My sister-in-law Diana recently wrote extolling the virtues of T-shirt yarn as ties for masks: “… there is a link to ‘T-Shirt yarn’ I used that and made the ‘tie’ material.  It’s an amazing thing and since we have bins of t-shirts, I’m considering a rug from this stuff!  Amazing.  A little confusing, but if you follow directions you’ll get it and I’m sure you’ll be amazed as well.”

I wrote back to Di, saying  Stella and I are pretty sure that we invented t-shirt yarn in the 1970’s.  I think that Stella and I did discover it independently with directions from no one.  It was a natural discovery…. In making sock toys or knit fabric items sometimes little long scraps are left over. Pull on them and you notice the edges curl… making a cool self hemming string. Eventually we figured out that you could cut a continuous cord if you spiraled your way up the body of a t shirt. Eureka!!! The discovery of t-shirt yarn. 

 I AM certain that I still own the one and only T-shirt yarn jacket aka. The Chicken Coat , featured in our book Rags.
LA 5.19.2020


Ah, where would we be without T shirts? Jersey knit is a brilliant fabric invention. What other fabric lends itself to comfort the way this one does? I grew up wearing striped T shirts and though I don't really wear them anymore I still have a stack of old Ts in my fabric collection. 

In the 70s we discovered it was possible to make "yarn" with a pair of scissors and an old T. Perfect for a crocheted pot holder, a rag rug or as fat string to tie up a bundle. Nowadays a person can purchase T yarn at JoAnn's craft stores. Wow!

This photos represents a basket full of potential projects. It sparks my desire to make something, but what to make given the yarn's bulkiness and my complete klutziness with knitting needles? So I file that question under research.A few evenings ago I found myself, as I often do, cruising Pinterest. Especially in these times of SIP Pinterest fulfills my need to shop. I searched for T shirt yarn, pulled up a pin "23 Things to Make from Old T Shirts" and found an enticing recipe for weaving crayon colored placemats. As I looked a little further I found a familiar image; an instruction page from Rags on how to make a hooked rug using the stuff. It was satisfying and a little unsettling to know that our 40+ year old book had been a reference for the author. Perhaps it's time for Rags Redux. 

SA 5.10.2020

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