From the page: Denim deserves a second life
Idea 7
Bag holder or closet basket
The fabric of an old pair of jeans has been through dozens of washes, which "settles" the fibers: everything that was going to shrink has shrunk and the weave has stabilized. That's why used denim holds weight without stretching or deforming — exactly what a bag holder full of toys or a drawer basket demands. New fabric would stretch; the used kind stays firm.
What you need
- Both legs of the jeans, whole
- Sewing machine or needle and thick thread
- Cord or shoelace (the jeans' own belt works)
- Pins
How to make it
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1
Cut the legs at the desired height and join them by sewing the sides, forming a larger tube — the original fold of the jeans' seam is free factory reinforcement.
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2
Close the bottom with a double cross seam, because the bottom concentrates all the weight and is the first point to give way.
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3
Make the hem at the top by folding 3 cm inward and sew leaving an open channel of 2 cm — this tunnel will receive the cord.
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4
Thread the cord through the tunnel with a pin attached to the tip guiding the way.
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5
Test the weight gradually: hang it first with light objects to check whether the hem held the tension.
Finishing touches
For the basket version, insert a circle of stiff cardboard in the bottom before closing — the base gains structure and the basket stands on its own.
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