HOW TO: Shredded T-Shirt

Hey Makeup Junkies!

Here is Part 2 of the Kat Von D "Mi Vida Loca" Palette Review/Tutorial. (Click to view Part 1)

As promised in my YouTube video (click to watch), here is a tutorial showing you how I shred my shirts. I have learned this technique from playing around with old shirts over the years. In high school, I used to research how to cut-up shirts, and a lot of the techniques I learned then I have carried over to today.


This is a fun and creative way to spice up old t-shirts you have laying around. There are endless combinations of techniques when it comes to shredding shirts, so let your imagination run wild!

DIY Shredded Shirt

What you'll need:

• A pair of sharp scissors
• Something to mark the fabric (fabric pen, chalk or pins)
• Ruler
• Flat surface to work on

Women's T-Shirt, size Medium

The Bottom

Cut off the bottom hem.

The Collar

Cut around the collar. The size of this cut out will depend how big of a neckline you want. If you want a more off the shoulder, loose look then cut a wider collar. If you want a more covered or on-the-shoulder look then cut a smaller collar. 

The Back

Find the center of the shirt and cut a straight, vertical line. 

Make marks along the center cut to map out your next cut. 


You can cut these sections to your desired thickness. As a general rule, the bigger the section, the larger the bare area when you wear the shirt. For smaller bare sections, cut lots of thin strips.


Normally, I would use chalk to mark guides on a black shirt, but I couldn't find it. So, I used pins instead. If you are using a lighter colored shirt, you can use a fabric pen to make the guide marks. (Fabric pens have ink that is supposed to either disappear over time or when washed and can be found at a fabric/sewing store). 

Mark a "margin" area along the outer edges of the shirt. This helps to keep all the cuts uniform. Again, you can make these cuts free hand for a more deconstructed look. The further out you place the margin, the more skin that will show in the final version. (I did a 1/2 inch margin here).

After you make your marks, then cut along the guides. 

Once you've cut all the strips, gently stretch the strips out so they become skinny and curled up. 


Now it is time to tie them. For this part, it's best to put the garment on so that your ties fit your body perfectly. (This is why it is important to wash the shirt beforehand. It would be a major bummer to do all this and have it shrink in the wash). 


How many pieces you tie together is up to you. The more pieces you tie together, the larger the bare area will be. Here, I am tying off three sections together. You could also vary the number of pieces per section for a less uniform look. (As you can see, the possibilities are endless when shredding shirts!!!)

Once you tie all the sections together, then cut off the excess that is hanging. 

So, now the back should look something like this.

The Front

Fold your shirt in half so that the fold runs vertically down the front of the shirt. 

Lay a straight guide, like a ruler, along the top half of the shirt. Lay it at an angle so that it is tapered. It should be smaller towards your bellybutton, and larger towards you neck. (Remember: these sections will double in size once you cut).

Cut straight sections up towards the guide. Here I just free-form cut, but you could measure it out if you prefer. 

Gently stretch out the strips, being careful not to rip them. The next part seems tricky, but is super simple once you get it. 


Hold 3 strips in your hand. Strip 2 goes under Strip 1 and wraps around it once. Now Strip 1 should be in Strip 2's original position. Now Strip 3 goes under Strip 1 and back to its original position. Strip 4 goes under Strip 3 and back to its original position.... and so on. (It is sort of like braiding).

Once you get to the bottom, you should have a loop at the bottom. Cut it in half, then tie each strip to itself. This prevent the pattern from unraveling. 

You can repeat the above process again, which I did, for a more sturdy neckline. It becomes a little delicate once you cut it up. Plus, I just like the way the double braid looks. :)

The Sleeves

Since fringe is "in" right now. I decided to add fringe to the sleeves. Cut the seam off the sleeve edge. 

Cut strips in desired thickness. Then, stretch out each strip, like we did with the strip on the back.

And that is it!

It is a very simple project since you can, technically, do it with just a pair of scissors and a t-shirt. For a more uniform look, it is good to measure. However, if you want a more organic and edgy look, you can also make all the cuts free form (without measuring). 


*TIP: Wash the t-shirt before shredding, just in case any shrinkage occurs. ;)

Here are some other examples of shirts I have shredded...

All shredded shirts shown here were originally women's crew neck t-shirts (size, M) purchased from Forever 21. Each shirt only cost $3.50-$5.00!

The gray top was the easiest to make, but it also took the longest. Cut off the hem so you have a raw edge. Then use a seam ripper or your nails to pull the horizontal seams down. As you pull the seams down, the shirt begins to unravel upwards. 

The width you begin shredding at the raw edge will determine the width of that section all the way to the neckline. The end result is a semi-sheer, gauzy look to the affected sections. Super fun! One day I want to do the entire back of a t-shirt. I like to call this technique "gauzing."

Necklaces from PLNDR.com

Pictured above are my new lightning bolt necklaces, which I recently posted a picture of on Instagram. Feel free to check my Instagram account. I always love new followers. (;

@THEHMJ

Shorts: Forever 21, Bralette: Free People, Necklace: PLNDR.com and Tank Top: Forever 21 (shredded by ME!)

I hope you all enjoyed this post!!! 

xx