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.

Saying goodbye to a good friend - my favorite jeans

Ah, your favorite pair of jeans. Don't tell me they aren't like an old friend. When you're feeling good about yourself or when you're feeling bad about yourself, they always make you just a little more confident.

These Ralph Lauren's are five years old. Which is crazy old in clothes-speak, especially for someone like me who likes to shop at Target and Old Navy and pretty much only buys something if it's on clearance.

I bought these jeans after Parker was born and I lost a lot of weight - thank you breast feeding. I gained only 25 pounds during the pregnancy, but was at my heaviest when I got pregnant (thanks to stress and fertility medications). But after the pregnancy, the weight just fell off - 55 pounds of it. It's stayed off, for the most part, with a couple of ups and downs here and there.

Yesterday, I wore my favorite RF's and they are looking a bit, well worn. The waistband is falling apart, there's a hole near the hem and the crotch is wearing a bit thin in places. Goodbye old friend. I'll miss you, but not too much, because knowing myself, I will make something out of them. Hum. A bag? Potholders? A picnic blanket (I'll need some more for that)? A journal cover? A skirt?

Project! I can't wait. Maybe saying goodbye, in this case, won't be so hard.

Cushy for the Tushy

The boys and I went to our 11 year-old neighbor's baseball game last week. It was so hot, and the seats were so uncomfortable. My neighbor used a a blanket to cushion the bleachers a bit, but it kept sliding down and was fleece (so hot).

I decided to make her a stadium cushion for the games. And since she's been jealous that I keep making things with a bag of old clothes she gave me (like a cute little halter and t-shirt skirt), I decided to use an old pair of jeans that were in the bag.

First I cut the butt out, so the cushion could have cute little pockets to stash a cell phone and some cash for the snack bar. I had to add a little denim from the legs to the sides to make it a rectangle (she's little, but if you have a larger size, you can probably skip that part).

Next, I grabbed some old striped canvas I had left over from another project and cut to size. I left a little extra on top to make a nice seam (to take advantage of the jeans waistband). Put the right sides together and stitched around three sides (leave the top/waistband open).

Then I stuffed it with some left over quilt batting. Made a little handle with a piece of the leg material, pinned up the top (attaching the handle) and stitched closed.

My quilt batting was in a bunch of little pieces, so I machine stitched around each of the pockets to hold it all in place inside. I think it makes it look finished and I love the look of the back.