With the help of former Workman intern and videographer Elan Bird, Megan put together 10 quick and easy Halloween costumes that are clever as can be. Check out the video below for a tutorial. (I’m personally quite fond of the Deviled Egg…) Be sure to visit Generation T’s website or on the Gen T facebook page to ooh and ahh over the clever sketches while you’re pondering which t-shirt will make you the hit of your Halloween party.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Megan Nicolay, T-shirt revolutionary, is the author of Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt and Generation T: Beyond Fashion.You can find her and many of her fun DIY projects on the web at Generation-T.com, on Facebook at Generation T, and on Twitter @GenerationTee.

While we here in the States were celebrating Independence Day, our friends across the pond were ringing in the summer at Grillstock, a celebration of all things barbecue. Flossie, 14, was game to help her dad sell some of Steven Raichlen‘s spectacular grilling books—that is until she saw the uniform. The Raichlen shirt was cool, with a hot slogan to match (“Hot enough for you?”), but it was also way too big. And did she really have to wear the same thing as her dad?!

Rob, flanked by BBQ books, models his Raichlen T-shirt—just right for a dad, but for a young T trendsetter? Not so much.

So like any fashion-forward T-shirt reclaimer, Flossie busted out her craft scissors and her copy of Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt and revamped the plain black T into a smokin’ fashion statement!

Flossie shows off her refashioning skillz.

We’ve never seen Generation T and The Barbecue! Bible shelved together, but thanks to Flossie and Rob, we can see how these two books make the perfect summer pair.

I love to give crafty how-to books (for birthdays, holidays, just-because days) because I really believe in empowering people to do for themselves. Whether it’s crocheting, knitting, quilting, sewing, refashioning a T-shirt, baking, or hacking into a dead computer for parts, people like to get gifts that tell them how creative you think they are. And that makes me happy. But I gotta say, sometimes there’s an awesome bonus to giving DIY books! Example: Last year, I gave a copy of Debbie Stoller’s crochet book Stitch ‘N Bitch: The Happy Hooker to my friend Lauren. Several months later, a package arrived from Lauren–inside was a completed One-Skein Scarf (page 100) just for me!

PS: Happy National Crochet Week! What are you hookin’ up?

Banned for Life

Says Megan, “You can cut the neckpiece out of a T-shirt and slip it over your head as an instant headband, or you can take a few more steps for a more glamorous payoff.” This project involves some simple sewing (so simple that I can do it) and looks great when finished.

Refashioning T-shirts is pretty thrifty!

You’ll need:

• 2 T-shirts (in different colors)
• ruler
• scissors
• straight pins
• needle
• thread

xxx

1. Cut the bottom 2″ to 3″ off the bottom of two T-shirts in different colors. (I’ve chosen red and gray.) Lay the two “tubes” flat next to each other and snip through the sides of each tube to make approximately 48″-long strips.

2. Lay the strips on top of each other, right sides together, and pin them along both edges. Trim at one end so they’re the same length.

3. Using a whipstitch, sew the two strips together along the pinned edges (leaving the ends open). Remove the pins and turn the band right side out.

4. Press the band flat so that the seam is in the center, splitting the two colors like a black-and-white cookie.

5. Wrap the band around your head so that the ends are at the top of your forehead. Tie them in a single knot.

6. Twist the two ends together to form a single rope, and spiral the rope around the knot so that it fits tightly against your head. It’ll look a bit like a flower.

T-shirt fashion! Long hair not required.

7. Secure the end by tucking it in between wraps in the spiral. Adjust the band so that the “flower” rests slightly to one side. (Note: This wrap is temporary. If you want the spiral to last, slip the band gently off your head and stitch the knot in place.) Et voila!

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Check back later in the month for other fun crafting how-tos. Plus check out Megan’s site, Generation-T.com, for more great ways to upcycle your T-shirts into something new!

That’s right—it’s the ultimate gift-giving resource, divided into three easy parts. This morning’s installation is all about gifts for Kids and Kids-at-Heart. So go ahead: Consult the list to find the perfect gift for even your hardest-to-shop-for friends and relatives. Then stay tuned for part two, The Grown-Ups’ Table, and part three, Might-as-Well-Be-Family Friends, coming up later today and tomorrow morning.  Plus, if you’ve got any suggestions for other holiday present-shoppers, leave them in the comments!

For Kids and Kids-at-Heart:

• “I am giving my 1-year-old son Henry Indestructibles: Jungle Rumble! because in the past month he has become a messenger of mayhem. He especially loves ripping up paper, so I’m going to thwart him with this title. Winner: Mama!” —Camille
• “I’m giving Potato Chip Science to my cousins, because they learn best when they are hands-on!” —Cristina
• “My niece is getting Amazing Cows, because she swears by Sandra Boynton, and swears when she doesn’t get Sandra Boynton books.” —Randall
• “My 7-year-old daughter is obsessing over TV ads for the latest toy craze, “Teacup Piggies.” Santa can give her the trashy toy; I’m putting the Pocket Pigs calendar under the tree so she can have real-live cuteness long after the batteries die (and count for herself how many days it is until her birthday!).” —Page
• “My brother gets the Who Farted? Calendar. Yes, he’s in his late 50s, but he’s a pediatrician, so he said he’d put it in his examination room at the hospital and it would really break the ice with new patients.” —Beth
• “I’m giving Doodle: A Chalkboard Calendar to my daughter, to tell her how much I appreciate her goofy creativity. And I Will Teach You to Be Rich goes to my son, who’s just out of college and in a job that pays less than publishing … I’m a Ramit Sethi convert, and I think my son will worry about money less if he automates it more.” —Suzie
• “My youngest sister’s getting a copy of The Girls’ Guide to Rocking, because not much rocks harder than a girl drummer. My other sister will love playing all the ridiculous games in The Games Bible with her new college friends.” —Avery
• “I’ll give Generation T and Generation T: Beyond Fashion to my creative niece, who aspires to be a fashion designer. And thought I’d package it with a few blank T-shirts to get her started!” —Kathy
• “I’m giving Beautiful Oops! (not just for kids!) to an aged hippie grandmother friend who relentlessly “embraces” creativity wherever and however she finds it. Which is everywhere.

Keep your eye on this space for Part 2: The Grown-Ups’ Table, coming this afternoon!

Relive the highs via this video by Workman designer Kevin Davidson. Featuring! Allen Kurzweil and son Max demonstrating laws of physics and optics in Potato Chip Science! Megan Nicolay transforming a T-shirt from Generation T: Beyond Fashion–while someone is actually wearing the T-shirt!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bow428K6PY

Perhaps they will inspire you to make something (explosions? fashion?) this holiday season. Back at the Workman compound, we’re busy making books to make all those things possible!

A Pinup Girl halter (project #1, Generation T: Beyond Fashion!) is born.

Avery sports a fabulous new halter top!

By now you may think you know all about our exploits at World Maker Faire (that festival of DIY and creativity that we just can’t stop blogging about), but put that thought away, because we have one more! In this last Author Spotlight, I’m excited to share Megan Nicolay, author of Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-Shirt and Generation T: Beyond Fashion, who drew quite the crowd to our booth.

Megan was on hand both Saturday and Sunday to demonstrate T-shirt refashioning techniques and to autograph copies of her books. Her scissors glinting in the midday sun, Megan made quick work of several leftover T-shirts–cutting them on live models in front of awed spectators!

One such hit was the Pinup Girl halter, project #1 from Generation T: Beyond Fashion, which Megan first tackled on Workman editorial assistant Avery, and then transformed on some members of the crowd. *Snip* the right sleeve disappeared… *snip* a diagonal cut slashed from the neck to the right armhole… *twist* the former sleeve went over her head… and ta-da! New adorable halter top! It was finished with the addition of a Camp Make button from our booth’s button-making machine (yes, button-making machine). In the spirit of the fair, our design team created button templates that celebrated our many books. “Make monsters,” “make puppets,” “make robots,” “make fun,” were just a handful of the options… and, of course, for Generation T, “make fashion.”

Make horizontal cuts...

Another hit was Back in Action, project #101 (also from Gen T: Beyond Fashion), a lattice-work design that you may have seen on many a department store-manufactured tee. It’s amazing how horizontal slits and some simple weaving can turn a boring shirt into a work of art. Once Megan snipped through the fabric to create the slashes you see on the right, she pulled the tee horizontally, and–voila! Any jagged edges left from cutting off the T-shirt hem or sleeve rolled into practically straight perfection with a simple tug and a stretch.

Weave strands...

Fans of all ages took home project cards for inspiration, and some even left with their own refashioned T-shirt (check out those lucky ladies below)! Those who bought books carried away their own pair of Generation T scissors–fancy scissor sheath included for easy transport–to create for themselves a new wardrobe out of piles of old, tired tees.

The refashioning demonstrations were such a big hit that Megan (and Camp Make) got some worthy press! Thanks to Megan, Time Out NY got a snapshot of our booth (#18). She was also featured as an earth-friendly DIY expert at onearth.org.  Be sure to check out her website for her own recaplets of the weekend.

Though the weekend is over, visions of tees and scissors still linger in the minds of the Workman volunteers. In fact, the Workman “Camp Make” crew had tees on the brain even before we got to Maker Faire! In a rash of creativity (see evidence below), we personalized tees that read “A T-shirt is a terrible thing to waste” and wore them all weekend long as our uniform.

A T-shirt is, indeed, a terrible thing to waste.

All in all, it was a very successful weekend. Our puppets, potato propulsion pipes, squiggle bots, and fashionistas scored us an Editor’s Choice award for our busy and interactive booth!

Now, surely you have a tired T-shirt in the back of your drawer that could use some slash and flash?

Matching latticework!

Megan did some on-the-spot refashioning for a few lucky fans.

• Debbie Stoller will be signing books, handing out project recipe cards, and holding a yarn give-away in anticipation of her forthcoming Stitch’n Bitch Superstar Knitting.
• Allen Kurzweil (and son Max) of Potato Chip Science will demonstrate their Potato Propulsion Pipe experiment.
• Noel MacNeal will host a 10-Minute Puppets make-and-take where kids can decorate their own paperbag puppets, fluttery butterflies, and tiny elephants.
• Megan Nicolay will host a T-shirt refashioning demo and mini-workshop and sign copies of Generation T and Generation T: Beyond Fashion.
• Randy Sarafan and his sidekick, the adorable Squiggle Bot (one of the 62 Projects to Make with a Dead Computer) will be signing books and creating original Squiggle Bot artwork for attendees.
• Do Something will help attendees find that “thing” thing they’re passionate about and design their own personal Do Something! Superhero.
• And more! Play massive games from The Games Bible, fold origami, brainstorm new solutions for Kids Make It Better, take the Bananagrams challenge, experiment with Potentially Catastrophic Science, make-and-take a Papertoy Monster…plus visit our button-making station so you can walk away with your own Camp Make badge of honor!

World Maker Faire is a festival full of, well, making. In addition to the fun at Workman, there will be incredible feats of technology and stunning visual displays (ArcAttack’s Singing Tesla Coil as seen on America’s Got Talent), family-friendly activities (the BioBus!), delightful eats (gourmet truck food, anyone?), live music, and a crafty yarn bomb. If it can be made, it will be there: A 13,500-lb, 40-ft-tall Raygun Gothic Rocket, a life-size version of the game Mouse Trap, a bubbling Coke-Mentos fountain… In other words, it’s going to be epic.

If you are in the NYC area and decide to come (day and weekend passes are available for on-site purchase), please stop by the Workman booth and say hi!

What:

World Maker Faire at the NY Hall of Science at the former World’s Fair Grounds in Flushing Meadows, Corona Park, Queens!

Where:

The New York Hall of Science (NYSCI)

47-01 111^th Street

Queens, NY 11368-2950

When:

Saturday,  September 25 10 am – 7 pm

Sunday,  September 26 10 am – 6 pm

You’ve got a whole week to put together a Halloween costume, but if your procrastination skills are anything like mine, you’ll still be wanting for that perfect costume accessory come Friday night (or Saturday afternoon, even?). And who has the time or resolve to battle the last-minute chaos and crowds at costume stores? Here are two super-cool, super-quick, no-sew projects from Generation T: Beyond Fashion that you can make with old T-shirts from your closet—so you can whip up a homemade Halloween costume on the fly. Speaking of fly…

How about a superhero cape? Superheroes are always fun (make a mask, too!), but this cape could also transform you into a dashing Dracula, a mister mysterioso magician, or even crowned royalty! Let the cape be your statement or personalize your look with some fabric markers or iron-on letters.

If you’re trying to channel some warmer weather with your costume, how about this fringe dance skirt? Pair it with a bikini top (which you can actually make using project #49 from Generation T: 108 Ways to Transform a T-shirt) or other tropical attire and you’re ready for a luau. Aloha!

For more T-shirt transformation ideas, check out www.generation-t.com!

–Megan Nicolay

I did spot a couple of girls at the tailgate who were trying to stay cool (and possibly stand out of the crowd) by tying the bottom of their t-shirts in the back and cutting off the sleeves. While I appreciated the effort, their t-shirt refashioning skills could have used a bit of assistance from my friend Megan Nicolay, DIY extraordinaire and author of the bestselling Generation T books. If Megan had been with me at game, she could have transformed their simple and shapeless tees into something exciting and one-of-a-kind.

When I returned to New York City, I asked Megan to share a few projects from her new book, Generation T: Beyond Fashion, that let you show team spirit while also expressing personal style.

• Turn two T-shirts into a flirty babydoll dress (page 78)
• Have fun in the sun with a cute sundress (page 72)
• Stand out in the crowd with a superstar! halter top (page 50)
• Upcyle his T-shirts with one of the 15 men’s projects in chapter 6 (page 198)
• Get the kids into the action with a little empress dress (page 167) or baby tutu (page 152)

Take the football fun to the next level and transform your tees into everything you need for a tailgate:

• Grill Mitt (page 122)
• Picnic Blanket (page 256)
• Grocery Tote (page 127)
• Apron (page 124)
• Drink coasters (page 104)
• Wine cozy (page 102)
• Place Mats (page 100)

Robby Brown, Associate Publicist