Creating my way to Success

Upcycling Jeans - part two - using specific parts

Jeans are one of the best items of clothing for upcycling. The fabric is tough and there is plenty of it, and all the different parts of the jeans can be used for all sorts of different projects as I'll show you with some amazing ideas.

Here was just one pair of jeans I used before Christmas last year to make some gifts..

And another pair into another 5 gifts!

And again, another pair and another 5 gifts!

But before we get to the individual jeans upcycling projects, I wanted to share some ...

Fun facts

Jeans were initially made as workwear for labourers in America in the late 19th century.

Blue Jeans have an official birthday - May 20th.

Indigo is the dye used to colour blue jeans. It doesn't go through the whole fabric which is why jeans are white on the inside. It also explains the wear 'lines' on denim that appear over time - as the molecules of indigo gradually chip and fall off!

The name denim comes from the French

'Serge de Nimes'.

The fabric was originally made in Nimes and was called Serge!

During World War 2, men's jeans had a zip down the front but women's jeans had a zip down the side!

So why upcycle jeans?

For a start there's the reason to upcycle any kind of clothes - the amount of water, electricity, chemicals etc used in the production of the fabric and the clothes in the first place. The landfill old clothes take up and the same things again used to make new fabric and clothes to replace those old ones.

So upcycle - reuse and recycle!

Jeans are also loved all over the world by all kinds of people. Cowboys wear them, housewives wear them, supermodels and celebrities wear them - even presidents wear them.

They are comfortable, durable and fade and wear in a such a way that they often become more loved the more worn they get!

Jeans are cool, durable and as you're about to see - so, so versatile!

So, let's get to some ideas for upcycling.

Using the denim fabric from jeans

First of all some ideas for simply using the denim fabric from jeans. There is plenty of it - mostly in the legs:

Here's some nifty ideas:

Easy Fabric Roads, from Jen at Lil Mop Top:

A fun and durable idea for kids!

My own Lesa bag, which I made using most of the fabric from a pair of adult jeans:

Another denim tote bag from Christine at Crafty Geordi:

Lots of cute pouches from Mami Made Me:

A Baby Play Mat from Sewing for Utange:

Aprons - also from Sewing for Utange:

A denim pouf - (my picture - made from the excellent tutorial from Michele Made Me)

Chair covers also by Michele Made Me:

Pencil cases and notebook folders by me:

Personalised Rag Tags:

and more:

More pouches:

Finally - cute monster pouches - also from Sewing for Utange:

You may have noticed several of these features are from the site Sewing for Utange. Caroline makes lots of amazing things from old jeans - and also includes tutorials on her blog. All here creations she sells to raise money for The Sure Foundation, which feeds starving children in the village of Utange, near Mombasa, in Kenya.

So please do go and take a look at her blog - what an amazing lady and such a worthwhile cause!

When cutting the denim fabric from jeans to re-use, the possibilities really are limitless!

But it's just more eco-friendly and of course cheaper to upcycle the denim from old jeans rather than go out and buy a new piece of denim fabric!

Using particular parts of jeans

Next I wanted to show some ways to upcycle particular parts of the jeans - so making use of the structure of the clothes in what you make.

1. Using the main part - or 'body' of the jeans:

This is a great way to upcycle a pair of jeans, as it requires very little alteration other than removing the legs and it keeps all the features and pockets of the jeans intact!

Here are some examples:

A sewing machine cover from It's About Time Mamaw:

Jeans shorts bags

A stylish purse from Artfully Caroline:

2. Using the entire front or back of the jeans:

Cutting the front or back portion of the jeans and stitching the legs together gives you an unusual rectangle of fabric which can be used, perhaps like this:

Hanging Hair-Tie Holder:

3. Using the legs:

The ready made tube of the legs makes them perfect for bags and baskets:

Denim Fabric Baskets from Threading My Way:

4. Using the Pockets:

The pockets can be used for all sorts of things that require...well a pocket, or somewhere to slip your hand...

Pot Holders:

A gift bag with a handy pocket for a card:

Washbags from Sewing For Utange;

A needle and sewing case from Passion Et Couture:

A Wall Pocket organiser from Sew Daily:

5. The leg seams:

The seams are good sturdy strips that could be re-used in many ways...like this:

A wrap bracelet fom Mich in LA:

And bangles - also by Mich in LA:

I braided some seams together to use as a bag strap:

Or weave the seams to make coasters.

And I also use pieces of the seams when making various things I want to attach to keychains:

6. The Waistband:

A great way to reuse the waistband and also the top part of the jeans is to make them into a cute skirt:

By Of Pinks and Fairytales:

By Sew with Aloha:

The waistband is perfect too for the top of a tote bag.

I've also seen waistbands stitched together to make bags and rugs and even a cushion cover which look really effective!

To see pictures of these plus LOTS more fabulous jeans upcycling ideas - including denim jeans art and furniture you can check out my

Jeans Upcycling Pinterest Board

I hope this post have given you lots of inspiration and ideas for upcycling your jeans! They are my favourite thing to upcycle and you can find lots more denim upcycles - many with tutorials if you explore my blog too!

For lots more ideas and inspiration on upcycling clothes - check out the ongoing

Clothes Upcycling Linky Party.

There are over 600 ideas linked up just now and more are being added all the time. Please feel free to add any of your own clothes upcycling projects too!

Happy Upcycling.

Our Creative Geniuses

Do you believe that creativity and inspiration comes from within us or from around us?

Personally I believe that all of us are capable of amazing creativity and inspiration.

Ancient Romans believed that 'genius' was something that existed outside of us, something that we received or possessed us.

In Arab folklore, a 'genie' is a spirit with intelligence and power. We think of a genie in a bottle - you rub the bottle and the genie will grant you wishes.

The Ancient Greeks had Muses - which were the Goddesses of inspiration.

I like this idea - that creative genius is perhaps all around us. I believe that everyone can be creative, you just have to be open to it.

Creativity is essentially a form of problem solving - it requires space and time for the mind to wander. Have you ever had the experience of waking up in the middle of the night with a problem solved, or an idea that had until then evaded you?

Single 'light bulb' moments - rather than being flashes of inspiration that come out of nowhere, are more likely the result of a long time studying or researching a problem or topic, and then your brain having time to process and consider all of the input and put it together. Sleeping, stepping back from something or a change of scenery or task could be just the time and space your mind needs to wander and fit together all the pieces of the puzzle.

Perhaps our creative geniuses are what step in to help put the puzzle pieces together to produce that 'A-ha' moment, or fabulously new and creative innovation or idea!

Thinking of creativity in this way reminds me of a kids movie that my girls used to love and often watched -

Barbie - a Fashion Fairytale

(Don't laugh - I've always found meaning in the strangest movies!)

In this movie, there are 3 Flairies, Shimmer, Shine and Glimmer, I think they are called. They basically add the final shimmer, shine and glimmer to already great designs of clothes. They themselves do not make the clothes design fabulous, but can only enhance something that is already great. - I guess this is saying that hard work and good ideas attract the external genius that make them brilliant!

There was also the moral side to the Flairies that their powers could only be used for truly good designs of clothes. When the baddie of the movie kidnaps the Flairies and makes them add shimmer, shine and glimmer to her own designs; which are just bad copies of other people's work; it only produces bad luck instead of adding that touch of genius!

The message that this is giving is that genius (when thought of as an external force) cannot be forced - and should be used for good not evil !

We cannot expect to just magically 'be creative'. I believe that it does take hard work, dedication and perseverance in our chosen field. But if you put in all of that, and are open to ideas and possibilities then you have positioned yourself in the best way possible for your own creative genius to find you and add shimmer, shine and glimmer to your ideas!

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For me personally - what I have decided to do differently after considering all of this - is to take time to let my mind wander and process all the input. Working from home on the computer - and sewing, I tend to stay at home, and go out only when I have a purpose - for example when I need to get something, or take my girls somewhere.

I've decided to take some time each week to get out of the house and go somewhere different, for no reason other than to get out and take a break. A change of scenery and routine will be good for me, and may help produce fresh perspectives and ideas.

I think I'll take this time to learn and explore with my new camera - see what inspiration I get from looking at things in new places and new ways!

Do you believe that creativity comes from within or is it an external force?

Do you take time to let your creative genius find you and work it's magic?

Do you have places where you feel you get most inspiration from or are particularly creative?

Credits:

I've recently discovered and have been watching some TED talks on Youtube. Last week I watched a couple on creativity, which inspired me to write this post. They were:

Your elusive Creative Genius by Elisabeth Gilbert

and

Where good ideas come from by Steve Johnson

Sunday motivation

Upcycling Jeans