How to Make Bootie Bags Out of Jeans

Select an interesting pair of jeans to make your bootie bag.

Bootie bags get their name from the way they are designed. These bags are made from the top portion of a pair of jeans. The basic bootie bag design is easy to sew, even for an inexperienced seamstress, and makes an ideal project for a beginning sewer. Bootie bags are environmentally friendly--they recycle old jeans into handbags. Favorite jeans that are hard to part with can become a customized accessory.

Things You'll Need

• Old pair of jeans, any color
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Measuring tape
• Rotary cutter
• Notepad
• Pencil
• Sewing pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• ½ yard of fabric, any color

Instructions

Make a Bootie Bag

1. Select an old pair of blue jeans in any style, size and color. Place the jeans onto a self-healing cutting mat.

2. Cut the jeans about 2 inches below the zipper with the rotary cutter. If the bottom of the pockets are cut out, they will be sewn back together in a later step.

3. Measure the length and width of the jeans and record the measurements onto a notepad. Cut a piece of fabric that measures the same length and width plus a 1/2 inch as the recorded measurements. Cut the fabric with the rotary cutter.

4. Place the right sides of the fabric together so that there is a definite top, bottom and one open side. With the right sides of the fabric together, sew the open-side section of the fabric. The fabric should now be about the same dimensions as the jeans.

5. Turn the jeans inside out. Place the wrong side of the fabric against the jeans. Turn the fabric's edge under about 1/2 inch and pin it to the waist of the jeans. The right side of the fabric should face you.

6. Carefully sew a 5/8-inch seam around the waistline of the bag. Remove the pins.

7. Make sure the bootie bag is still inside out. Pin the bottom section of the bag and the inside fabric lining together. Make certain the fabric lining is visible beneath the pins. Carefully sew the bottom section of the bootie bag together. Choose a thread color that closely matches the jeans and lining, for best results. Remove the pins and turn the bag right side out.

Tips & Warnings

• Add any kind of handle to the top of the bootie bag. A handle can be made from memory wire or fabric or a premade handle can be purchased from a craft store.

• Add a magnetic clasp to the inside of the bootie bag.

References

• Craft Bits: Blue Jeans Denim Bootie Bag Purse
• It's My Bag: How to Make Your Own Bootie Bag