What is it exactly?

We all are plagued by them - old belts that don't quite fit right, silly souvenir T-shirts from Niagara Falls and Dad's old ties that never should be worn in public. Instead of sending them to the local thrift store for someone else to hate, renovate them into a sweet bag that turns cheesy into chic.

Usefulness factor:

Carry your books, wallet and cell phone in style and impress your friends with your amazing new talent. Bags like these have been popping up at the trendiest outlets, simply made from old pieces of clothing. If these stores can make $40 from their creativity, you can save that much and help to clean out your closet for free.

Materials needed:

• Old T-shirt, tank top, dress shirt, or sweatshirt
• Old belt (preferably cloth or something softer than leather) or necktie
• Needle and thread of any color
• Pair scissors
• Strip of Velcro (you can buy some that irons on to fabric, or get the original kind)
• Piece of chalk

Getting started:

1. Choose one side of the shirt to use for your bag. If you use a dress shirt, we recommend using the side without buttons, but the buttoned side can be interesting as well. Use the chalk to sketch a rectangle that will be folded in half to make the bag. Make sure to trace the rectangle a half inch past the area you want to be visible.

2. Cut the rectangle out of the shirt, fold in half and trim edges so both halves are even. Refold the shirt so the visible side is facing inward.

3. Thread your needle and stitch the side edges together. Don't worry how it looks - the stitches won't be visible from the outside. Just try to make a smooth line.

4. Once you've completed sewing your pouch, flip inside-out so the stitching is hidden and the pattern faces out. If you feel motivated, stitch a seam on both sides of the opening of the bag.

5. If you choose to use a belt as the strap, cut the belt in half.

6. Take both ends of the tie or belt and stitch to the sides of the bag. If you want a shorter strap, stitch the ends along the whole edge of the bag; for a longer strap, stitch higher along the bag's side. If you used a belt, you have the bonus of being able to adjust the length of the strap.

7. Sew or iron (depending on the variety) the Velcro onto the inside edges of the bag to keep it closed.

8. Fill with your loot and show it off to friends.

Total cost: The only cost is the thread, which usually runs about $1 to $2, but you can always borrow some from Grandma.

Challenge Level:

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the Martha Stewart challenge, this is a 4. Sewing has gotten a rep for being an extremely hard task, but this exercise hides bad stitches - basically it's just a matter of sticking a needle through fabric.

Our thoughts:

These purses have gathered a ton of attention and compliments from people who didn't even know they were handmade. Stores like Urban Outfitters currently sell bags made from recycled T-shirts and sweatshirts, but for prices much steeper than a single dollar. Plus, we finally found a use for our old Knowledge Bowl tees!