• Use an old shirt to construct a trendy addition to your teen's bedroom.T-shirt image by Antonio Oquias from Fotolia.com
  
  Tossing out old shirts can seem like such a waste. While they may be tattered and torn, these seemingly no-good pieces of clothing can serve a much better purpose in a teen's bedroom than in a garbage dump. With a few simple tools, you can transform old shirts into works of art. You may even score some bonus points with your teen for being so crafty!
  
  

Pillowcases

• Extra fabric from old t-shirts is a great material for pillow coverings. In department stores, you often see jersey pillowcases that can cost an arm and a leg. Those high-dollar pillowcases are made from the same material as the old shirts stored away in your closet. To construct t-shirt pillowcases, measure the dimensions of the pillows on your teen's bed. Use the measurements to determine how much t-shirt fabric you will need to cover them. Use a sewing machine to sew up three sides of the pillow case leaving one side open to insert the pillow. Wash your newly constructed pillowcases in bleach (use color-safe bleach if your fabric is colored) before using them in on your teen's bed. Also consider using a button down shirt for decorative throw pillows.
  
  

Wall Decor

• Old shirts have their place in the world of wall decor as well. To create a unique piece of wall art, cut the sleeves and neck off of an old white t-shirt creating a rectangular piece of fabric. Using fabric paint, allow your teen and her friends to make hand prints on the fabric. Give them a permanent marker to sign their names to the fabric. Include the date of creation as well. Allow the paint the dry according to manufacturer's instructions and then frame the fabric with a standard frame. Hang the personalized art on the wall in your teen's bedroom for years of good memories with good friends.
  
  

Collage Backdrop

• Teens generally love to display pictures in their bedrooms of themselves and their friends. Use a old t-shirt from your teen's soccer, basketball, or dance organization. Cut out the team's logo and some extra fabric surrounding it. If your teen's name is on the shirt, be sure to cut that out as well. Allow your teen to choose pictures that she wants to display with the team t-shirt cutouts. Use the cutouts as backdrops for the pictures in an over-sized frame to create a memorable picture college. Hang the collage on the wall or display it on a computer desk, nightstand, or dresser.