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Showing posts with label Mean Green Blue Jeans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mean Green Blue Jeans. Show all posts

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Upcycled bag / purse tutorial ....or... Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 4)

The idea for this project came to me in the middle of the night and is the reason why I now keep a notebook by my bedside! I couldn't stop thinking about it and ended up writing it down so I wouldn't have it floating in my head (or floating OUT of my head!)  In fact, my husband had to threaten to TAKE the notebook away from me because the ideas wouldn't stop comming out of my head! The pics are almost in the form of a tutorial, but , I tend to not work from patterns a lot, so, help yourself to copying it, but be prepared......no measurements!

Look...A pair of jeans...I think I'll make a purse...a HUGE purse!

But, I don't want it to be bulky, so I'll cut off these parts...

And these...(maybe these will be inside pockets when I'm done!)

I think I'll leave the pocket liners.....yeah, i will!

These two paisley fabrics that I got from a resale shop will work!

Hey, these cut-outs make great patterns for the fabric....I'll just cut the fabric bigger for seam allowances!

One from the pre-quilted paisley for the outside and one of the cotton paisley(cut facing away) for the inside of the purse!

I'll fold under the edges and iron them....then I'll attatch them with a zig-zag stitch!

Not until I fold and iron the inner fabric so I can pin and sew them at the same time though! 
I will lay them over and under the jean and sew along the edges.

Sewing around the front pocket insert is tricky, I'll have to sew the inside and outside seperate here so I dont sew through the pocket!

Whew, that was tricky!

I could just sew the bottom together and then sew off little triangles at the edges to make the bottom, but the CIRCLE is what was in my head last night, so thats what I'm gonna do!

I'm folding the circle twice to find exact centers.



Four center points are needed.

Now I'll attatch and sew the bottom. (wish I'd had my serger out here, then I could have finished the edges nicer!)
I kinda forgot to take better pics of the part where I sewed on the straps and belt, but here are some close-ups!  I just cut long rectangles, sewed, and inverted them.  Then I attatched them inside the pockets in the front and just under where the belt would cover in the back.

I did the same for the belt, but I didn't sew it down, I just laced it through the loops and knotted it.

Here is the back end of my gigantic purse.

And here is the front! (modeled by my oldest daughter...which makes it look even bigger!)

I would LOVE to see your version, so comment with a link to yours!

Purses from BagInc starting at $29! Click Here!

Denim Upcycle Aprons .... Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 3)

Here are the aprons I made from them for Christmas presents:

My mom's apron also has the pockets and ruffle from a ripped apart miniskirt!

The two on the sides are my daughters.  Their aprons are made with scraps from jumpers I've made.  The one on the left is actually a half apron.

Pay no attention to the handsome man on the right...He's my dad and his apron was OBVIOUSLY not made from the jeans!( I'll post on that one later!)

Scrappy Upcycled Apron ...or... Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 2)

Here is the apron I made for my friend from her hubby's jeans!
I had my daughter model it!

I have fun making things obnoxiously uneven!

I cut the side seams from the jeans to make the side and neck straps.

The but pockets were much cuter cut apart and set slightly uneven!

I had to make sure I left the tag! 
 I made button holes in the neck and sides to push the side strips through and then I just tied knots in them to keep them in!

I used my serger( AMAZING invention!) to attatch all the edges...LOVE the random pocket!

Mean Green Blue Jeans! (pt 1)

Friday, January 28, 2011


Ok, so, "Go Green" is the thing, I know that.....but for me, being "SEW CHEAP" is just as much about SAVING green!  In today's economy, why spend (or expect others to spend) ridiculous amounts of money on things when you can just make due by recycling what  you have?  That being said, the story of the "Mean Green Blue Jeans" begins!

My good friend (who knows me so well!) gave me not one, but 4 pair of her husbands old worn-out work jeans to do with as I pleased.  Well, THEN, it began!  I was SO excited to have these little gems!( he's well over 6ft, NOT so little!)   I got right to work looking for fun things to "upcycle" them into!  So far, I have made a giant carry/all, four aprons, two lunch bags, and a gift bag!  The most gratifying moment so far has been being able to take squares out of the jeans and make a special apron for my friend out of them!  Now she can try HER hand at wearing out her hubby's jeans in the KITCHEN!

Between today and tomorrow, I hope to be able to post some of these fun projects along with the inspiration for them.  I hope you enjoy, please feel free to post links to your favorite blue jean projects as well!


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