Recycling Your Old Jeans

You don’t have to be a seamstress – if you have basic sewing skills you can turn your old jeans into something fabulous. Here are a few suggestions:

Pillows: Cut the legs into a tube, stuff with cotton and sew the ends shut. Make a smaller version for a travel pillow, or a larger version to decorate a living room or bedroom. Add decorative touches like buttons or use the back pocket of the jeans for an interesting effect.

Handbag: Cut the legs below the crotch, sew each leg shut and thread a rope or ribbon through the belt loops for a handle. This can be used as a hip and unusual handbag, or as a shopping bag for the environmentalist. Various size jeans will create different sized bags. Pick a plain cotton rope as a handle for the eco friendly person, or use a decorative, glittery rope for the fashionista.

Potholders: Line denim squares with fleece, quilt batting or more layers of denim to create a thick potholder. Quilt together. Hem the edges, or seam with tape or ribbon. You can add rick-rack and other decorative designs too. The perfect gift for the chef in your family!

Coin Purse: The back pocket of jeans makes the perfect coin purse. Just cut closely around the pocket for an instant pouch. Add a zipper or button closure if desired. You can decorate with buttons, ribbons, fabric print or beads.