each of the strips, and do this for all the squares. What you will end up with is a big, beautiful sheet with multiple designs.
If you want to, you can stop at this step. However, to ensure that your sheet is as comfortable and durable as it is beautiful, then proceed to the next step.
Step #4. Put the shirts on top of the fleece
Put the sheet of shirts on top of an old blanket or fleece. The fleece should be a little longer and wider than the sheet.
Make sure to position your sheet with its ends equidistant to the fleece’s edges.
Cut up the edges of the fleece and create little strips just like the t-shirt squares. Afterward, connect the fleece to the sheet by matching their strips and tying knots twice, just like in step 3.
It is important to remember that you need to have an equal number of strips for the fleece and the sheet. Avoiding having excess strips avoids having to deal with damages or rips to the blanket.
Step #5. Enjoy!
That’s it! You can now enjoy your homemade, beautiful t-shirt blanket. Use it every night to relive precious memories, or send it as a gift to a friend!
How Many Shirts Do You Need?
The number of shirts you use is up to you. It depends on how big you want your blanket to be, as well as the number of blankets you want to make.
If you want to have a standard blanket of 4” x 5” just like in this tutorial, then that is about 20 shirts. If you want to turn your blanket into a bed sheet instead, then it’s best to measure the size of your bed or follow the standard sizes for beds.
If you don’t have enough shirts to create a blanket, do not worry. You can use the backside of your shirts and use those squares as fillers in between designs.
You can also use patterned shirts like flannels or even old blankets. The blanket you create is only limited by your imagination!
Conclusion
T-shirts hold valuable memories, whether that’s from your time in high school or your rock-and-roll phase.
It is understandable that not everyone would be okay with just throwing them away, so repurposing them by learning how to make a t-shirt blanket without sewing is one of the best ways to keep the memories alive.
It may be time-consuming and effortful, but the results are well worth it.