AJ stands for Andrew Jackson, our 7th president. His reputation for toughness earned him the nickname "Old Hickory." A hero of the War of 1812, Jackson has appeared on the $20 bill since 1928.

5. Cover a pillow

There are two ways to use the design of an old T-shirt to cover a pillow:

The no-sew method: Turn the T-shirt inside out and, using safety pins, insert a line of pins along the hem to close the opening.

Turn the T-shirt right side out and insert a throw pillow. Tuck in the sleeves and upper part of the shirt, envelope style, and safety pin the tuck to secure.

If you have a sewing machine: Watch this video to learn how to make your T-shirt into a pillow.

Keep Fido comfortable!

6. Make a kennel pad for your dog

The bottoms of dog kennels are very hard for any dog to sleep on. Your dog will appreciate it if you make a pad for her kennel.

To make a kennel pad, turn the T-shirt inside out, cut off the top from armpit to armpit, and stitch the bottom hem closed.

Turn the t-shirt right side out, add two to three layers of polyester quilt batting, cut to size, and then stitch the opening closed.

To keep the batting from shifting, use yarn and a big needle to make five evenly spaced tied tufts. If you don’t have a dog, talk to the people at your local animal shelter to see if they will accept your kennel pads.

Something new out of something old

No shirts? Let me show you how get more T-Shirts!No Shirts? No Sweat

With all of these suggestions, you may be thinking that you want to do all of them, but you don’t have enough shirts. Don’t fret!

There are plenty of ways to get old T-shirts. Goodwill, thrift, and vintage stores have cool T-shirts for inexpensive prices. Your parents, siblings, and relatives may also have T-shirts that you could use, but remember: Always ask before taking.

Still no luck finding old T-shirts? Have a T-shirt party with your friends! Tell all of them to bring any old T-shirts, and create a pool of old T-shirts you and your friends can choose from. Plus, you can have fun while making something new.
Close

Making something new out of something old is all about your mindset.

You can look at a T-shirt for just a piece of clothing, but with these suggestions you can see what else it can become...

...like the quilt shown at the left!

If you toss it out, you’re wasting money. When you make something new from it, you give it a fresh look and save money, which is a smart move.

Qside Federal Credit Union What makes credit unions so great? Members like you. Every dollar you invest in your credit union earns you money while other members borrow it. When you're ready for a loan, other members' savings will be there to help you out at the lowest possible cost.