Cut Out + Keep

Jean Tote

new tote bag!

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/jean-tote • Posted by ♥ Mimi Foxtrot♥

I havea pair of jeans in my closet that are...well...have you ever had pants that can never compliment your form and there never seems like a good time to wear it..well this bag were those jeans! (>w<) it's reversible also...there's alot of steps(please don't feel overwhelmed...), but the bag was worth it in the end....plus i have enough denim scraps to make another yo-yo embellishment on a tank top (my recommandation to do for summer fashion)

You will need

Project Budget
Cheap

Time

648 h 00

Difficulty

So-so
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Description

I havea pair of jeans in my closet that are...well...have you ever had pants that can never compliment your form and there never seems like a good time to wear it..well this bag were those jeans! (>w<) it's reversible also...there's alot of steps(please don't feel overwhelmed...), but the bag was worth it in the end....plus i have enough denim scraps to make another yo-yo embellishment on a tank top (my recommandation to do for summer fashion)

Instructions

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    grab the pants and align the legs together. chalk up where you will cut...then cut . WARNING: this may be obvious, but when you cut off the leg, you have to be wary and think to yourself whether that's how long I want my bag to be..

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    Now it looks like shorts. take the leg and cut al the way to the crotchand to the other end of the leg...the result will end up being a big hole and it would no longer look like a pair of shorts, but a (somewhat ugly) skirt <- see!

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    Know this step is similar to any miniskirt tutorial...attach each them together and do both on both sides...(READ STEP FOUR BEFORE SEWING)

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    NOw, when cutting jeans...there of course will be fraying (you know those dangling thread that are kinda annoying..) so I suggest to fold it...look at the picture...

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    if you fold and pin and THEN sew it'll stick and there's no fray...

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    OKAY! this Step is direclty for the large jeans ( you know...for the large girls.......>.<)This would be difficult to explain..but 1) cut the jeans at the sides all the way down. (do to bothe sides)*note* don't cut off seams!

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    Then pin to look smaller, but still large enogh to put books or stuff in...no worries about the fraying...use the seams as a sort of line to guide you where to sew. for those who hand sew, this may be difficult and may take a while to finish (lucky sewing machine users.)

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    after you're done with that you would have technically made a skirt...(at least that's how it's supposed to look at first)

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    Okay! align the top of the jeans and pin...

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    now, we fix the length of the of the bag..tuck the fabric in and make sure its' the length you want the bag to be...then pin

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    OH! and (this is optional also) fold the each opposite edge (look at photo for more details) and then pin

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    now pin pin the bottom and sew (I used a blanket stich...very useful) when you're done turn it inside out and trim off excess fabric

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    now you have a bag....now these steps are for the inside of the bag...the linen, i think it's called..plus if you plan to decorate your bag I suggest doing it now before preceeding

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    now I bought fabric at a store and it's very stretchy...grab your almost done bag, chalk, and scissors.

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    turn the fabric on the wrong side and align the bag again (like in step 9) and make sure it's an inch away from the edge <-

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    grab the chalk and outline the bag, but leave an inch apart so you can sew it up with out frays..

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    fold the fabric in half and the you can cut

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    but leave the bottom part of the bag intact to the other side or half.

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    pin and sew

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    one more thing...rol up the sides and then sew them Like in my pictureand continue until you reach the part you didn't cut (see step 18)

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    when your done it'll look like your denim bag....keep it turned inside out (wrong side out, good side inside) then stuff it into your denim bag.

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    make sure that it's covering the bag inside and the good lookin' fabric is the first thing you see inside....

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    the frayed edges...tuck them into the bag and pin it around....then sew

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    like this...

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    and pin them around

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    when your done grab the two legs of the jeans and turn it inside out...grab chalk,a pen, or a colored pencil and make a shape for the strap and then cut both sides of the fabric (result=two pieces of fabric)

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    align the ends together, pin and estimate how long you want the strap to be...when you have decided cut it of, but keep them pined together still

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    ok put the denim strap onto the wrong side of the fabric, pin and cut

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    while averythingis pined and frayed, which we dont want, fold the each side of the fabric onto the inside till everything is nice and proper, pin it.

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    but before sewing grab that pen, chalk, or colored pencil you used earlier and make a line like in the picture (if you can see it)sew along the line but leave each side with a flap...mkae sure to sew onto the line as well

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    once everything is done...postion the strap on the bag and then flip the frayed edges inside, pin and sew

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    SO! one strap is done...repeat steps 26 to 31 to make the other strap and your done!...whew~ this really toke a while to make, but I got a new bag out of it and new room in my closet!