Jeans recycling and me

By far my most popular post was the one where I showed a few ways you could recycle a pair of jeans.
But I have a confession.
I only made a business card case from the list.
*hangs head in shame*
So I sought out new inspiration.
I added some new pins to my pinterest board and I got my craft on.

 

 

 

Source: ejhern on Etsy

Souce: AnnaNimmity on Etsy

Source: ArtfullyCaroline

I was also in possession of a pair of outgrown jeans belonging to the Princess.

If you search on Pinterest for denim or jeans upcycling you will find pins of bags outnumbering other projects at a rate of at least 501 to 1-ish.

So I took my daughters jeans,

chopped them in half retaining the zip and hacked off a leg retaining the pockets,

 
turned the jeans inside out and sewed across the bottom and up the side.
I turned it the right way out again and fashioned a handle out of the leg I had cut off, attaching it at each side with several rows of stitching for strength.
By chance more than by design the handle is exactly the right length to be worn over one shoulder and also to be carried on her micro scooter.

I'm thinking a new line in upcycled jeans micro scooter accessories. Or is that too niche?

Do you have Obssessive Pinterest Disorder?
You may like to join in with Pinaddicts.

25 Recycling Projects For Old Jeans

I'm on a revamping mission. Or is it upcycling? It could be repurposing I suppose. But then again maybe I'm recycling. I'm sure there is an argument to say I'm refashioning. What is the difference anyway?

Recycling according to wikiwhatsit is processing used materials (waste) into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials.
Whereas upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.
Repurposing on the other hand is to use a tool for use as another tool, usually for a purpose unintended by the original tool-maker.
And Refashion does not exist according to the authority that is wikiwhatsit. So it definitely can't be that.

Could jeans be considered a tool? Not sure so let me just say that I have a couple of pairs of jeans that are too big (yay!) and too shabby to be decent for anything more than gardening and I couldn't just throw them out. One pair has a particularly nice back pocket which I thought I could use for something so I googled recycle/repurpose/upcycle/revamp jeans/denim and after hours of research which uncovered a denim covered car (save that project for another day) I found I was spoilt for choice.

Some of the projects I found look really simple (I say look, but the reality may be anything but simple) and some are of a seriously professional quality. Now there's a profession: Jeans Upcycler. Explain that at a dinner party!

Here are some of my favourites:

 

1. Knee patches
2. Turn them into a skirt
3. Crop them
4. Make a bag
5. Make a pot for pens
6. Make a pot holder
7. Make coasters
8. Make a quilt (you may need a few pairs of jeans for this one)
9. Upholster an armchair (yeah in my spare time!)
10. Make a whale
11. Weave a handbag
12. Make a pencil roll
13. Create art (requires an artistic eye that I may not possess)
14. Make a corsage (check out missielizzie who has a Jeanius Challenge going on)
15. Make an owl
16. Make a coffee cup cosy
17. Make bunting
18. Make a dog coat (This is not Misty by the way)
19. Make an ipod, iphone, kindle case
20. Make a cushion
21. Noticeboard organiser
22. Mobile phone socket organiser
23. Make gift wrapping
24. Make some monsters!
25. Make a business or credit card case.

Challenge is I only have two pairs of jeans and a limited number of hours in the day.

I really want to try to get the most out of them though, so I am going to make a skirt, an owl cushion, a corsage,  a monster, a mobile charging pocket, and a business card holder.

So watch this space and who knows what jean-carnage will be erupting here soon!

Sorry Misty but you will have to wait to get your doggy jacket!