How to make an Instant Denim Jeans bag

A denim jeans bag is quick and cheap to make and fun to carry. It makes an easy project for you or with your children or for teens.    

Ingredients

A pair of denim shorts

A long or short handle with clips at the ends

Fabric glue

I loved using a pair of decorated small girl’s denim shorts. They came from the thrift store, are already prettily embellished, and make a sweet bag that is not so big that it looks like a weekend case. Also, it does not need such strong handles as a bag made from a larger pair of jeans or shorts. Even from the back, it also does not look as though you are carrying a fat butt. The wee pockets make useful places to put your phone, tickets etc.

Find an old bag (don’t we all know some!) with a spare shoulder strap, (the kind that is usually just discarded and forgotten somewhere), to use for a shoulder length handle.

Turn the shorts inside out and run a line of fabric glue (I use Fabric-tac) along the end of the leg. You can also use a glue gun and hot glue sticks. Press the fabric together. Repeat on the other leg!

Test the strength of the bag seams by carrying around your typical handbag load at home first.  

An over the shoulder handle from a strong laptop case looks perfect for a plain jeans look and has comfortable shoulder padding.

 You can upgrade your purse by:

·        Threading a scarf or a rolled piece of fabric (or even a belt) through the belt loops, matching the color to your outfit.

·        Inserting beaded ribbon between the front and back sides of the leg when you glue it, making a fringe. Bear in mind you may rest your bag down on the beads, however, so you wouldn’t want to put it on the floor.

·        Embellish it with iron-on transfers   

·        Reinforcing the glued legs by hand sewing with strong thread using a darning needle.

·     Adding a closure made of a spot of velcro on the mid points of back and front, or along the whole way, if you want something more secure.

You could use an old denim miniskirt for a straighter look across the base.  

With a large floppy pink scarf, through the belt loops, tied with a bow, and a leather handle, your bag takes on a pretty, girlie character and you could carry it at a wedding.