We're all familiar with the concept of a ladder in tights, but have you heard of a ladder in a t-shirt?  The ladders we're talking about aren't the result of a snag, but instead are there by design, as a way of customizing and reworking old t-shirts into something new, and a good way to keep teenagers occupied during the holidays. All you need is a t-shirt and some scissors, so it couldn't be easier.  You're going to be cutting the t-shirt up, so don't do this with your favourite one!  Start by deciding where you want the ladder to go and how big it will be. The easiest place to ladder a t-shirt is at the back, but the sides or neckline can be laddered as well.  You also need to know how long and how wide you want the ladder to be. When you have decided on the size and placement, put a mark on either side at the top. Next, take the scissors and cut lines horizontally across the t-shirt the same width all the way down to the bottom. These cuts form the rungs of the ladder.  Next, take each fabric rung and gently stretch it to curl the edges.  You can leave the ladder like this, and for narrower ladders there may not be enough material or room to do any further work. If you are using this simple type of ladder you can even put multiple ladders in a t-shirt to create an intricate striped design that can be worn over another top.  You can also attach some of the rungs together to widen the gaps between them. To create a woven ladder-like design, lay the t-shirt flat and cut away the hem at the bottom of the ladder. Starting from the top of the ladder, take the top fabric rung and pull it down underneath the second. Then take the second rung (now at the top,), and pull it down under the first. Take the third rung and pull it down underneath the second rung, and carry on until you have done this all the way down the ladder. You will end up with a design that looks like three ladders side-by-side, and you can make each ladder as wide as you like. At the bottom of the ladder there will be one remaining loop. Cut the middle of the loop and tie it back on itself around the loop above, tying off the design. You can either trim the ends or add beads. This works best on the back of a t-shirt, as the weaving of the rungs takes up a lot of space. The ladder you create doesn't have to be the same width all the way down; v-shapes can be cut in the back and sides of a t-shirt.  The ladder weaving technique is not confined to single ladders either. With some practice (and perhaps some experience of knots or crochet) you can weave and attach multiple ladders together, and even add in some braiding to create some intricate designs. Using these techniques (and some basic sewing knowledge) almost any t-shirt can be transformed into something completely new with a little bit of customisation. Instead of buying something new, why not save some money and upcycle something you already own? If you get the bug for laddering t-shirts then charity shops and supermarkets are a good place to buy cheap t-shirts to customise. There are good tutorials and ideas online if you need some inspiration.