![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwfE7BTh8CASj6HjXP-AtJgtgKWsK7vmEhSCdqfJVPOTvqJWI_T2mKbNFmJ8dajYM3okoKafnLB2H2VPyYSWTKCMx1TYVSmoG21RtXeUXJGlQNFPjSW9JQCUQXQoRZHV_Q3GWTdmNCydDc/s1600/bags-pockets.JPG)
Happy Thursday! I have a fun pair of upcycled lined drawstring bags to share today! Plus a little how-to on cutting up a button down shirt.
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A couple weeks ago I picked up two button down shirts at the thrift store. They were half price, so they were a bargain. I knew I wanted to turn them into holiday gift bags, so I picked out two that felt festive. I ended up with a red and white stripe and a muted green.
I was inspired to make drawstring bags with shirts by
Leigh. She made a bunch of drawstring bags using thrifted shirts (see them
here) and I just loved the idea!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtH1Pc6p8KQil1b7kbfa5DUY1XDc53tkl5fy3vRv09MSvNI7xmungNQ3fLfimZ3eEDAbmOmGT2LLAB2WO-3zdW3FDd2hb9IR7NLymxovonuaQVatRAChifHo4sF2GtV_ddljtyIYTLj_G0/s1600/bags-filled.JPG)
I wasn't sure exactly what I'd do until I cut up the shirts, but I'm so pleased with how they turned out! I decided to use the pockets on the fronts of each bag, as an extra spot for a gift! I cut around each pocket leaving about an inch of the background fabric. Then I used the method outlined in the
lined drawstring bag expansion pattern to center the pockets and figure out the borders needed to create the bag exterior.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGoMlhvq5rfcIgjY4DE157CdYZOxNHfN889qyOyEeScKZYPoHC4QWEGGNtXLfSBLzTIfludPEyIKSvHMGs31D7Kd7T-j4V7GAylECxXeYPK4uxIy_B89uAO3RUp72vK0SQdUrcQUPPz15/s1600/project-bag.JPG)
This is the Project size bag, and I featured the stripe fabric as the main exterior fabric. It was a little fussy working with the stripes, but I think it looks pretty good!
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For the second bag I featured the green shirt fabric and made an Artist size. Both bags are lined with Essex linen and have natural cotton
twill for ties. I interfaced all the shirt fabric with a woven interfacing to give it a little extra weight. The green fabric probably would have been fine without it, but the stripe was pretty thin.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAQGYBztu7gO8N3rBvli1R0kAJYrDk8uVGT3rDsR_qxT996T4RoszfDadTKCct0JwtPEHqh8wll5Nhoeh4x-Tq44QUmr7Q_lyd707GrA0_cSBURSZwbK0aSeL7Q6VydbVwWro_ir6DSsH/s1600/plain-bags.JPG)
The backs are plain! There was enough fabric from both shirts that I could have made them plain on both sides. It's such an economical way to make gift bags. These sizes are available in the
Lined Drawstring Bag Pattern.
Now, for a little how-to on cutting up a shirt! There are many different ways to go about cutting up a shirt for fabric, this is just the way I did it. I knew I was going to use this fabric for drawstring bags, so these steps made the most sense for the project I was making. Think about how you're going to use the shirt fabric before you start cutting so that you can get the most out of it.
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First, find some shirts! Use up shirts that have stains, holes, or were headed to the thrift shop. If you don't have any on hand, stop by your local thrift store. I started in the men's shirts, working my way from the largest sizes to the smaller sizes. I choose shirts that were discounted, which means they had been there for a while.
Once you've got your shirts, give them a good wash and dry!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYW2Ux6J0DOxP3GkZDNOUAZct7OGBq4ZVZfJhl4sztVATYoYuPtYY4Iba1ZDP64S8U364EYGun1L1up7iagtiuZd0Ux2redMQ72zYl_9cSs-NrLc9F2TJv80JwEKp55BdgzEQNoWYD8HPO/s1600/1-collar.JPG)
Cut away the collar and button bands down the front of the shirt.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPWsiZobur3cVI272vmEBUbIQcgW7JK-oic1qwXlKfg6FEDvLJHSKV4BNPdqrtyjAbkFZo6783T0r3bAF2Yk50cOp9tQVrKOhDrfcokjKq6BV5IfctOb6f3ovS_KTb3p5e1W0_bBlNGpr/s1600/2-hem.JPG)
Next, cut away the bottom hem.
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Cut the sleeves off at the shoulder seams.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhssOMIoHbhy_B4Id9-hgEz836vO8pLCEUnrIKx6l0_owKj7oaUpaOeyCkBn5-xJrdKy8iTKdd-IB5tKwpMFOWZG_xvtzapC0XSQm-C37-cNP4KhyJTz9yCTTRrDkIMp5EMHI2AMRKRvR3_/s1600/4-cuff.JPG)
Cut off the cuff from each sleeve.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUVLtHzdm6wiLh3HS6eVluYlFR_nAUObKsXpv5505rt98kIXkW84OstaaiB5uKyd-xvJ6WmVgnCbDalrQ-CDKBps1PU4rmYUwKK1uGyjH-wQWhD_hSfQSPcweD1ePb9mwvYUE135izf-2/s1600/5-sleeve.JPG)
Cut off the seam on each sleeve.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFM3lE4z6QtoW_nnm0MX_wlSl4luPyEp7Q8FP1YYp92_87UCgvEt22Q3S1zUWsuRQcEunYIi1UxDCtkNokjX6SjZ1DMhCcJLhGSjN2MawhyJk1z5V3gkwSitYRaNTeXZewc0YRXRfYtQpP/s1600/6-sideseam.JPG)
Cut the side seams off of the shirt body.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoHRzBKu5GwpDhb9wbuLZ6MoITD30uEkBdZk_p1FPqZF9a4DpUv5-3xdTqZPcD6STXi-Zoc8QfKva_7CSxtuBuCR-krmQUw79ypH_rhW5onF0vtzvAPwDI86dGoXxNGwTReWLPead2Wtby/s1600/7-yoke.JPG)
Cut each front panel from the yoke at the shoulder seam. Cut the shirt back from the yoke.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hDwM2LwRsjAvFZQ32lu7QIaBc2PZLUkIdi-DYj_-RI-6lK03JflTbEoxjRw7DNSfAJa9dFg6l4WMtdbQ182oPkz4gxt6lhqs8I4zm2T1WkGVVB1ufoualdApgTlETUksN0ccHW9yVW6L/s1600/8-shoulderseam.JPG)
Cut the sleeve seams from the front pieces and back piece.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfCiK3RKjaddgDQfqr1R5W0mYT_0v22hdDEeY0c39x0RP8E63GeFeYQ0pW9UNrLMBevTBfPqhInd7IHNP1CTd7CSp2yzRRzPT5QfF65_kvmoEtExs3vnA-xj1RPjb0Rwel44gJ67a4hUp/s1600/Cut-pieces.jpg)
Here is the shirt all cut up! You'll end up with two front pieces, a back piece, and two sleeves. Plus a bunch of leftover pieces that were cut off like the cuffs and collar.
Happy Sewing!