Estimated reading time: 10 min

Jeans Upcycling: Sewing a fanny pack out of old jeans

24.07.2022 by Sabine Schmidt

Jeans Upcycling: Bauchtasche aus alter Jeans nähen

What do I need for that?

Materials & Details

Sewing scissors^*

Machine:: Overlock seamBackstitch functionStraight stitch
Iron-on patch:: Vlieseline H200

further information

Needle:: Universal needle^*
Yarn:: All-purpose sewing thread^*

Canvas is a very sturdy, densely woven fabric that feels really stable. It's usually made of cotton or a cotton blend and is made to withstand quite a lot.

The surface is rather firm and sometimes slightly rough, but can be a little smoother depending on the finish. Canvas has hardly any stretch, but keeps its shape nicely.

Sewing it can take some effort because it's thick and stable – but in return you get a very long-lasting result. Fraying is easy to keep under control with the right technique.

Canvas is perfect for bags, backpacks, seat cushions, decor or even sturdy jackets.

In short: strong, long-lasting and ideal for anything that needs to be really stable.

Cotton poplin^*

Machine:: Overlock seamBackstitch functionStraight stitch
Iron-on patch:: Vlieseline H250

further information

Needle:: Universal needle^*
Yarn:: All-purpose sewing thread^*

Poplin is a fine, densely woven cotton with a smooth, slightly cool surface. The fabric feels pleasantly soft, yet it is nicely stable and has no stretch.

Typical of poplin: it is fairly lightweight but still drapes neatly, so it looks clean and a little smarter than regular cotton.

Poplin is super easy to sew – it cuts well, hardly shifts and is great for beginners too.

It is perfect for blouses, shirts, dresses, skirts, bags, cushions or summer trousers.

In short: smooth, light and an easy fabric for lots of lovely everyday pieces.

Corduroy fabrics^*

Machine:: Zigzag stitchOverlock seamBackstitch functionStraight stitch
Iron-on patch:: Vlieseline H200

further information

Needle:: Universal needle^*
Yarn:: All-purpose sewing thread^*

Corduroy is a sturdy fabric with a very typical ribbed texture. These fine or wider stripes give it its unmistakable, slightly retro look.

The fabric feels soft and textured at the same time. It is warm, comfortable to wear and really durable.

Depending on the type, corduroy comes fine (needlecord) or coarse with wide ribs – both have their own charm.

Corduroy is usually easy to sew; just keep an eye on the nap direction of the ribs.

It is perfect for trousers, skirts, jackets, dresses or bags.

In short: cosy, sturdy and a true classic with vintage flair.

Links marked with * are affiliate links: If you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission. The price remains the same for you.

Jeans upcycling is more relevant than ever. And that’s a good thing. Because those sturdy denim fabrics with a history can be turned into wonderful bags and pouches. I’ll show you how it’s done!

What is jeans upcycling?

Upcycling is the process of transforming a useless item into something new. The idea behind jeans upcycling is: Turn old, tight, broken, and holey into new. With great ideas, unusable jeans become new and useful products.

In this post, my colleague Birgit Kühr (you can check out her website Quiltreise here) shows you how you can conjure up something great from an old pair of jeans. If the topic interests you, read my blog post Sewing new things from old jeans. Of course, you can also sew a skirt from old jeans.

YouTube Video: Sewing a Jeans Upcycling Waist Bag

How can I recycle old jeans?

21 percent of citizens dispose of their jeans in regular household waste. This means the pants are incinerated. But there are alternatives:

Ask friends and acquaintances about a clothing swap. Maybe the jeans fit them and they like them.
There are several forums on the internet where you can sell used clothing.
Is there a thrift store in your area?
Ask around in your circle to see if anyone is interested in the great denim fabric.
Grab the denim and get creative yourself.

Why should I recycle old jeans?

Jeans originally emerged 150 years ago as work pants. Nowadays, they are a fashionable garment and are therefore sorted out at increasingly short intervals. But the sturdy and robust fabric is far too good to throw away! Producing a new pair of jeans requires between 6,000 and 10,000 liters of water. If the jeans are then dyed and bleached, many chemicals are also used, which in turn are flushed unfiltered into the wastewater.

Denim fabric is a great, long-lasting raw material, and you can conjure up countless creative projects with it. Just give it a try. In this blog post, Birgit and I have a tutorial for you for a brilliant (and very simple) waist bag made from worn jeans. We are sure you will be thrilled.

Jeans Upcycling: Sewing a waist bag from old jeans

What do I need for jeans upcycling?

If you collect your old jeans, that’s great. Then you can mix different denim qualities and color shades. That always looks very good.

For cutting the denim fabrics, I recommend a very good pair of scissors^*, otherwise snipping the necessary denim parts becomes a real chore. You can find everything important on this topic in the article "Everything about sewing scissors" .

I also advise you to use a jeans sewing needle, size 90-110. That really makes a significant difference compared to a normal sewing machine needle. I also like using titanium needles. If your denim fabric is thin, universal needles are also sufficient.

Which fabrics can be combined with jeans upcycling?

Denim is an incomparably rewarding fabric when it comes to combinations. In the table, I show you some examples that work particularly well as a "counterpart" to worn jeans.

The combination of "new" and "old" alone can make the bag very special.

Hot tip: The beautiful Quitschvergnügt fabrics from Simone's shop^* are also suitable as combination fabric. The garden fabric I used for my waist bag also comes from Simone's Nähcafé. :)

Canvas	- excellently suited as lining fabric for the waist bag - robust, does not need to be reinforced - preferably processed with heavy, sharp scissors - sew with a jeans needle or 90-100 universal needle	Order canvas^*
Cotton Poplin	- practical all-rounder fabric - robust, easy to work with - should be reinforced beforehand (Vlieseline H200 or H250), otherwise the bag will be too soft - process with 70-80 universal needle	Order cotton poplin^*
Kokka Fabrics	- firm and robust - easy to work with, - particularly high-quality and aesthetic - sew with a jeans needle or 80-90 universal needle - does not need to be reinforced	Order Kokka fabrics^*
Corduroy	- beautiful, velvety surface - robust fabric - ages very beautifully - pay attention to the nap direction when cutting: The nap must feel rough when brushing downwards - processing with 80-90 universal needle	Order corduroy^*

What does my sewing machine need to be able to do to process worn jeans?

You need a sewing machine that has a straight and zigzag stitch. That's actually all. BUT: With jeans upcycling, you often have thick denim fabric and therefore particularly thick seams that you have to clatter over. And that demands quite a lot from your sewing machine. To ensure it doesn't reach its limits, here is a top tip: Read through the post on the topic: Sewing thick fabrics.

With this knowledge, your machine and you will master all seams super neatly.

Which presser feet for jeans upcycling?

If it wasn't clear already, you'll realize it at the latest with this tutorial: Presser feet can make our sewing life much easier. Here I present three practical presser feet that you can use profitably for this project.

READING TIP on this: My detailed blog post 36 presser feet and their use.

Zigzag foot

THE standard foot - often equipped with a leveling button: Allows both straight stitches as well as decorative stitches & zigzag

Walking foot

The walking foot is practical for sewing thick fabrics or many layers of fabric, such as denim flat-felled seams

Zipper foot

The zipper foot is perfect for inserting zippers, sewing piping & edge stitching

Where can I find the right sewing pattern for my jeans upcycling project?

The selection of bag sewing patterns is incredibly diverse. Have a look around my blog; you will find a large selection of great projects for jeans upcycling.

Here are 5 creative examples:

My tip

"Any pattern suitable for working with canvas or reinforced cotton woven fabrics can also be made with denim fabrics.

Sewing projects with denim often involve thick and sturdy seams. Therefore, you should adjust the size of your sewing machine needle: A 90 or 100 denim needle is perfect for most sewing ideas!"

How can I sew a fanny pack out of old jeans?

Fanny packs have been hip for years. Simply because they are super practical. You have your hands free and keep your valuables close to your body. But that's not all: fanny packs can give your outfit a sporty look because they just look really casual.

By the way: Men and children now also love these useful and cool bags.

Grab an old pair of discarded jeans and you're ready to go. And after 1-2 creative hours, you'll be proudly sporting your new fanny pack.

What accessories do I need?

You need the "normal" basic sewing supplies:

matching sewing thread^*
pins^*
fabric clips^*
ruler^*
if needed, point turner^* for shaping bag corners
fabric marker^*
fabric scissors^*
thread snips^*
Sewing machine

Links marked with * are affiliate links: If you make a purchase through them, we receive a small commission. The price remains the same for you.

Sew a belt bag from old jeans

Let's look at what exactly you need for sewing. The most important thing, of course, is washed and ironed denim for the outside. Woven cotton or a nice linen fabric, for example, works well for the lining. If you want your bag to have a bit more structure, you can reinforce the lining fabric with Vlieseline H250. If you'd like more volume for the bag, Vlieseline H630 is perfect for reinforcing.

For webbing and bag hardware I recommend Simone's handy complete sets. They make it much easier to have the right hardware in the right size ready to go. :)

Materials and supplies

2 x outer fabric pattern piece, at least one denim
2 x inner fabric pattern piece, e.g. cotton, reinforced with Vlieseline H250 or H630 if needed
1 zipper 27 cm long with zipper pull
Webbing 2.5 cm wide and 120 cm long (depends on hip circumference)
1 bag hardware set for 2.5 cm webbing: 1 x slide buckle, 2 D-rings, 2 x swivel clasps

Free pattern

In this blog post you can download the free pattern.

Step

The finished size of the Dae cosmetic bag (15 cm high and 29 cm long from D-ring to D-ring) in mini is ideal for sewing a cool belt bag,
Step

The pattern for the Dae cosmetic bag only needs to be widened by 2 cm at the sides. In the photo you can see how it should look.
Step

You need to cut out the pattern four times in total, 2 times for the outside and 2 times for the lining.
The top long edge measures 31 cm, so the zipper should be 27 cm long.
Step

If binding the zipper ends with matching small fabric pieces is too fiddly for you, you can cut a fabric piece 10 cm long and 4 cm wide. Fold the long side to the middle and press it briefly.
Unfold the fabric piece and fold the edges to the middle. This way your fabric piece has finished edges, as you can see in the photo.
Secure it with pins.
Step

Place your zipper ends inside your fabric strip.
Step

Sew the fabric strip in place and then cut off the excess fabric.
Step

Line up the markings on the top of the pattern piece and on the zipper.
The zipper pull is then at the top.
Without pins, I quickly sew along the edge with the zipper foot of my sewing machine.
Then I pull the zipper pull down.
Step

And now sew on the top half of the zipper.
You can see it better here because I used a light-coloured thread.
Step

The 2nd side of the main fabric goes onto the 2nd half of the zipper.
Proceed exactly as for the 1st part.
Line up the marking on the main fabric and the zipper and edgestitch along it.
Both sides of the zipper are now sewn on.
Step

Place the lining fabric underneath your zipper together with the denim.
Line up the centre markings.
Then you can sew the zipper to the lining again without pins.
Step

Do the same on the other side.
This is how it should look now: the main fabric and lining fabric enclose the zipper.
Step

Sew the darts close to the edge.
Secure the seam at the beginning and the end.
You can find very detailed instructions for sewing the darts in the post "Sewing a zipper pouch with compartments".
Step

You also need to sew the darts together on the main fabric.
Backstitch at the beginning and end of the seam.
It would be a shame if the seams came undone, wouldn't it? ;)
Step

Sew the edges along the zipper with the zipper foot.
Why do we do this? It stops the lining from getting caught in the zipper.
But please only sew up to the end of the zipper. That way you'll end up with a perfectly sewn-in zipper.
Step

My webbing is 5 cm long and 2 cm wide.
But you can easily vary this.
In the video, for example, I use webbing 2.5 cm wide and cut the tabs for the D-rings 7 cm long.
Step

Thread the webbing through the D-ring, place the ends on top of each other and sew them in place.
That way they can't slip later on.
Step

Pin the 2 loops with the rings to the right and left of the belt bag.
If your webbing is loosely woven, it's a good idea to sew over it once with a zigzag stitch.
Step

Unfold your fabric pieces so that the lining fabric pieces and the main fabric pieces lie on top of each other.
Pin everything together with the edges aligned.
Please remember to leave a turning gap in the lining fabric.
It should be at least 7 cm long.
Sew all the way around the bag with a straight stitch and 1 cm seam allowance.
Leave the turning gap open.
Step

If you want to sew on a jeans pocket, proceed as follows. Cut up to the edge of the pocket, leaving a 2 centimetre border at the top.
Step

Fold the border to the inside and sew it in place by hand.
Step

Pin the pocket onto your belt bag and sew it on.
Follow the tips from my post on sewing thick fabrics.
In the video, I cut out my pattern piece together with the pocket. This is a good option if you don't want to sew the pocket on by hand.
Step

Turn the belt bag right side out through the turning gap.
Fold the seam allowance 1 cm to the inside.
You can close the turning gap by hand with a ladder stitch.
Of course you can also edgestitch it closed with a straight stitch on your sewing machine.
Step

The patch jeans pocket is super practical.
In the picture you can see that it has 3 openings.
Step

The inside of the belt bag looks great too.
Birgit used a quilted fabric that already has lovely volume "built in".
Step

This is how it should look now.
Step

For the strap you now need the swivel clasps and the slide buckle.
Step

Sew the edge of the webbing with a zigzag stitch if it is loosely woven.
Then fold the fabric 1 cm to the inside at each end and sew it in place.
Step

Pull one end through the swivel clasp and stitch over it at least 2 times.
That way it will definitely hold.
Step

Thread the webbing as shown in the picture.
Then pull the webbing through the swivel clasp.
Of course, you can also find detailed instructions here at SewSimple on how to thread the strap adjuster onto the webbing.
Step

Now feed the end of the webbing back through the slider.
Step

Here you can clearly see how Birgit threaded the slide buckle.
She uses a slightly different technique from the one in my video. Why not try out which one you personally prefer?
As you know: there's more than one way to do it. ;)
Step

And this is what the new belt bag looks like.

Comments

Comments are loading …

About the author

Sabine

I come from Siegen-Wittgenstein, where I spent my childhood breaking in cows, jumping off haystacks and scraping a D- in needlework class.

Today, being creative feels like indescribable happiness to me – and it grows even more when I can share it with others. Since 2016 I have been celebrating my passion for sewing on this blog, and I love that sewing connects so many people.