BY: ALYSSA SCHUYLER, Assistant Layout Editor
Crafts are a great way to make something useful from something that would not have been used otherwise.
Free t-shirts have been given out at sporting events and games for years at Saint Leo University. Most recently the unveiling of Fritz the Lion was accompanied with a free t-shirt give away. The Roarwards Program was promoted with a free t-shirt when students signed up, as well as a t-shirts give away at the Activities Fair.
More often than not students will get a shirt, but it will be the wrong size, often too big. Most female students on campus tear up the shirt in lieu of a more stylish shirt or some people just toss the shirt in a drawer never to be worn or seen from again until its time to move out at the end of the acedemic year. There are other things to do with these shirts that can be extremely useful to students. One such use is a seat cushion or pillow. This can be used at sporting events, in the dorm, or anywhere there is a hard seat.
What you’ll need:
T-shirt
Scissors
Large piece of cardboard
Stuffing (pillow batting is preferable)
Clips (safety pins will work as well)
(any desired color)
First, cut or tear all the seams from the shirt, so it is in two separate pieces. It should be the front for one piece and the back for the second piece. Next, decide how large the cushion will be. Measure this out for both pieces, then cut away the excess shirt. A square, circle, or rectangle are the simplest to use. After you have cut your desired shape out of both pieces of the shirt, cut the cardboard to match the shape, but make sure to cut it an inch smaller around. Next, place the pieces of t-shirt together equally and cut slits along the side no larger than an inch. To make sure the pieces stay even use clips or pins attached along the sides to keep from the two t-shirt pieces from moving as it is being cut. Now, with the excess t-shirt material cut thin 5inch pieces. Cut the amount of pieces to match the amount of slits that were made around the edge of the t-shirt. When finished cutting, use the 5inch strips of fabric from the extra shirt material to tie the three sides of the shirt together leaving one end open. The pieces that are cut together are the pieces to tie together. Be careful around the corners. The best way to tie them together is to use a square knot, as it will keep both side together the strongest. After cutting and tying together the two cut pieces of t-shirt, slide in the pre-cut piece of cardboard then put in stuffing until it is full, make sure it can still be tied on the last side. Make sure to look at what design is on the top or bottom and keep that in mind for preference and when doing final touches. Repeat these same steps without the cardboard in order to make a pillow.
This is a simple way to make something new and creative out of a t-shirt that may not have been used otherwise.
