Upcycled Blue Jean Purse {Pocket Purse}

Blue Jean crafts are so much fun to make. My kids will get holes in their blue jeans and I just can’t seem to throw them out. Jeans are so versatile and can be repurposed for so many crafty things. I have been wanting a little pocket purse for a while now to put just my phone and a little cash in. Since I am frugal I really didn’t want to pay an arm and leg for one of those cute little purses. The idea hit me to use the just fold over leg of an old pair of blue jeans I had in the closet. What a great craft idea for old blue jeans.

How to Make a Blue Jean Purse

1. Get an old pair of blue jeans. I used my daughter’s jeans that had a hole in it.

2. Measure around 15 inches from the bottom of the jean pant leg. I just eyeballed it about the size I wanted. It depends on how deep you want the purse and enough for the flap to stay folded over.

3. Next reverse the pant leg inside out. For this blue jean craft, pin the bottom where the pant leg was cut and sew the leg shut. Sew the bottom of the leg twice for extra support. Who knows what you might put in here.

4. Then fold the top down about 4 1/2 inches to make sure the purse has a good top flap. At the edges where it is folded, cut small slits to insert ribbon, string or sturdy cording for the handle for a cross body handbag.

5. Since sewing was going to leave a mark on the outside, I decided to to hot glue the string to the inside. Make a couple of knots on the end of the string and poke the string through the slits made on the sides. Then  hot glue it down to the fabric.  Place more hot glue on top to make it smooth, so the cording will not snag on anything you put in the purse. Now the cording is encased in hot glue.

6. Now the simple blue jean purse is done, but it needed some bling to it. Since the Dallas Cowboys imposed new restrictions on bags brought into the stadium this year, I thought this would be a perfect purse to carry to a game. (If I ever get invited)

How to decorate a Blue Jean Purse Craft:

1. I just love Modge Podge and I remembered the Glitter Shoes I made last year. To create a bright silver star, pour a little Modge Podge into a dish and pour fine glitter into it. This will create your own glitter glue. I used a stencil and traced a star. Get FREE Star Printable here.

2. Next paint the star design on the blue jean purse with homemade glitter glue. To get full coverage, paint the design three times with the glitter glue allowing each coat to dry between coats. If you are impatient like me, use the blow dryer to speed up the process.

3. Using a cotton swab pick up sequins in a contrasting color and put a little Modge Podge on the back. Glue around the stenciled design on the blue jean purse to make it POP.

4. Find iron on glitter letters at your local crafts store. Carefully space out the letters on top of the blue jean purse and peel and stick them to the outside. Now fold inside out and iron the letters in place.

I am so excited about this blue jean purse craft. I have always wanted a small purse where I can just put my phone and some money, so I don’t have to lug my big purse around. This little pocket purse is perfect for those few things. Now I am going to make another one for my daughter with her school mascot.  I have included a FREE paw printable to customize with colors for any team. I can’t wait to show you how that one turns out too!

Have you made anything with blue jean before? Are you willing to give this a try?