A few days ago I hit the thrift store and picked up 20 pairs of kids jeans for a buck a pair. My intention was to chop and upcycle into zipper bags :D Chopping and upcycling has now commenced! I cut up the first pair, saving as much "yardage" as I could. I don't save seams, I don't save zippers, I don't save snaps - I just save the easy stuff - the fabric sans seams, the pockets (if they're easily removed), the buttons (if they're regular buttons) and the waistband elastic (if it's easily removed). I know all the parts can be saved and used - I've seen the pins - but I'm not that fond of raw edges and frankly, I think some of the projects made with seams and other bits, are rather ... ummm ... not to my taste *ahem* :D Here's what I finished up with the denim from one pair of jeans:
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Basement photography is awkward! These are pictures of the same bag, taken within seconds of each other, believe it or not. On top is the front of the bag, embellished with some of the waistband elastic stitched on :D In the middle is the back of the bag, with the size tag added :D The last picture is a close-up of the tag - this zipper bag is now officially a size 16 :)
Here's the next bag - I embellished it with some aliens/spaceship ribbon, and added a zipper pull of the planet Saturn :D
Here's a bag with one of the jeans pockets attached to the front (it took me quite a while to remove the pockets from the jeans - they're really FIRMLY stitched on!) - the back has another piece of the waistband elastic stitched on :D
An
earbud pouch! Zipper pull is a scorpion charm from Ebay. Coincidentally - while I was taking the photo of this bag, I was watching the show
Scorpion on TV, haha. Love that show!
Here we have a
front zip pouch, with the 2nd back pocket stitched on to the front :)
A two-fer :) On the left is a
Magic Pouch (a tutorial I found recently, and liked so much that this is Magic Pouch #6 to come out of the suddenlysandra Novelty Pouch Factory :D). On the right - a birdy bag from the book
Zakka Handmades by Amy Morinaka :)
Last, but not least, a pirate bag made with a small (about 7" x 7") pirate panel I found in stash - I don't even remember where I got it. I backed the panel with batting and then quilted it to make the front, then used denim embellished with skull ribbon, for the back.
And there we have it --- 8 little denim bags made from one pair of jeans, some stash supplies and a denim needle :D I'll be chopping up the next pair of jeans soon, and have picked out a few different projects to work on. All of these bags, by the way, will be going to Blue Hills - I really wanted to concentrate on bags suitable for boys because I send them a lot of girl stuff - boys definitely need equal representation :D
Oh, you goodness, you just blow me away! I don't like to work with upcycled denim much because it's so, so thick trying to turn those corners put! That certainly didn't stop you!
ReplyDeleteOoohhh,love that pocket zip pouch and that bird and the elastic trim and the pirate fabric one, the ribbon -- okay, everything as usual.
ReplyDeleteKids jeans are fiddly small. I upcycle adult jeans because there's more 'yardage'.
ReplyDeleteI like the birdy pouch best with its beak.
Great going making 8 zippies from one pair of kid jeans. My favourite is the one with the spaceship ribbon. Adding pockets to some is a cool idea.
ReplyDeleteThese are brilliant Sandra, what a great recycler/upcycler you are!
ReplyDeleteLook at you go - I'm sure the boys will appreciate it girl! Love those bags so much!
ReplyDeleteOh well done - I do like a bit of recycled denim!
ReplyDeleteDang! Your like the best sewer ever! How cute are those little bags you've made out of jeans, wow!
ReplyDeletewhat a cool collection of little bags! One for every style ;-)
ReplyDeleteThese a brilliant, Sandra. Upcycling at it's best. I know what you mean about some of the raw edge makes you see pinned and I completely agree that it's much better to be selective and end up with something that looks nice and is usable than stitching together every last scrap and ending up with something no one would want :)
ReplyDeleteOh my these are all WONDERFUL! I'm particularly smitten with the bird bag and the rocket bag! I love that you used the pockets too! You brilliant woman! They are fab and I am sure they will be appreciated!
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