CraftSanity on TV: Making Potholder Loopers Out of Recycled T-shirts

Remember these? This week’s craft “Take Five” TV segment is an ode to the looper pot holder. Oh, how I love the loopers. Seriously, folks, I doubt I’ll ever outgrow my the little pot holder loom.

I just learned how to make loopers out of recycled T-shirts and I want to share this great info with all of you. I got this great idea from the super creative Beerhorst family. The whole family will be featured in this Sunday’s Home & Garden section of the Grand Rapids Press. So prepare yourself to be inspired. (I’ll post links this weekend.)

Brenda Beerhorst taught her children how to make recycle loopers and her daugther, Pearl, 15, really took off with the idea and sells a line of recycled pot holders at Grand Rapids art markets under the label “Pearl’s Pot Holders.”

The Beerhorst family posted a great tutorial on Flickr that explains it all. You can adjust the measurements depending on the stretch of the fabric you’re working with.

I’ve been cutting t-shirts into rectangles that are about 2.5″ by 6″ so they’re easy for my daughters to stretch across the loom. Pearl cuts hers a little shorter, but it’s all a matter of personal preference. Just test out a couple pieces before you cut up a whole shirt. I use a rotary cutter, plastic cutting template and cutting mat to speed up the process, but scissors work just fine, too.

This is a great way to recycle old T-shirts hogging space in your drawer. If you want more colors, visit your local thrift shop. I lucked out and found two tie-dyed shirts on the same trip. They weave up great.

I have plenty of pot holders, so I’m likely going to sew my woven jersey squares together to make a wild patchwork rug or picnic blanket. You could also make totes and bags out of the squares, too. What have you made out of your looper pot holders? Please share your ideas below.