Recycle Old Jeans

Are you waiting to recycle old jeans? Whether you have a pile of jeans that no longer fit or need to collect some from second hand stores, we have some great ideas of what you can create out of an old pair of jeans.

Sewing Materials Available

Old Blue Jean Projects Included on this page:

Jean Pocket Purse
Jean Bag
Jean Drawstring Bag
Jean Quilt
Jean Pillow
Jean Dog Bed
Also see Patchwork Jean Skirt
Jean pantleg apron
Readers submitted jean projects

Jean Pocket Purse

Cut out the front leg of your jeans including the waistband and front pocket. You just want the front panel for this project.

front panel of jeans

Fold jeans in half, if it is longer than you'd like trim off excess on the end. Hem the bottom of the pant leg.

hem of jean purse

Fold jeans in half right sides together. Trim to match edges if needed. Pin sides and sew along two side edges. Turn right sides out.

jean purse bag

Attach a strap by sewing it onto the sides of the bag. We've used tote bag straps but you can also try a belt, tie, cording, strip of jeans, etc.

jean pocket purse

Recycled Jean Bag

A Reader's Submitted Project

You will need:

Old pair of jeans
Felt shapes
Sewing machine, etc.

What to do:
1. Cut across the jeans below the crotch
2. Cut out felt shapes and sew on
3. Sew across the base of bag
4. Use the cut off legs to make a long tube then turn correct way out
5. Attach this to bag
6. Ta Da your new bag

Jean Drawstring Bag

Cut out the pant leg from the knee down, or as long as you'd like, of an old pair of blue jeans.

Turn right sides together and sew the bottom leg together. Turn the top edge down 1 inch and sew along bottom edge. Leave 1 inch opening for your casing. (see this drawstring bag project for help)

Attach a safety pin to a long piece of cording. Insert your cording and push through the other end. Tie a knot at the end.

jean drawstring bag

Recycle Old Jeans Quilt

You will be using the same directions from the scrap patchwork quilt.
However you will cut your squares out of old jeans and cut them 8x8 inches. Include some squares on seams and pockets for more character if you'd like.

Sew your squares together in rows of 9. When you are done you will have 9 rows up and down. You'll need a total of 81 squares we've supplemented old blue jean squares with different shades of jean material bought from the fabric store. You can make your quilt smaller if you choose. We left our quilt without a backing and hemmed the edge, to use as a picnic blanket.

squares of jeans

Jean Pillow

Save a few squares from your jean quilt and you can make an easy pillow to match. Attach two squares together. Make four rows of two squares. Sew two rows together.

sewing pillow

Place your two larger squares together and sew right sides together leaving one end open. Insert a pillow form. Hand sew the opening closed.

jean pillow