Favorite Jeans to a Purse

I've told you about them before - my favorite jeans. They remind me of having Parker (at least all the weight I lost so quickly after having him and having to buy all new clothes). I've been able to keep the weight off and he's now five. I even had another kid in there. So these jeans make me feel great.

Alas, they have finally bit the dust. The waistband is falling apart and the crotch is getting a little thin.

I really wanted to do something with them, so I made a purse. It was really tough, but worth it. Here it is:

It's a little bigger than I imagined, but it will be great for summer. I always carry extra stuff in the summer - sunscreen, water, snacks for the park.

Here's what I did (apologies that the photos aren't great, but I got frustrated a few times and had to switch up the plan a bit). First, I cut off the legs, just above the worn thing crotch.

I wanted to add some length to the bottom, so I picked out this awesome outdoor canvas, which I also used for the straps. I only bought 1/4 yard and it was plenty.

I created a rectangle with the canvas and added it to the bottom of the bag, folded up the corners and stitched all the way around to give it strength and stiffness.

I wanted to line the whole thing, so I used some denim I had laying around. I had to hand sew it all in, since it got too thick for my machine. I love the way it came out and use the pockets for my keys and cellphone.

My five year-old took the picture, which I thought was kind of fitting. Even though the picture isn't very good.