More Denim Recycling Patterns

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Recycling Denim: New Uses for Old Blue Jeans

Two complete articles, with lots of ideas of recycling denim, complete on this page!

Recycling Denim Blue Jeans

by Jane Lake

Denim is a prime fabric for recycling, so don't throw away that outgrown pair of blue jeans - put the wonderful hard-wearing qualities of denim to use once more, in one or more of our inspiring denim recycling ideas.

Denim Rice Hot Pack
Use the leg from a pair of jeans to make a tube-shaped Rice Hot Pack - just fill with white rice and microwave until warm; these are great to ease muscular aches and pains, or to pre-warm the bed on a cold winter's night.

Denim Organizer
A free sewing pattern from Coats and Clark, this denim organizer uses recycled cut-off jean legs. The hem of the legs makes the top of the pockets, so there's no need to bind the edges.

Denim Pocket Purses or Denim Pocket Fridge Magnets
Re-use the pockets from old blue jeans to make Denim Pocket Purses or Denim Pocket Fridge (or Locker) Magnets - both are sure to be bestsellers at your next church bazaar sale!

Denim Lace-Trimmed Shorts
A new twist to cut-off shorts...simply cut down old jeans to shorts length and add lace to the new hem. Also consider adding lace to the top of the pockets, either with fabric glue or hand sewing. Instant flair and style for almost no cost!

Denim Capri Pants
Are your jeans too short to wear bare foot, or with your favorite shoes? Take advantage and shorten them some more...cut off at 3/4 length and make a pair of capri pants with a plain hem, or trimmed with lace at the bottom.

Denim Placemats
Use old jeans to make unique placemats...incorporate the pockets as part of the placemat to hold silverware in place.

Denim Pot Holders
Denim will stand up to the rigors of pot holder duty and look great in the kitchen. Line with fleece, quilt batting or even squares cut from old sweat shirts. Incorporate the pocket if you want to get fancy, or take advantage of those gold-thread seams.

Denim Wine Bags
Use the legs from blue jeans to make two wine bags...sew the bottom closed, and hem the top leaving an opening on one side, or both sides, to thread through a golden cord drawstring. Leave plain or embellish with lace, buttons, ribbon, or small silk flowers. Tres chic!

Denim Pencil Case:
Are you tired of your kids' pencil cases falling apart? Take advantage of the strength of denim and make a rectangular zippered bag large enough to store all the kid's pens and pencils.

New Uses for Old Denim

by Roxanna Ward

Recycle your used denim into homemade gifts. If your family is like mine, we live in denim. From denim jeans to denim skirts. We have plenty of denim in our house. With three children, we go through plenty of clothes. Two of these children being boys, many of these clothes are worn out before grown out of. So I found myself with a lawn and garden garbage bag full of no good denim. What is a frugal mother to do?

I'll tell you what I did. I rose to the challenge and went to work researching. I found there are so many uses for this denim, that I want more worn out clothes! Here are a few items you can make with denim scraps:

Denim Quilt:
Cut the good parts of the denim clothing into four inch squares. Sew together to form a quilt. I did this and made a "rag" quilt. I sewed the quilt and left the denim seams on the outside of the quilt. Washed and dried for a little fraying and bam .. one Christmas gift was finished. PURSE: Turn the jeans (I used shorts) to the inside and sew just below the bottom at the beginning of the legs. I sewed a few times for extra reinforcing. Sew on a strap using the waistband from another pair of jeans. Lace a belt or use ribbon through the beltloops to draw closed. I also put a strip of Velcro on the inside of mine to keep shut.

Denim Pillows:
I made "butt" pillows for our van the same basic way the purse is made. Except you need to close the entire top with Velcro. Put a ready made pillow form in and you can unvelcro for easy cleaning. Just toss in the washer. I used an old pillow as the pillow form and had no cost at all for my pillows.

Denim Apron:
Use a pair of overalls for this project. Cut the seams of the legs apart and then sew both of the front legs together and then both of the back legs together. Slip over you head for a great apron. You can also use as a great overall dress. Quick and easy.

So what are you waiting for? Go clean out your closets and see what you can make.

About the Author:
Roxanna Ward, Community leader and staff writer for http://www.BabyUniversity.com.