DIY Handbag Jeans

To re-purpose means transforming an ordinary object into something different it was intended in the first place. This technique has become very popular within the DIY world, and is used often as a replacement for buying new articles and recycling old items. In this project, you will learn, through the pictures and steps provided, how to make a handbag from a pair of unused jeans. You will need:

  • blue (or any other color of) jeans;
  • a sewing machine;
  • zippers;
  • straps;
  • some fabric;
  • a pair of scissors;
  • optional: cardstock;

The process isn’t that hard and it involves using even one leg of the jeans, depending on how big you want the bag to be. Start with placing the jeans material (one leg for example) and reinforcing where the bottom of the bag will be. You can do this by sewing a piece of cardstock or just another piece of material. Or you could leave it without a bottom. Then, sow on both interior sides of the bag (pant leg at this point) some material, leaving the top open for adding a zipper. This will be the inside pockets.

Next are the straps (they could be from any material at your disposal) which are also stitched to the leg, but on the `good` side. Last but not least, the entire length of the top of the zipper is sewed on the material by folding the pant in the way shown in the image. Cut off the excess corners if necessary. Finally, do the lining coupled with the top of the bag. You’re bag is done. If you’re familiar with sowing techniques, it should be easy.