Blue Jean Book Bag
by Crystal Miller
Description: How to sew a book bag from recycled blue jeans.
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This is a pretty easy sewing project. It is a cute book bag
made from an old pair of blue jeans. Click here for
a picture of the finished project.
What you will need:
- a pair of old jeans
- a cotton belt (instructions to make one
follow), or a silk type scarf would work too
Step #1. Take a pair of jeans and zip up the front of them
and turn them inside out. With a tape measure, measure
about 3 inches down from the crotch and make a mark. Using
a ruler draw a line across the leg at that mark. Do the
same for the other leg. Now cut the legs off at the line.
Step #2. Now fold the jeans matching the side seams. This
would be just as if you were going to sew a pleat in them
down the front and back. Sew each leg closed 1 inch from
the cut edge. Trim the seam to about a ½ inch.
Step #3. Turn the jeans right side out now and you have a
little bag! Now you can thread a scarf or cotton belt
through the loops and tie or sew the “handles” together.
You can also decorate the outside pockets with lace or a
hanky in the pocket. Do any decorating or creating on your
bag to make it truly yours!
Cotton Belt (for Blue Jean Book Bag)
What you will need:
- cotton fabric of your choice, length of fabric to be your
choice
Step #1. After you determine how long you want your handle
to be cut out a strip of fabric that is this long, plus
about 2 inches for hem. If you need to you can cut out
shorter strips and then sew them together.
Your strips will need to be 4 inches wide x “your determined
length”.
Step #2. Now take your strip of fabric and iron it half the
longest direction. On the short ends of the strip fold them
up so the finished belt will not have any raw edges.
Step #3. After you iron it open it up and fold each side of
the strip to meet the center of the crease left by the iron.
Now refold this in the center and iron the strip again.
Step #4. Sew the strip closed. You now have a long belt to
thread through the belt loops of your book bag. You can sew
the ends closed by overlapping them about 2 inches and
sewing them together.
Crystal Miller is
a mother of 8 children and enjoys her God given role as
wife, homemaker and mother! She has a homemaking and country
living web site called The Family Homestead
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com and has a free
monthly newsletter called Homestead Happenings. You will
find sign up information on her website.
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