Jeans Bag Tutorial

Can’t bear to throw out those jeans, but know that realistically you’ll never squeeze.
Give new life to your old jeans by making a shopping bag with them. Add some patchwork fabric to your design to create an additional dimension. Have fun recycling! 

Fabric Requirements

1 pair of old jeans
1 mtr of patchwork fabric selected from Rowan or FreeSpirit
collections
2 spools of Coats Cotton, nr.50, one in the same blue as the
jeans, and the other to complement the color of the patchwork
fabric.
1 spool of Coats Creative, nr.16 in colour 04710
Sewing machine and sewing accessories

Instructions

1. Cut the legs of the trousers. 

2. Open the 2 legs of the trousers. You need to cut 4 rectangles in total: 2 for the handles and 2 for the base of the bag.  For the side cut 1 rectangle 9cm in height by 66cm in length. Cut the other 9cm in height by 69cm in length.

The difference in length of the two pieces is due to the measurements of the front and back of the bag (the front of the jeans are curved, making it longer). Fold the rectangles in half so you have half the height, and using the blue Coats Cotton, sew them up wrong sides together. Turn out the handles and iron both sides.

3. For the base of the bag cut 2 equal rectangles. The length of the rectangles should have the same measurement as the trousers base. (see picture)  

4. Choose object to draw around to round the corners of the rectangles. Cut the corners so they are now rounded.  

5. Using the blue Coats Cotton, sew the wrong sides of the 2 rectangles together on 3 sides (including the round corners edge), leaving the top open. Cut small triangles of the seams in order to create a better finish when you turn the bag the right way out. 

6. Using Coats Creative, sew both sides of the handles to create a decorative seam (Use an under thread which is Coats Cotton nr.50).
7. Sew the handles on to the bag by sewing a cross on the waistband (please see the picture above). 

8. For the trimming, cut 2 rectangles from the patchwork fabric which is 1mtr in length and 7cm in height. Sew both rectangles together. Fold and iron this band. Using Coats Creative as an under thread and Coats Cotton (which is the patchwork fabric colour) on the top, sew both layers. Fix one side of the seam and gather the under thread to pucker the band which makes a rouching effect. Make sure the rouched band is the total width of the bag, both front and back. Apply on top of the jeans with a zig
zag stitch and then add the other part of the trousers. 

9. For the lining put the bag on the patchwork fabric folded and cut around leaving a small measure around for the seam allowance. Sew both parts (wrong sides) leaving the top open.
Turn out and join the lining to the jeans bag with invisible stitches.
10. Make a bow from the patchwork fabric and apply to the handle.