jeans bags

Some time last Spring I was asked to teach a refashion sort of workshop. So, I did one about taking a pair of jeans and turning it into a bag.

I posted quite a while ago about the first one of these I made to hold a project for City and Guilds. For a very long time, it was the only bag I used for going down to the shops. (Oops, looks like it needs thrown in the wash!)

1-Chop the legs off the bottom of a small size pair of trousers. This bag was made from a small size pair of stretch velvet trousers. Chop it just above the crutch.

2-Turn inside out and stitch across the bottom.

3-Make straps from strips of fabric from the legs. Pin to see where you like them placed. Then stitch them on firmly.

4- If you like, stitch round pockets, along straps and other areas with a machine stitch or by hand.

5-If you really want to get funky, make a bag pocket and stitch it to the inside parts of the zip...then open the zip to have a cool pocket so you can get to your phone or keys easier.

I made a few samples for my workshop using some of my son's old jeans. I added simple trims because it was only a 2 hour workshop. They have been on the 'to do' pile since then because I wanted to add more to them.

So, yesterday and today I have been working on them. I hope to use them for gifts.

Here are a couple with lace trim.
front

back

and they all have the secret pocket where the fly zip is.

I had also developed a different type of bag from the left over legs. These I trimmed with fabric.

I really like how they came out. They have a large pocket on the front and on the back.

Not sure if I will make any more before Christmas or not. Those were the ones cut. I need to work out who else needs presents. My Thoughtful Man and a Certain Young Man have gone to York to move my mother-in-law's things to different locations now that she is in a home. I may spend tomorrow or Friday doing Christmas baking!

I am going to add this to Off the Wall Friday when it comes up. It is over at Nina-Marie's.