Dog toys can at times be expensive, especially when they get ripped up in .5 seconds! With today’s craft, all you need is an old T-shirt and a few minutes to make toys that your dogs will love and won’t cost a dime! 

Necessities: 

  • 1 T-Shirt (that you are willing to cut up)
  • 1 Pair of Scissors

Optional Tools:

  • 1-2 Different Colored T-Shirts (gives braid dimension)
  • Tape

Step 1: Cut just below the sleeves of your T-shirt to create a T-shirt square.  

Step 2: Once you have a giant T-shirt square, starting by the bottom seam, cut straight up the T-shirt to make one, giant T-shirt rectangle. 

Step 3: Cut three strips about 5-8 inches wide, and about 16-17 inches in length. 

**If you are using different colored T-shirts, cut one-two of each color so that you have three strips total. Also, in the picture I used 5 inch width and 16 inch length. If you want a thicker rope, I suggest bumping to 7-9 inches wide and 17 inches in length. 

Step 4: Cut off a spare piece of T-shirt to tie all three strips at the end. Wrap your spare strip around multiple times, and tie as tight as possible. 

**I used a strip that was about 6 inches long and just under 1 inch wide, and tied a knot/double-knot in multiple spots for extra strength. 

Step 5: Braid your three strips, and secure the bottom of the braid the same way that you did the top. 

**Tip: Hold the initial tied end between your knees for stability for braiding. You can also tape as shown, however, with these thick strips it will be easier to hold with your knees. 

How to Braid: 

  1. Separate your three pieces. 
  2. Take your piece on the right, and fold it over the middle piece so that your right piece becomes your new middle piece. 
  3. Take your piece on the left, and fold it over the “new” middle piece. 
  4. Go back to your piece furthest to the right, and fold that over the middle. 
  5. Take your piece on the left and fold it over your middle piece. 
    1. While you’re doing this, pull the pieces of T-shirt as tight as you can. 
  6. Continue these steps until you reach the end.
  7. Tie off at the end. 

Step 6: After you have tied off the end, marvel in your fantastic work! 

There you go! Now your pups, your neighbors pups, or the pups at your local animal shelter have some new and fun toys to play with! This craft can easily be customized to make small or larger toys based on the size of your dog, so feel free to play around with the dimensions of your strips! 

Roberta’s Art Gallery Kids’ Corner 

Welcome back kiddos to another week at Roberta’s Art Gallery Kids’ Corner! This week we are taking old, adult T-shirts and making them into capes! With very few supplies and a whole lot of imagination needed, this craft is sure to be a hit! 

Necessities: 

  • 1 T-Shirt Adult Medium-XXL (bigger the t-shirt, larger the cape)
  • 1 Pair of Scissors
  • 1 Permanent Marker (color that will show up on your t-shirt)

Optional Tools:

  • Things to Decorate the Cape:
    • Paint
    • Other T-shirts (cut out designs to sew/hot glue on)
    • Fabric Markers 

Step 1: Take your old T-shirt and your permanent marker, and draw a line across the bottom of the t-shirt just above the seam. 

**I recommend doing this on the back of the T-shirt to possibly get a blank canvas. 

Step 2: From the end on each side of the line, draw a diagonal line line up towards the collar of the shirt. Stop about 3-4 inches from the seam of the neck. 

Step 3: Draw a circle just below the seam of the neckline all of the way around the shirt. 

Step 4: Starting at the end of the right diagonal line, draw a circle around the neckline of the shirt, including the front, and have it meet at the left diagonal line. This circle should look like you have created an outline of the circle you drew in Step 3. 

Step 5: Cut along all of the marker lines that you made to cut out the cape. 

Step 6: At the front of the circle that you have now cut out from the neck, snip it in half and stretch it out so that it can be customized and tied to any neck size. 

Step 7 (Optional): Decoration time! Put a letter for the kid’s name, color polka dots, or whatever else your little superhero can imagine! 

**I turned the shirt inside out so that the permanent marker wouldn’t show.

Enjoy decorating and watching your new little superhero fly all over the house! With that said, have fun with this design too! As you can see in Step 5/6, this pattern resembles a cooking apron! Add a piece of t-shirt to create a belt, and BAM you have an apron for the little cooking protege in your life.

Keep it creative! 

Your Craft Corner Guru,