Turn Your Kid's Old Blue Jeans into a Purse

Before: worn, outgrown jeans

If you have kids, you are likely to have outgrown blue jeans in your house. Old blue jeans are a great source of fabric for crafts, including homemade handbags.

Some of my daughter's old jeans have really nice, decorative pockets that can be reclaimed and repurposed to add interesting details to the bag.

While this bag can be created with a sewing machine or a serger, I recently learned how to use the piping foot of my serger to install a zipper, making the assembly of this blue jeans bag super fast.


Here is how we did it:


Tools

After: Repurposed Blue Jeans Purse

Fabric scissors
Rotary cutter
24 x 36 self healing mat
6 x24 quilting ruler
Embroidery scissors
Sewing Machine or Serger (optional)

Materials
Old blue jeans or other heavy, scrap fabric
Serger thread or sewing thread
Nylon or polyester zipper
Needles

Step 1

Cut jeans

Cut along the inseam of one blue jean leg to create a piece of flat fabric. Cut out a back pocket.

Cut fabric & place pocket

Step 2
Cut a piece of blue jean fabric about 9-inches x 20-inches. Place the pocket where you want it to be on the bag. Pin the pocket in place.

Step 3
Sew the pocket to the material using a top stitch about 1/4-inch from the edge of the pocket.  

Hint: An edge stitch or stitch in the ditch presser foot will make the job a lot easier.

Step 4
Place the nylon or polyester zipper at the edge of the fabric so the right side of the fabric faces the right side of the zipper tape.  

Warning: If you are using a serger, select a zipper that is at least four inches wider than your fabric. The zipper must be wider than the fabric so the blade is not damaged when serging the zipper in place. Also, do not use a metal zipper on a serger or you could damage your blade.

Step 5
Pin or baste or glue baste the zipper to the fabric.
  

Glue baste

Hint: A glue stick or seam tape works very well if you plan to serge the zipper to the fabric.

Step 6
Sew one side of the zipper. Repeat for the second side of the zipper.

Step 7

Cut inseam

Prepare the handle for the handbag. Cut the inseam off the length of the blue jeans.

Serge inseam to create handle

Serge over the inseam to create a strong, durable handle for your repurposed blue jeans bag. Turn the inseam around and serge the other side of the inseam.

Determine the length handle you want for your bag and cut the serged inseam to that length.

Step 8
Turn the bag so it is inside out. Insert the serged inseam you prepared as a hnadle just above the zipper so each end of the inseam pokes out of the bag and will be caught and sewn in place as you sew or serge the sides of the bag closed. Check to be sure the handle of the bag will not be caught, just the ends. Sew or serge the edges of the bag.

Add depth to bag

Step 9
Add depth to your bag by folding the bottom corners of the bag out and serging over the corners.

Step 10

Handbag from repurposed blue jeans

Turn the bag right side out and enjoy.

Further Reading:
"Hip Handbags"; Valerie Van Arsdale Shrader; 2005.
"Handbag Designer 101"; Emily Blumenthal; 2011.

Related Tutorials 
Make a Grocery Bag from Scrap Fabric
Make a Grocery Tote Bag from a T-Shirt
Make a Purse from Blue Jeans Shorts
Make a Throw Blanket from Old Sweaters