Re-Cycled Jeans Hand Bags

What can you do with your favorite pair of jeans once they are too worn to wear, or just out grown? I hate throwing things away. I am like those hoarders that they are making TV shows about that have piles and piles of stuff that they just can't get rid of. My husband and I live in a three bedroom house and two of those bedrooms that are supposed to be for guest rooms are in fact rooms to hold all the things that I keep, thinking someday I will find a use for that and I will be glad I kept it.

A few years ago I decided to try to use up all the things that I have kept over the years to cut down on the clutter, and maybe make money in the process. I started making these handbags out of the old jeans that I will never get small enough to wear anymore. I sell them for $15.oo each, or give them as Christmas or birthday presents (which saves money too because I am not out any cash for the present).

I use scraps of fabric left over from other projects to make the lining. Pockets can be put on the inside if you like, but I usually don't because there are plenty of pockets already on the jeans. On the two bags shown in these pictures, I decorated them by felting flowers, scrolls, and hearts using loose wool (that I carded and dyed myself) and a felting needle. The belts and shoulder straps can be done in a variety of ways. Sometimes I use old belts of mine and sometimes I make them using the pant legs that were cut off. Macrame shoulder straps (not shown) also look nice and sell pretty well.

Use pants size 12 or smaller, anything bigger just looks like you are carrying around a duffel bag. Children's and baby jeans work great. The larger ones can even be used for diaper bags. Bottles slide down in the front pockets for easy access.

Brown bagging in style

Everyone is trying to save money these days and taking a lunch from home is one way to do that. This is a lunch bag that I made totally out of scrap upholstery fabric and left over pieces of fabric that I made some curtains out of.
I used the upholstery scraps and made two log cabin blocks set on point for the front and back. The sides and bottom are corduroy. The inside is lined with green plaid, and I used the same fabric to make two matching napkins. I crocheted around the edge of the napkins to make it look nice. I made the bag large enough to hold two Glad sandwich containers and two drinks.
Since it was made with scraps, it didn't cost me anything to make and no one will ever pick up my lunch by mistake.

Pretty dresses for a little Angel

I made these dresses out of quilt scraps. I just went through my scrap bag and picked out colors that went together. On this first dress, I made the skirt by cutting out wedges of fabric that measure 2 1/2 inches across the top, and 7 1/2 inches across the bottom. The diameter of the bottom of the bodice is 20 inches so I used 5 panels for the front and 5 for the back.

I did french fold bindings around the neck and arm holes, and with my tube turner, I made tubes and appliqued them in a design around the neck for added decoration. The belt and bow are attached in the front, and I crocheted loops for belt carriers on both sides. The bottom is the wagon wheel crochet pattern in white with sage green on the outer edge.

Here is my little angel wearing it.

This is another summer play dress done in two colors. I had enough to make the gathered skirt without piecing like the one before. The bodice has french fold bindings on the neck and armholes. The bow I set to one side instead of centering. The edging on the bottom is two rows of single crochet, and two rows of shell with rose colored embroidery floss woven thru the second row of single crochet to add color.