Stroller Bag - Old T-shirt Upcycle!

**DISCLOSURE: PICTURE INTENSE**

I'm back with a sewing post! This Sunday, we will be participating in the local MS Walk for Multiple Sclerosis. We have a team formed and we have a young team member who will be "walking" in a stroller. For that reason, I made a stroller bag to hold goodies--like sunscreen (it's supposed to be warm), wallet, keys, etc. that would be difficult to reach in the bottom basket while on the move. The MS Society uses Orange and black in its logo, so I asked my hubs for an old t-shirt to upcycle into this beauty:

So the stroller bag itself is not an original idea. I've seen many different kinds on Etsy and Pinterest, but I am not a fantastic seamstress, and I needed something I could throw together for very little cost (orange isn't exactly my favorite color). Enter husband's field attire for his previous employer! Cost = FREE! I've blacked out the name for privacy reasons, but this is what I started with…

As you can see, I've pinned the bottom up, using a technique I saw in a gift bag tutorial on Pinterest. Obviously, some adjustments had to be made, since this is a t-shirt and not paper. Places that were taped would some how have to be sewed. Maybe to some of you more skilled seamstresses out there, it would be an obvious answer, but it took me a little figuring. This whole project took me longer to pin and cut than it did to actually sew. Anyway, here is a step-by-step diagramming for you that might be interested in replicating. I don't have specific measurements, as I eyeballed it as I went based on what I thought might work. I can tell you that I started with a Men's size Medium t-shirt

Pinned at the bottom "gift bag style," ready for sewing

Cut along the seams in the shoulders to split the shirt evenly at the top.

Roughly cut off the sleeves to get them out of the way

(at this point, I put the shirt in my machine and sewed the bottom)

Cut right above the pocket, or if no pocket, cut across at the bottom of the sleeve.

At this point I realized I couldn't make the pocket work in it's original location. I pulled out my seam ripper and carefully removed it, salvaging it for transplant elsewhere. Then I cut right across the shirt at the bottom of the sleeve seam.

At this point, you could hem the top edge, at some tabs to the side, relocate the pocket and call it good. BUT, I just couldn't leave it completely orange. I happened to have some black chevron fabric lying around, so I decided to add the bow I learned to make from Whitney's blog. (I did not use her exact measurements, just the concept) Her bag is much prettier, and looking back, I probably should've adjusted my bow to look more like hers. ah well.

(I also cut the carry tabs here so I could sew into the top seam for reinforcement)

See that re-located pocket??? :-)

And finally, adding the bow.

That's it! All set for our walk on Sunday! This project literally cost me NOTHING. I hate those posts that proclaim to be FREE and really aren't. Obviously, I used things I had at my house. If you had the t-shirt and sewing notions (two colors of thread--I used orange and black), this project would be free for you as well. However, the bow requires some fabric, which you would either have to purchase or have on hand. So, for those of you without scraps or extras, not FREE, but pretty CHEAP! Hope you enjoy! 

--Shannon