How to Join TShirt Yarn (No Sewing!)

Learn how to connect or join the ends of your TShirt Yarn without Sewing

You have recycled a bunch of your old T Shirts into DIY T Shirt Yarn but now what? How do you join the different strips of yarn to make one piece that you can crochet into a rug or purse?

Good question! Obviously, you can sew all of the ends together but that would take lot of time. So, let me show you how super easy it is to connect your T Shirt Yarn without sewing. And all you need is a sharp pair of fabric scissors.

What is TShirt Yarn?

Just in case you don’t know what TShirt yarn is … it’s exactly what it sounds like. Yarn that has been made from a TShirt.

Now, you can buy ready-made TShirt Yarn but that usually just means the yarn has been made from the same type of material as TShirts such as Jersey fabric.

By the way, this no-sew joining method will work for store bought TShirt yarn as long as it is wide enough and won’t rip.

Related: How to Make Denim Yarn from Old Blue Jeans

How Do You Make a TShirt into Yarn?

Obviously, the first thing you have to do is make several strands or balls of tshirt yarn so that you can connect them. You can see how to do that in this step by step tutorial.

Supplies needed:

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Several Strands of TShirt Yarn
Fabric Scissors

Joining the T Shirt Yarn

It can be somewhat confusing when you first learn how to join tshirt yarn, so I tried to make it more obvious by using two completely different colors.

To begin, you will take one end from the two different strips you wish to connect. One of my lengths of TShirt yarn is Solid Blue and the other is Tie Dye Yellow, Orange and Green. Note, you will need both ends of the Tie Dye yarn.

Ends of TShirt yarn to be joined together

First, take your scissors and cut a small notch into each end being careful not to cut through to the edge. Now, you will insert the yellow tie dye yarn through the slit in the blue yarn. (see photos below)

Make a cut in the ends of your t shirt yarn to be connected

Next, you will take the other end of the Tie Dye Yarn and place it through the cut you made at the beginning of the Tie Dye Yarn.

Finally, you have to pull the entire length of the tie dye yarn all the way through the slit and then pull it tight.

Pulling the tshirt yarn all the way through to connect

If you wish to trim the end pieces to make the yarn a bit smoother, you can certainly do that. I have found in my crochet rugs, however you don’t really notice those.

Sometimes, the little ends pop up after washing but you can always go back and trim them then. Just be careful not to cut too close to the edge so it can’t rip through and undo the yarn.

What Can You Make with TShirt Yarn?

Homemade TShirt yarn is ideal for making things that require a bulkier yarn such as crochet rugs, braided rugs and woven rugs. It also works great for making crochet or knit baskets, tote bags and macrame wall hangings or plant hangers.