Hey, my name is Emma and I have been sewing since I was little kiddo with my Grandma and Mum, it started with small things, homewares etc and selling them at craft fairs. Then I moved onto bags, quilts, clothing, random stuff and now I sew all of the aforementioned for myself and family.
I am super lucky enough to own a fabric and haberdashery business in the UK but back when I was younger and fabric shops were scarce, I loved nothing more that grabbing something old and turning it into something new. This is what brought me to todays blog!
What To Do With Old Jeans?
You know that pair of old jeans we all have kicking about (or multiple in my case), those ones that had the knee put through or the crotch went thin or those which ended up paint splattered but you just could not get rid of them…..yes, we know you hid them in the wardrobe! Well, I want to help you all turn those unworn but well loved jeans into something else.
Denim is such a fantastic resource for us crafters and can be turned into SO many things! I decided to turn my old pair I found into an Ellie & Mac ‘Pack Your Bag Backpack’ and boy did it turn out CUTE!
Lets get started 😊
1) Go raid those cupboards and free those jeans you’ve had stashed, mine were a men’s medium sized pair which had started going thin in the crotch area. Start by cutting the jeans so they lay flat, the easiest way is up the inside leg and round the crotch, that way you get a front and back still sewn together and it will sit flat and give you the most useable pieces of fabric. You will see from the photos that I did not cut through my waistband initially as I wasn’t sure if I would use a length of that as a strap.
2) Grab your pattern and lay out the pieces to start getting inventive, this is where you can play with colours, patterns and design. I decided I wanted to use as many of the original features of the jeans as I possibly could, I also wanted to make the small version of the backpack then my little boy could use it (made out of daddy’s jeans…sweet).
I also grabbed a remnant of cotton for the lining which was left over from one of the first shirts I made my son as we both love the fun seaside print and I thought it was a nice way to include him in this recycled ‘bag for the boys’.
You could also repurpose something you don’t use anymore for the linings….a shirt, old baby bedding, a favourite cushion, the list is endless. I did think about an old football shirt and interfacing it well but alas, none of the family would part with one for me!
3) The jeans were plenty big enough to get the all the pieces out (if you are doing a bigger size or different pattern, you could always use multiple pairs) and I decided it would be fun to use the waistband for the top hook and bottom straps. You could do the front pocket plain as per the instructions and cut from the bottom of the leg or do as I did and cut over one of the back pockets at an angle, this means that not only do you get a kangaroo pocket on the front of your bag but there’s also a teeny tiny extra pocket on the front of that which is perfect for hanging sunglasses, keeping pens, sweets etc at hand.
4) Once you have all your pattern pieces cut, make sure you interface the denim with a good woven interfacing, especially if you have some stretch in your denim.
5) Sticking in the name of upcycling, I also decided rather than adding an internal zip pocket, why not use another of the back pockets off the jeans as the internal pocket. To do this, cut around the pocket leaving approximately 1cm (3/8") all the way around, this doesn’t have to be perfect its simply to iron underneath the pocket to keep it all neat. If you are doing this little extra rather than a zip pocket, make sure you interface the piece of lining fabric you will be stitching it onto (front or back, your choice) to give it a little more stability to hold the denim pocket. Then simply pin in place and sew the pocket onto the lining piece before you start constructing the bag.
6) The bag can then be constructed as per the pattern, I found using denim no problems on a standard sewing machine however here’s a few ideas to help if you do struggle.
TIPS For Sewing with Denim
· Make sure to use a denim needle in your machine
· Don’t be afraid to use a hammer to whack down those chunky areas before you sew (am I weird to have a hammer in my sewing kit?)
· Go slowly over the thicker parts and hand crank if you need to
· Elongate the stitch length
Upcycled Backpack Reveal
Then stand back and be proud of what you have just made using old, unloved items of clothing!!
I think I especially love using the waistband as the grab handle as I left a belt loop attached and from the back you can see what was the old printed label in the jeans.
The back jeans pocket used as an internal pocket also works super well for this small bag and was quicker than adding a zip pocket.
Go forth, raid those cupboards, visit the charity shop (thrift store for those not in the UK) and have fun upcycling those unwanted items. There are so many Ellie and Mac patterns which would work well. I have listed some below.
Where to Find This and Other Great Patterns for Upcycling:
Here are some links to the main Pack you Bag Pattern which I used (comes in 3 sizes) and some other suitable patterns, there are more but these are my personal favourites. The links are affiliate ones and help me with my pattern hoarding addition!
This Backpack Pattern: Pack Your Bag Backpack Sewing Pattern:
This is a link to the E&M Tessa Pouch which would be fab made out of upcycled clothing: Tessa Toiletry Pouch Sewing Pattern
The Callie Casual Sling Bag Pattern: Callie Casual Sling Bag Sewing Pattern
- Written by Emma Cockerline-Smith
