My husband and I recently started cleaning out our closets a couple of weekends ago. And when he dumped a pile of clothes at my feet to add to my bag, an idea immediately popped into my head. As I started shifting through his shirts, he asked, “What are you doing?” I just said, “Watch.”
I took three t-shirts from the pile and started cutting them into thin strips to make t-shirt yarn. From there, I started twisting, braiding, and tying the yarn into a DIY dog toy. I’ve only really seen simple braided dog toys, so I decided to turn one into a knotted ball and another into a multi-knotted toy. I love the way they turned out and hopefully our new puppy will, too!
To make the t-shirt yarn: just cut your t-shirt into thin strips. Gently tug on the strips of t-shirt to stretch them out. If they’re different lengths, it’s okay. You’ll get to trim them later.
DIY Braided Dog Toy
- Using 9 strands of t-shirt yarn, divide fabric into 3’s.
- Braid strands of fabric until you have 2″ left at each end.
- Tie off ends into secure knots.
- Trim ends evenly, if necessary.
DIY Multi-Knotted Dog Toy
- Using 10 strands of t-shirt yarn, gather yarn at one end.
- Tie that end into a knot.
- Make a middle knot, then secure the other end in a knot.
- Trim ends evenly, if necessary.
DIY Knotted Ball Toy
- Using 12 strands of t-shirt yarn, divide into 3 sections and braid.
- Continue braiding until you have 2″ left at each end.
- Tie entire braid into a knot.
- Continue tying knots until fabric forms into a ball.
- Trim ends, if necessary.
From the three dog toys that I made, I still had a lot of t-shirt yarn left over. Keep them in your craft stash because dog owners know how much wear a dog toy can get!
I love creating upcycled projects and giving new life to old items. I also love that even though these shirts are fresh and clean, they still carry a scent that will become familiar to our puppy. That’ll make these toys a little more personal than a toy bought at the pet store. And believe me – we’ve got lots of those, too!