How to Turn Old Jeans Into a Denim Tote Bag | Miarti 🧵, by Miarti - Reuse on YouTube. 2 min 38 s.
- Video length
- 2 min 38 s
- Time to do it
- 2 to 3 hours
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 12
What you need
Steps
Cut one pant leg from the old jeans. Split the inner seam open, lay the denim flat and press it with a hot iron so the fabric is smooth.
The leg edge is curved. Draw a straight line across it, pin the fabric and sew a machine stitch along the line to square off the piece.
Cut away the excess fabric. Trace the main bag template, 55x35 cm, onto the denim with chalk and cut it out.
Fold the denim piece in half and cut out the 4x4 cm corner squares from the template so the bag gets its base shape.
Iron fusible interfacing onto the back of the denim piece, following the product instructions.
Lay the denim on the cotton fabric and cut a lining piece the same size.
Make the pocket from the 28x28 cm piece: fold it, stitch the side seams, trim the corners and turn it right side out. Mark the compartment lines.
Place the pocket on the lining, pin it and machine stitch along the marked lines. Stitch a patch to the right side of the denim if you want one.
Mark the handle lines with a 5 cm offset. Cut 85 cm of webbing, fold each end under by 1 cm and stitch the handles in place.
Pin the zipper along the top edge, cover it with the lining, and stitch the denim and lining together along the curved edge. Notch the seam allowances, turn right side out and topstitch.
Close the zipper, turn the bag wrong side out and clip the corners. Stitch the bottom corners to give the bag its base volume, then cover the raw edges with lining tape.
Turn the bag right side out through the open zipper and check the finished size and capacity.
Tips and common mistakes
Use a denim needle and a longer stitch length so the machine handles thick seams without breaking thread.
Press every seam as you go, since flat seams make the final topstitching much neater.
Notch the curved seam allowances before turning so the zipper edge lies flat.
Test the fusible interfacing on a scrap first to avoid scorching the denim.
Questions
What size is the finished bag?
The finished tote measures about 32x23x10 cm, so it holds a good amount of shopping or daily items.
Can I skip the zipper?
Yes. You can leave the top open and just stitch the lining to the denim, but the bag will be less secure.
Do I need a special needle for denim?
A denim or heavy-duty needle, size 90 to 100, works best. A standard needle may bend or break on thick seams.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
