My blog friend and fellow recycled crafter Carmen is back to share a cool project that she created using old denim from jeans. She used the jeans, along with bandannas and other recycled materials to decorate these flower pots.

Here is another denim pot she covered and used a pocket too. She created a fun gardening gift package with this project. You can see Carmen’s step-by-step photo tutorial here to help you create your own unique recycled denim pot cover. […]

My next bib is smaller and features ribbon for the ties. I thought the ribbon would be gentler for a younger baby’s skin than the denim ties.

Below you will find a picture tutorial showing how I made each of these recycled denim heart bibs.

First I cut a heart-shaped template for my bib using a newspaper ad. Fold the heart in half and trim it so each side is shaped evenly. The heart template for the larger bib is 8″ wide by 10″ long. For the smaller bib, my template is 7″ by 7″. Just cut the size you want with a little extra for your narrow sewn seams. I also made a small heart for an embellishment.

Click on any photos to supersize

Lay your heart template on the pair of jeans and cut two. I used the leg so I just made both my hearts from this spot on the jeans.

Now with right sides together, cut your ribbon or use a trimmed side seam from a pair of jeans for the ties and insert it inside as shown in the picture. Each of my ties are about 12 inches long and you just pin them in place on the inside edge of the heart as shown. Just make sure you bunch the ties up together in the middle of the heart before sewing so only the top edge gets stitched in place. Sew around the heart, stitching close to the edge so you have a narrow hem and leave a opening at one side as shown for turning your bib to the outside.

Clip the curves and heart center seam just a bit so it lays flat after turning. Turn the bib to the outside through the opening you left from machine stitching. Press with hot iron and hand stitch close the opening you left for turning. You can top stitch around the heart as I did in the smaller bib and added a small denim heart to the center.

The larger bib I added a trimmed jean pocket to the front and hand stitched it in place. You can add other embellishments and trim as desired. I hope you have enjoyed this upcycled denim project. You can find more recycled denim projects and tutorials at my blog. Enjoy and happy crafting to all![…]

Here is the back of the stocking. I left mine plain but you could add embellishments. Another option is to just make your entire stocking like this one and not use a printed panel as I did on the stocking above. Either way your recycled denim Christmas stocking is sure to be one-of-a-kind!

Below is a mini tutorial showing the steps to make your denim Christmas stocking.
Step 1
All pictures are clickable to view full-sized
Using a pre-printed Christmas stocking panel, lay it on the pant leg and cut out two denim stockings. Cut so you have extra material around all edges of the stocking.

Step 2

Place print side facing out on top of the right side of one denim stocking piece. Machine stitch around the edge marked for printed stocking.

Step 3

Then with right sides together, pin in place other denim stocking piece and printed stocking. Machine stitch together by using the prior stitching on the back side of denim stocking as your guide so you stitch it exactly over printed stocking edges.

Step 4

Trim all seams. Leave extra denim material at top of stocking for trim. Turn right sides out and press. I turned down a small hem on the printed stocking panel and used fusing tape to hold it in place.

Step 5
With a small steel crochet hook, crochet around the unfinished top edge of the denim stocking using a SC stitch. You have to carefully working the first row into the denim evenly around using the steel hook to make a small hole in the denim for your SC stitch. Switch to a larger crochet hook once the first base row is completed. I used a US size D hook and worked 6 rows of SC around the stocking top with sport weight yarn. Add the jingle bell on your last row. Then chain to make a small hook for hanging up the stocking. Finish off.[…]

Here is my denim potholder in use.

Old recycled denim makes great potholders. All you need is an old pair of jeans, some cotton for padding and I added a piece of insul-bright. Insul-bright is an inexpensive reflective material that is designed for providing padding for potholders, oven mitts etc. Use only 100% cotton towels and cotton crafting batting. Do not use polyester batting or towels as the heat passes right through that material. I paid less than a dollar for a small piece of insul-bright so I figure this is a bargain to provide a good insulation for my potholder. Plus I have leftovers for my future oven mitt project.

Below you will find my step-by-step picture tutorial on how to make this recycled denim potholder.

Cut a piece of denim from an old pair of jeans about 9 inches long with the leg seams intact. If your pant leg is too wide, just sew a seam down each side to make the denim shell as shown.
All Pictures are Clickable

Fold over and press a hem on both unfinished edges as shown.

A picture that shows the insul-bright I used.

I used an old cotton towel for additional padding for my insert inside my denim shell. Cut your cotton towel and insul-bright piece just slightly smaller than your denim piece. I zig-zag’d around the towel and insul-bright piece to secure them together.
Trim your edges and insert this inside your denim shell.

Here is the denim shell shown with the towel and insul-bright inserted inside.

I then pinned and stitched around the top and bottom hems once to close them off and again to secure the insert inside in place. Finish by sewing a trimmed jeans pocket on the outside of the potholder around on 3 sides of the original pocket stitching.
[…]

Here is my completed recycled denim tote bag with tutorial. I recycled an old pair of my son’s jeans to create this tote bag pattern. I used just one pant leg for the body of the bag and the other pant leg to make the straps. I lined the bag with some thrift store material that I bought for only a dollar. I want to remind readers here that I have stated in the past that I am not a seamstress so if my tutorial isn’t quite right, please be gentle. First and far most I am a recycler who tries to crochet and sew green, eco-friendly products. So with that being said, here’s my step-by-step instructions on how you too can sew a recycled denim tote bag.

First get a pant leg as shown.
All pictures are clickable complete tutorial click on the read more link here

Cut off bottom hem as shown.

Open up and fold with side seams matching.

Trim panel to approx. 14″ wide by 28-1/2″ long for tote bag as shown.

Folded back to show bag body.

Denim edge pinned on inside as shown. Sew down folded hem.

Top edge sewn and ready for side seams. Make sure you use a heavy-duty denim sewing machine needle.

Inside seams before sewn.

Sewn down side seams on outside edge. Outside seams sown after sewn.

Finish the top edges of jean pocket as shown.
All pictures are clickable

Finished jean pocket.

Here are the strap strips which are 4-1/2″ wide by 29″ long each before sewing.

Here are the straps sewn and turned right side out. I then top-stitched along the both edges on the straps.

Inside corner prep which creates a flat bottom so the bag stands up.

Corner sewn on inside 2 inches deep on both sides of the denim shell.

Here is the finished corners from the outside.

Lining with 14″ zipper. Remember the right side of fabric will be on the inside so you can insert it into the finished denim bag shell.

Pin zipper to lining as shown. My zipper was a bit long but don’t worry, you can just hide the long end inside the bag once it’s sewn inside the denim shell.

Stitch along the edges of zipper and lining as shown.

Turn lining right side in once zipper is sewn in.

Finished lining shown.

Corner of lining sewn just like on denim corner to create flat bottom.

I wanted to have an inside pocket on my tote so I added this little pocket shown here pinned to the right side of fabric.
Finished measurement on pocket is 5-1/2″ wide by 6″ long.

Now you turned the lining (right side of fabric) to the inside.

Outside pocket that I stitched in place on the denim bag shell. I machine sewed this in place over the existing top-stitching on pocket.

Next I pinned the straps in place about 2-1/2″ from either side. I overlapped the ends of strap just a bit as […]

Here is my first machine-sewn recycled denim jean bag. I’ve been wanting to get this posted for quite awhile. I’ve been working on sewing denim totes from old jeans that I have. This is my first attempt and please understand that I am not a seamstress. This is truly a work in progress to create a small denim tote bag. I made this using only the pant leg of some old jeans. Then I added the outside pocket which I stitched around through the original pocket stitching to secure it to the tote bag.

I recycled an old curtain and cut it up to make my lining. I added in some pockets from an old denim shirt I had. This picture was taken when I just had the lining pinned in place.

Here is a picture of the handles I made for this bag. After I trimmed the seams, I turned them right side out. I then top-stitched the handles.

click to view larger

Here is a picture on how I attached the handles. I put them inside between the denim and the lining. I then stitched around the top to secure the lining to the bag with the straps in place. Make sure you use a machine needle designed for heavy denim as they work much better and don’t break like regular sewing machine needles do. The finished size of this bag is 7-1/2″ wide x 11″ long with 18″ straps.

click to view larger

I am working on a picture tutorial for a denim tote bag with a zippered lining. It will have step-by-step pictures. Once I have it completed, I will post it here for everyone. Recycling old denim jeans is really a lot of fun and I hope you’ll give it a try![…]