How to Make Potholder Loops from T-Shirts

Co-authored by Caroline Heiderscheit

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References Tested

Do you have piles of old t-shirts filling up your storage spaces? Turn them into gorgeous, colorful potholders instead! The DIY potholder process could not be easier, and the end product will be a big help around the kitchen. We'll teach you how to cut your t-shirt and then walk you through how to fill your loom. To learn everything you need to know, read on!

Things You Should Know

Cut your old t-shirt into 2 in (5.1 cm) wide, 6 in (15 cm) tall fabric loops (including a slit through the center of the fabric).
Hook the fabric loops onto one side of the loom and then weave more loops through the existing loops from the other side of the loom (until you fill the entire loom).
Close off your potholder by repeatedly sliding one fabric loop through the loop next to it, holding onto the second loop and letting the first loop tighten against the potholder.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Cutting T-shirts into Loops

1
Cut off your jersey t-shirt’s neckline, sleeves, and shirt hem. Most t-shirt types will work fine, but jersey cotton is your best bet. Grab a pair of scissors and remove the portions of your t-shirt that can’t be made into loops—or, the neckline, sleeves, and shirt hem (found at the bottom of most shirts). Make sure to cut on the inside of the hem or seam, because these portions shouldn’t be made into loops. ^{[1]
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- Neckline and hem material is too thick to be cut into loops. The sleeves, on the other hand, are too short in diameter to be cut into loops.
- Not all t-shirts have a shirt hem. Look at the bottom of your tee and if you don’t see a hem, don’t worry about cutting the bottom portion off.
2
Fold your t-shirt and cut it into strips that are 2 in (5.1 cm) thick. First, fold your shirt hotdog style (or, lengthwise). Get the shirt as flat as possible, lining up the edges and using your hands to flatten out creases. Then, using scissors or a rotary cutter, slice the t-shirt into strips every 2 in (5.1 cm). Cut from the side of the shirt and continue moving up as you work.^{[2]
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- Use a ruler to measure your strips.
- Don’t worry about being super careful here—do your best to cut straight and evenly, but this project doesn’t require perfect work!
- Count the hooks on 2 sides of your loom. This is the number of loops you'll need. If necessary, use a second shirt (and feel free to grab a new color/pattern to mix up your design!)
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3
Unfold your strips, pile them up, and cut off the folded ends. After cutting your t-shirt into strips, you’ll have a bunch of long loops of fabric. First, unfold your loops so that they’re totally flat and as you do this, place them into a single pile. Next, cut off both ends of the t-shirt loops so that now you have a pile of long strips (instead of long loops of fabric).^{[3]
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4
Cut 6–6.5 in (15–17 cm) long strips and round off the edges. These strips can be any length you want depending on how taut you'd like your potholder to be. 6–6.5 in (15–17 cm) works well for 13-peg looms. Then, pick up each strip and cut curved snips into each corner (this will remove the sharp edges and leave behind a rounded edge).^{[4]
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- The exact size of your strips depends on how tight or loose you’d like your potholder to be. For smaller looms, cut smaller lengths of fabric.
- Again, these don’t need to be perfect cuts. As long as you have strips that are similar in length and have rounded edges, you’re good to go!
5
Fold the strips and cut slits in their centers (but don't slice all the way through). Finally, your t-shirt is nearly ready to become potholder loops! Take each strip and fold it in half, lengthwise. Starting from the creased end of the strip, cut through the center of the strip. Don’t cut all the way through—instead, leave about .5 in (1.3 cm) intact on the other end of your folded strip.^{[5]
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- When you unfold your cut t-shirt strips, you should have a 6–6.5 in (15–17 cm) fabric loop with rounded edges.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Weaving Fabric Loops to Create a DIY Potholder

1
Hook your fabric loops onto your loom. Working from just one side of the loom, attach both ends of your loops to both hooks on either side of the loom. Be careful to keep your hooks and loops lined up properly. If you’re cutting multiple t-shirts to create a pattern, try alternating colors on your loom as well.^{[6]
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- Fill the entire side of this loom with fabric loops.
2
Weave your loom hook through your fastened fabric loops. Once you've completed one side of your loom, turn the loom 90 degrees. Now, grip your loom hook and gently (without forcing the attached loops off their hooks) weave your hook under your first loop pair and over the next loop pair. Continue on in this way, weaving over and under each loop all the way across your loom.^{[7]
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- Depending on the size of your loom and the size of your hook, your hook may not be long enough to weave all the way across. If this is the case for you, start weaving halfway across your loom instead of from the end.
3
Use your hook to pull a fabric loop through your loom. Now that your hook is weaved through your loom, attach one end of your fabric loop to the nearby hook. Next, attach the other end of your loop to the end of your loom hook. Finally, pull your hook (and the attached loop) through the loom. Continue doing this until you've filled the entire loom.^{[8]
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- Because you’ve already weaved your hook through the fabric loops, as you pull your new loop through on your hook, it will weave the new loop automatically.
- Note that you can easily do this with your fingers, though it may take more time. Simply fasten your loop to one end’s hook and, with fingers, guide the loop under and over each fabric loop. When you reach the other end with your fabric, fasten the loop onto the loom's hook.
4
Close off the potholder one loop at a time. First, remove one loop from the corner of your loom and be careful not to let go of it. Next, while still holding onto your first loop, remove the loop next to it as well. Pull your first loop over top of your second loop and then let go of the first loop (but continue holding onto the second loop).^{[9]
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- The first loop will tighten onto the side of the potholder, effectively closing off and finishing that portion.
- This can be done with your hands, but it’s much easier with a hook.
5
Leave 4 fastened loops on nearby hooks to hold the potholder in place. Continue moving around the loom in this way, closing off the potholder as you work. In 4 places on your loom (for instance, halfway through each of the loom's sides), hook one loop back onto the loom after fastening it. This keeps the potholder taut while you continue working to remove it.^{[10]
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6
Remove the entire potholder from the loom. To finish your potholder and remove it from your loom, close of every single loop around every side of your potholder. Once you're finished with this, life the potholder off of the final 4 loops, and then you'll be all ready to go. You've just made a new potholder out of nothing more than some old t-shrits!^{[11]
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