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Winter Projects, Part 2

February. Still boring, right?  I know.  One more quick winter project to record here before I start thinking non-boring, spring thoughts! 

This finished project ended up being one of those only remotely-gardening-related things.  But it technically began last fall, when I was still in landscaping mode, so I declare it garden blog material.  It's kind of a long story.  Picture this: it's October, and all the crazy procrastinating homeowners are still calling the company I work with, wanting landscaping done before the snow flies (I love you, fellow procrastinators, but where were you all summer?!).  I am out one evening to meet a new client to measure for a design, and after introducing myself, I'm out hustling around her HUGE yard w/ tape measure, pencil, notebook and camera, trying to get notes and measurements taken down before it gets too dark to see.  It's October and starting to get dark dang early. 

So, I'm rushing around and decide to shortcut around the GIANT swimming pool by squeezing myself between some trees along the property line and a small trailer parked nearby, and lo and behold, of course I catch the side of the back pocket of my jeans on edge of said trailer and rip the entire arse of my jeans wide open.  Sigh.

Now picture me, again ringing the doorbell of this very nice gal's HUGE house, while holding the ass of my pants together so as not to moon all neighbors and passers-by.  I decide to play it casual, and just explain that I'll have to come back to finish measuring her landscape on another day since it's getting too dark, while keeping my front to her and casually holding my rear self together with one hand.  But sure enough, she invited me right in so hospitably to write me a check for the design, so I felt I had to fess up as to what happened, and pretend I wasn't hugely embarassed, and then back out of her front door, grinning like an idiot.  Whatever, she later ended up liking her design, so who cares if I'm a totally awkward nutcase, right? RIGHT??

The moral of the story is: when life hands you ripped jeans, make something out of them, especially since they were your favorite jeans.  Tree-hugging, green folks call this "up-cycling" nowadays.  I also call it a purse for my toddler:

Fav jeans, w/ pockets and waistband removed for purse-making.  Notice lovely rip on left side of arse.

Pockets, removed from jeans w/ seam ripper

Waistband cut off w/ plain old scissors, to be used for handles

1/8th yard or so of cotton fabric for lining (you don't really need this much, but if you're like me, you might need extra for cutting mistakes)


Cotton fabric folded in two layers, pocket traced and cut out for lining pieces.




Getting there...almost a purse


This was another 'make it up as I go' project.  I first sewed the pockets together w/ my machine and some navy thread I had on hand, I think it was about 1/4" seam, but I just followed the old stitch marks from where they were sewn on the jeans, really. 

I experimented with the waistband for length of handles and decided to do a loop handle on front and back, and it turned out just right for the Girl to wear the purse on her little arm or shoulder.  I also cut off the last few inches of the waistband including the existing buttonhole to be sewn on as a closure.  I couldn't figure out how to re-use the existing button since it was riveted so tightly on the old jeans, so I chose a pink one from my button inheritance from Grandma K and sewed it on to give it a new home. 

When I sewed the lining together I had to experiment a bit with seam allowance to get it to lay in the purse right width-wise; I did end up re-cutting the lining pieces w/ trial and error (thank goodness for extra fabric for mistakes) to allow for the top raw edges to be turned down and hidden between outside and lining layers once lining was sewn in (by hand).  It's not perfect, that's why the photos don't show my stitching close up, tee hee. 

The Girl likes to carry her most important Lego animals (Simba the Lion and her giraffe, if you're wondering) in her purse.  All that putzing around sewing this thing really becomes worth it when I see the cute smile on her face.  So too bad she's tired and crabby in this picture.  Ah, motherhood.

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