Turn An Old Shirt Into A Useful Solution For Your Coffee Mug

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We all have a favorite shirt. Sure, it might be a little tatty on the edges. Yeah, it might have a little hole in the sleeve, but no one can see it. But then it happens: you pull that shirt out of the drawer and realize it's got an unforgivable stain or tear, or those threads that have been barely hanging on finally let go. But that doesn't mean it has to be regulated to the rag bin. Instead, turn your old sweater or shirt into a personalized cozy for your favorite coffee mug.

Repurposing old clothing into a coffee cozy might feel like a project that's just too complicated for everyday DIYers, but it's easier than it seems. The secret? Save the cardboard sleeve from your favorite coffee shop the next time you go and use it as a template to cut your fabric to size. You'll also need fabric scissors, fusible fleece like HeatnBond Fusible Fleece, cotton thread, and your old shirt.

This is a cute and clever way to reuse old T-shirts. Flannel is a popular choice, thanks to its coziness and ability to hold heat in, but the basic shirt fabrics — cotton, linen, etc — are all good options. Stretchy knit fabrics can be trickier so go slowly to prevent the fabric from losing its shape. You can also turn an old sweater into a DIY coffee cozy. Just avoid heavy-duty fabrics, like canvas, leather, or denim, as they can be more difficult to work with.

Start by prepping your fabric: wash and dry your shirt according to the care tag, then iron it flat. Next, make your template. Gently separate the edges of the cardboard sleeve and lay flat on a piece of paper. Trace the edges, then add a ½-inch seam allowance on the long sides and a 1-inch on the short ones. A clear ruler, like Fiskars Sewing Ruler, can help you draw an even allowance, but if you don't have one handy, a protractor works in a pinch or you can draw dots periodically above the original template, then connect them together.

Cut out two strips of fabric to the size of your template. Lay the fabric flat, place the template on top, and cut the shape out with a fabric scissors. Then, using your template, cut a piece of fusible fleece slightly smaller than your template and adhere it to the wrong side of a shirt fabric piece following the manufacturer's instructions. Next, stack the shirt fabric on top of each other, right sides together, and draw a small 2-inch line along the middle of the bottom edge (this is where you'll turn the fabric back to the right side).

Sew the two pieces together, avoiding the line you drew, then trim the seams down. Flip the piece right side out and iron the seams. Fold the bottom raw edges in, then stitch closed. To make the closure, cut a piece of velcro — one piece on the far outer edge and the other on the opposite inside edge. Pin into place and sew with white thread to secure.

If you have two or more old shirts that need to be reused, or just happen to have some old fabric scraps lying around, make a reversible cozy. The starting steps are similar — wash and iron your fabric, and make your template — but adjust your template slightly so there's a ¼-inch seam allowance. Then cut out the long rectangular strips from both shirts as well as a piece of fusible fleece. Attach the fleece to the backside of one fabric strip. Then, working on one piece at a time, bring the short ends of the cut shirt together so the right sides face each other and sew together with a ¼-seam allowance to make a loop. Repeat with the other piece and press the seams open.

Now it's time to bring it all together. Turn one loop right side out and slide it inside the other loop so the outside of the fabrics are facing each other. Stitch the top edge together, leaving a ¼-inch seam allowance, then reverse the piece so the right sides face out. Fold down the seam allowance on the piece with fusible fleece until it meets the top of the insulation and stitch into place. Fold down and sew the seams in place on the other side, then stitch the two pieces together. Cut off any loose threads, iron, and slide onto your favorite travel coffee mug. This is also a creative way to repurpose cloth napkins and other scrap fabric.