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Reversible DIY Cowl with Crochet Edge – T-Shirt Upcycle

May 24, 2019 by Laura 2 Comments

Last Updated on April 23, 2021

In my journey to continue reducing the amount of waste my family produces, I’ve been trying to make as many zero-waste decisions as possible. While cleaning out my closet, I found two t-shirts that were too sad and tired to be given away. Since we already have an abundance of rags, I saved these t-shirts until I came up with a good way to upcycle them. And I finally did a couple of weeks ago! I turned 2 old t-shirts into a pretty, cozy and reversible DIY cowl!

Reversible DIY cowl tutorial. Upcycle a couple of t-shirts into a cozy cowl with a pretty crochet edge. A simple zero-waste project to breathe new life into sad items!

This post contains affiliate links. Read more.

This t-shirt upcycle is a great way to breathe new life into tired clothing. This would be an awesome way to re-use a graphic tee, or something that’s too sentimental to part with! In my case, it was simply a matter of trying to avoid sending them to the landfill.

You should also check out this post of 20 more ideas for repurposing old t-shirts.

As I wrote this post I realized there were easier ways I could have make the cowl, but oh well. Embrace the imperfections, right?! ๐Ÿ˜€

How to make a DIY Cowl

Start by cutting rectangles out of the body of the t-shirt. I cut out as large a rectangle as I could while avoiding any grubby sections. I used my Olfa rotary cutter to square them up and cut out the rectangles from the second t-shirt in the same size.

Cutting out the t-shirts for a DIY cowl

(Just ignore the interfacing I added to edges, I was planning to embroider the cowl before I decided to crochet a trim instead.)

Sew down the short sides of the rectangles to create tubes.

Sew the rectangles into tubes

Put the tubes right sides together and sew all along ONE edge. Flip it and press the seam flat.

Now things get awkward. lol. I had to sew it incorrectly and rip it out once before I got it right.

So with the wrong sides still together, fold in the seam allowance and pin. This serves as a guide so you know how to pin and sew the rest of it.

Now flip it back out so it’s right sides together as much as possible. Pin around the edge and sew around as much as you can, leaving a gap of a couple of inches.

It will look like a big pile of twisted mess. But trust me, that’s how it should look!

sewing around the top of the cowl

Flip it right sides out and press the seam flat.

sewing a diy cowl

Hand stitch the gap closed with a ladder stitch.

Now if you are using graphic tees or something patterned, your DIY cowl could be done! Since my t-shirts are very plain I opted to add a crocheted trim to the edges.

For more crocheted projects, check out these ankle warmers or this easy baby blanket!

add a crochet trim to your DIY cowl

I used a DK weight yarn that I had in my stash.

The first step is to use a big darning needle to stitch a row of blanket stitch around the top and bottom edges. Make your stitches about 1/4″ apart.

I decided to use a cream colour on one edge and a dusty pink on the other.

use a darning needle to add a line of blanket stitch to your diy cowl

Add a row of blanket stitch to the top and bottom of the cowl

Now we add a row of single crochet. One stitch per blanket stitch.

Add a row of single crochet

Now we make it pretty with a scallop!

*Skip 1 stitch, 4 DC, Sk 1, Slip 1* repeat all the way around.

Done!

Crochet a scallop edge around the top and bottom of a DIY cowl

It’s so pretty! And reversible!

How to make a reversible DIY cowl from upcycled t-shirts

how to make a DIY cowl with a crochet edge

Upcycle some t-shirts into a cozy reversible cowl

If you’re interested in more zero-waste projects, check these out:

DIY Zero Waste Produce Bags
DIY Toothbrush Travel Wrap

Happy Upcycling!

 

Filed Under: Crafts & DIYs, Crochet, Sewing & Embroidery Tagged With: cowl tutorial, crafts & diys, DIY cowl, t-shirt upcycle

Previous Post: « DIY Felt Flower Hair Clips – With Free Pattern
Next Post: 20 Super Cute Repurposed T-Shirt DIYs »

Reader Interactions

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  1. 20 Super Cute Repurposed T-Shirt DIYs | The Yellow Birdhouse says:
    June 4, 2019 at 4:34 pm

    […] Reversible Cowl – I designed this cowl, it’s really simple to make and very cozy. And it uses up some yarn from your stash! Flower Ring – You could even sew some seed beads or sequins in the folds for extra sparkle! Infinity Scarf – That colour of green is divine! <3 Braided Necklaces – This could be a great kids project. Braided Belts – For the boho babe! Shoelaces – So cute! Jewellery – There are several tutorials for repurposed t-shirt jewellery items in this post. Rose Flower Brooches – These would really dress up a winter coat. […]

    Reply
  2. Cozy Crochet Ankle Warmers - Free Pattern | The Yellow Birdhouse says:
    May 24, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    […] Also if you’re looking for more crochet tutorials, check out this crochet baby blanket or this reversible cowl with a crochet edge! […]

    Reply

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Hey There!

I’m Laura, a busy work at home mama to two amazing boys. I help moms live their best crafty life, whether that’s with fun DIY projects or running an online shop. My passion is crafting with wool felt, but you’ll find a little bit of everything on the blog since I’m an unstoppable crafter and I love to share! Read More…

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