Sunday 7 March 2010

It's Jeans Weather Today!

Actually, even though it's raining ... again ... still ... as the Lovely Lilly Linda says, 35 more days and we're going to need an Ark! :0) But that's beside the point, because the temperature, while cooler isn't REALLY cool enough to warrant jeans. Instead, I've been ensconced in my sewing room RECYCLING an old pair of jeans. The weather part of that comes in with the rain - if it was sunny, I'd feel obliged to go outside and pull some of the Triffod weeds out of my garden, but since it's raining, I stayed inside to recycle the jeans! :0)

So ... this little experiment started last weekend when Mum and I made a visit to an op shop being held in a little country community hall where you could take whatever you wanted for a donation. I spotted a pair of jeans that made me think they'd make a great bag and since I've been 'meaning to' have a go at chopping off some jeans to make a bag for quite a while now, I brought them home. Then I had a little dig in my stash to find something suitable to line the bag with. Here are my starting point items ...

Some stripey, out-of-date jeans and a couple of pretty pieces of fabric. Hmmmm ... After some measuring, chopping, pinning, swearing ... oops!! That was when I stuck myself rather hard with a pin and bled everywhere!!! BLUSH!! ... some stitching, some head-scratching, some faulty maths (oops!) and a little bit of 'fudging it', the result of my experiment was ...


Ta Da!! A groovy, roomy bag with LOTS of ready-made pockets! :0) Hmmm ... please don't look too closely at the profile, there, as it's NOT my most flattering angle, but there are apparently SOME things my Beloved Geek Boy won't do for me ... and that list includes modelling a handbag! Tee! Hee! Hee! So it had to be me who modelled it. I looks a little lumpy at the bottom there, (the bag, not me ... although ...!!), but it actually sits pretty well in reality. And what happened to the pretty red fabric, I hear you ask ...


It became the lining. It also caused some of the head-scratching and faulty maths, cos it was a fat quarter and not quite wide enough to fit the bag, so I had to pop a little bit of the green fabric into it to fit ... and decided to add a handy INSIDE pocket to house my Iphone to protect it a bit. I'm also hoping the fact that the phone pocket is a different colour to the rest of the lining will help me find my phone in a hurry ... but knowing the warped physics that seem to apply to the inside of handbags, I'm not counting on it. You know what I mean ... no matter which pocket you THINK you put your keys/wallet/phone in inside your bag, its moved when you go to get it and whatever object you're looking for is bound to be RIGHT at the BOTTOM of your bag ... even if it was the LAST thing to go into the bag, so it should be on TOP!! :0)

So there we go ... how to entertain yourself on a wet afternoon AND be environmentally responsible ... sort of! :0) And now ... I'm off to make myself a cup of lavender tea and have a little read  ... I might even treat myself to a white Tim Tam ... I think I've earned it! :0) Hope your weekend has been relaxing and enjoyable! Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!
KRIS

14 comments:

simplestitches said...

Awww....I think GB is a bit of a spoil sport! He would make a lovely model I'm sure, maybe next time.

Love your bag....I've got loads of jeans my girls have outgrown, but are in great condition still, and that's what I want to do with them....maybe you have inspired me a little to get on with it!

cheers Julz

Linda Lilly C said...

Oh still laughing about the lumpy bottom. I so hate it when you poke your finger really hard with a needle, it takes up valuable sewing time whilst you wait for it to stop bleeding.
We have taken a break on Ark building, the sun was out today, enough to dry two loads of washing outside and one under cover ...woohoo...now the horrible part folding and ironing and putting the darn things away!
Such is life..and my weekend.
Yours was far more productive I think, well done.
Kiss Noises Linda Lilly C

ittybittyandpretty said...

have another tim tam my dear!
xxrosey

Susan In Texas said...

What a terrific bag! I like those jeans MUCH better as a purse than as pants, even though the stripes are going in the right direction. 8) I like how the lining contrasts a lot with the outside of the purse. I would never think to do that and it looks so nice.

Happy stitching,
Susan
http://susanintexas.blogspot.com

I have to ask, what's a Tim Tam? Sounds yummy!

Grethe said...

Great idea,lovely bag that you show.Now I look around for old cotton trouses!So some day in the furture (but defenitely after March 12.) may be I`ll start. Happy Quilting to you Kris :-)

Joy said...

What a super bag Kris ... love the bright cheerful lining ;o)!!! What a fabulous way to use an old pair of jeans, is there no end to your talents???!?
Hugs,
Joy :o)

Chookyblue...... said...

good work......excellent recycling........

Judy S. said...

Cute purse! And I LOVE the lining. A friend of mine recycled a pair of jeans into a skirt and trimmed it with some of her DH's old ties. It was quite cute also.

Elizabeth said...

I think you found the perfect pair of jeans for that bag. It turned out so cute! I love the fabrics you put with it. And yes, I totally know what you mean about the warped physics that apply only to the insides of handbags!

Sharon MLS said...

Great Jean Bag! (Hope that cut is healing ok.)

Anna Rosa Designs said...

Hi Kris,
I have seen these bags however not as clear and bright as yours.
Fantastic!
Hugs,
Anna

Peg - Happy In Quilting said...

Wow Kris...I just love it....

Unknown said...

You clever girl , lumpy bum and all , the bag looks great !

Anonymous said...

I love anything and everythng made from recycled items. I've done the same sort of thing with a denim skirt.... Love your groovy new bag.

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