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What a fantastic idea! Repurposing old jeans into a denim tote bag is a brilliant way to give new life to forgotten fabric, creating a durable, stylish, and eco-friendly accessory. Denim is naturally sturdy, making it perfect for a bag that will stand up to everyday use. Plus, you can incorporate unique details from the original jeans, like pockets or seams, for an extra touch of character.
This detailed guide will walk you through making a versatile medium-sized denim tote bag with a flat bottom, a full lining, and sturdy handles, all from your old jeans.
How to Sew a Tote Bag From Old Jeans
I. Planning Your Upcycled Denim Tote Bag
Before you start cutting, a little planning helps ensure you make the most of your denim and get a great finished bag.
Assess Your Jeans Supply:
You'll need at least 1-2 pairs of adult jeans (men's larger sizes or women's plus sizes are great for larger pieces of fabric). More if you want extensive patchwork or multiple pockets.
Prioritize non-stretch or low-stretch denim. High-stretch denim can be tricky to work with for structured projects and may not hold its shape as well.
Make sure your jeans are clean and ironed before you start.
Desired Tote Size: Think about how you'll use the bag.
A good versatile size might be around 14 inches wide x 15 inches tall x 4 inches deep (approximately 35.5 cm W x 38 cm H x 10 cm D). This size is practical for daily essentials, books, or a light grocery run.
Design Elements & Features to Reuse (Optional):
Original Jean Pockets: Back pockets can be easily added to the exterior or interior of your tote for quick access storage.
Waistband: A section of the waistband can be used for a small loop inside the bag to clip keys onto.
Topstitching/Seams: Strategically place panels from the jeans so the original seams (like the side seams or inseams) become decorative features on your tote.
Patches/Distressing: Embrace any natural distressing or existing patches on the jeans for a unique, worn-in look.
Lining: Highly recommended! A lining gives your tote a professional, clean finish, hides all raw seams, and adds an extra layer of durability. You'll likely use a new fabric for this, such as quilting cotton, broadcloth, or poly-cotton, in a fun print or coordinating solid color.
Stabilizer/Interfacing: Essential! This gives your tote body and helps it stand up on its own, preventing it from being flimsy.
Heavyweight Fusible Interfacing (e.g., Pellon 809 Decor Bond or Pellon 71F Peltex II Ultra Firm) is ideal for a sturdy bag.
II. Gather Your Materials
Having all your supplies ready before you start sewing will make your project much smoother and more enjoyable.
Old Jeans: At least 1-2 pairs of clean, ironed, sturdy denim jeans.
Lining Fabric: 1 yard (0.9 meters) of medium-weight quilting cotton, broadcloth, or poly-cotton. Choose a fun print or solid color that complements your denim.
Heavyweight Fusible Interfacing: 1 yard (0.9 meters) (e.g., Pellon 809 Decor Bond or Pellon 71F Peltex II Ultra Firm).
Matching Thread: Strong, all-purpose polyester thread. For topstitching on denim, use a slightly thicker topstitching thread in a contrasting color (like gold, orange, or beige) for that authentic jean look.
Basic Sewing Supplies:
Sewing Machine: Your machine should be able to handle thicker fabrics. A walking foot is highly recommended for evenly feeding multiple layers of denim and interfacing.
Heavy-Duty Needles: Denim needles (size 90/14 or 100/16) are essential for piercing tough denim. Keep spares on hand, as they can break or dull quickly.
Sharp Fabric Scissors or Rotary Cutter and Mat.
Long Quilting Ruler or Measuring Tape.
Fabric Chalk or Mark-B-Gone Pen.
Plenty of Wonder Clips (these are far superior to pins for holding thick denim layers!).
Iron and Ironing Board (absolutely crucial for pressing seams flat and fusing interfacing).
Seam Ripper (your best friend for deconstructing jeans and correcting any mistakes!).
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III. Prepare Your Jeans & Cut Fabric Pieces
Accuracy in cutting leads to a well-fitting, professional-looking bag. We'll use a consistent 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) seam allowance throughout this tutorial.
Desired Finished Tote Size: 14" W x 15" H x 4" D (35.5 cm W x 38 cm H x 10 cm D).
A. Deconstruct Your Jeans:
Cut Off Legs: Lay your jeans flat and smooth. Using sharp scissors, cut straight across both pant legs, just below the crotch seam.
Open Leg Seams: Use your seam ripper to carefully open up both the inseam (inner leg seam) and the outseam (outer leg seam) of each cut-off leg. This will give you large, flat panels of denim fabric. Iron these flat to remove creases.
Salvage Features (Optional): Carefully remove back pockets by seam ripping around them if you plan to incorporate them into your tote design.
B. Calculate Your Panel Sizes:
Main Body Panel Width: Finished Width + Finished Depth + (2 * Seam Allowance) = 14" + 4" + 1" = 19 inches (48.3 cm)
Main Body Panel Height: Finished Height + Finished Depth + (2 * Seam Allowance) = 15" + 4" + 1" = 20 inches (51 cm)
C. Cut Your Fabric Pieces:
Exterior Denim Pieces:
Main Body (Front & Back): Cut 2 rectangles, each 19 inches wide x 20 inches high.
Important Note on Piecing: It's highly likely you'll need to piece together sections of your opened jean legs to get these large panels.
How to Piece Denim: Place two denim pieces right sides together, aligning a raw edge. Stitch them with a 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) seam allowance. Press the seam open thoroughly to reduce bulk. Topstitch (Highly Recommended!): On the right side, sew two parallel lines of stitching, one on each side of the seam line, about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) away. Use topstitching thread for this. This mimics authentic jean seams and adds strength and a decorative touch. Continue piecing until you have two panels large enough for your final 19"x20" cut.
Handle Pieces: Cut 2 rectangles, each 4 inches wide x 25 inches long. (Adjust length for your preferred handle drop; 25 inches is a good shoulder strap length). You may also need to piece these from denim scraps.
Lining Fabric Pieces:
Main Body (Front & Back): Cut 2 rectangles, each 19 inches wide x 20 inches high.
Interior Slip Pocket (Optional): Cut 1 rectangle, 8 inches wide x 10 inches high.
Heavyweight Fusible Interfacing:
Main Body Panels: Cut 2 rectangles, each 18 inches wide x 19 inches high (1 inch smaller on all sides than your main fabric panels to keep bulk out of the seam allowances).
IV. Let's Start Sewing Your Denim Tote Bag!
General Sewing Tips for Denim:
Press, Press, Press: This is the most crucial step for a crisp, professional-looking bag. Press seams open after each stitching step.
Backstitch: Always backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam to secure your stitches.
Walking Foot: Use it! It makes a huge difference when sewing multiple layers or thicker fabrics.
Clips: They're excellent for holding thick layers and handles in place, much better than pins.
Go Slow: Take your time, especially when sewing around corners or through thick areas. Precision over speed!
Topstitching: Use a slightly longer stitch length (3.0-3.5mm) for topstitching for a more professional, intentional look.
Step 1: Fuse Interfacing to Exterior Panels
Take your two Exterior Denim Main Body Panels. Lay each one wrong side up on your ironing board.
Center one Interfacing piece on each fabric panel (it should be 1 inch smaller on all sides).
Following the manufacturer's instructions for your specific interfacing, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric. Press firmly and allow to cool completely. This gives your tote structure and body.
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Step 2: Prepare Interior Slip Pocket (Optional)
Take your 8" x 10" pocket piece (lining fabric).
Fold one long 8-inch edge down by 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) towards the wrong side and press. Fold it down again by another 1/2 inch and press. Stitch this hem in place, close to the folded edge. This is the top edge of your pocket.
Fold the other three raw edges (the two short 10-inch sides and the bottom 8-inch side) in by 1/2 inch and press.
Position this prepared pocket onto the right side of one of your Lining Fabric Main Body Panels. Center it horizontally, about 4-5 inches (10-12.7 cm) down from the top raw edge.
Topstitch the pocket in place along its two sides and bottom edge, close to the folded edges. Backstitch at the beginning and end, and reinforce the top corners with a small triangle stitch or extra back-and-forth stitches for durability.
Step 3: Prepare and Attach Denim Handles
Take one Handle Piece (4" x 25"). Fold it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press firmly. Open it up.
Fold each long raw edge in towards the center crease you just made, and press again.
Fold the entire strip in half again along the original center crease. You should now have a long, flat handle that is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide with no raw edges visible. Press firmly along the entire length.
Topstitch down both long sides of the prepared handle, about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) from the edge. This secures all the folds and makes a neat, strong handle.
Repeat this process for the second handle piece.
Attach to Exterior Bag Panels:
Lay one Exterior Denim Main Body Panel right side up.
Measure in from each side edge along the top raw edge by about 4-5 inches (10-12.7 cm). Mark these points with chalk. This is where your handles will attach.
Position the raw ends of one prepared handle on the top raw edge of the panel at your marks. Make sure the handle itself is flat and not twisted. Clip securely. The handle should be pointing down into the panel.
Stitch the handle ends in place. For a strong hold, sew a small square (about 1x1 inch) with an "X" inside it (an X-box stitch) for maximum reinforcement, as these handles will bear weight. Stitch within the 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) seam allowance, close to the raw edge.
Repeat for the second exterior panel with the second handle.
Step 4: Sew the Bag Body (Exterior and Lining)
Place your two Exterior Denim Main Body Panels right sides together. The handles should be tucked inside. Clip or pin along both side edges and the entire bottom edge.
Stitch from one top corner down that side, pivot sharply at the bottom corner, stitch straight across the bottom, pivot again, and stitch up the other side to the top corner. Backstitch at the beginning and end of your seam.
Press all seams open thoroughly to reduce bulk.
Now, prepare your Lining Fabric Main Body Panels. Place them right sides together. Clip or pin along both side edges.
CRUCIAL STEP: For the bottom seam of the lining, you must leave an opening! Stitch down one side seam. Then, for the bottom seam, stitch approximately 3 inches (7.6 cm) from one side, then leave a 4-6 inch (10-15 cm) unstitched gap in the middle of the bottom seam. This opening is absolutely essential for turning the entire bag right side out later. After the gap, stitch for another 3 inches (7.6 cm) to reach the other side seam. Backstitch well at the start and end of your stitching around the gap.
Stitch up the second side seam.
Press all lining seams open.
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Step 5: Box the Corners (Exterior and Lining)
This step creates the flat, defined bottom of your tote bag.
At one of the bottom corners of the exterior denim bag, carefully bring the side seam and the bottom seam together, aligning them perfectly. This will naturally form a triangular shape at the corner.
Measure from the tip of this triangle inward along the seam line a distance equal to half of your desired bag depth (e.g., for a 4-inch deep bag, you'll measure 2 inches / 5 cm).
Draw a straight line perpendicular to the seam at this measured point. (This line will be 4 inches long if your desired depth is 4 inches).
Clip firmly along this drawn line.
Stitch precisely along the drawn line, backstitching securely at both ends.
Trim the excess fabric from the corner, leaving about a 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) seam allowance beyond your new stitching line.
Repeat this exact process for all three remaining corners (the other exterior corner and both lining corners).
Result: Both your exterior denim bag and your lining bag now have structured, flat bottoms. Keep the exterior bag right side out and the lining bag wrong side out.
Step 6: Final Assembly (The "Bag-in-a-Bag" Method)
Carefully insert the exterior denim bag (which is right side out, with handles pointing down inside) into the lining bag (which is wrong side out).
The right sides of both bags should now be facing each other.
Align the side seams of the exterior bag with the side seams of the lining bag.
Align the top raw edges of the exterior fabric and the lining fabric all around the entire opening of the bag. The handles should be tucked well inside between the layers.
Clip very securely all the way around this top edge, matching up seams precisely.
Stitch all the way around the entire top opening of the bag, using a 1/2-inch (1.27 cm) seam allowance. Go slowly and carefully, especially over the thick areas where the handles are attached. Backstitch at the beginning and end of your seam.
Trim Bulk: Carefully trim the seam allowance at the top down to about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) to reduce bulk inside the top edge.
Step 7: Turn Your Bag Right Side Out & Finish
This is the incredibly satisfying moment your tote bag takes its final, beautiful shape!
Reach through the opening you left in the bottom seam of the lining (Step 4).
Slowly and carefully pull the entire bag (exterior, lining, handles – everything!) through this opening until it is completely right side out. Take your time, gently pushing out all the corners for a crisp, well-defined shape.
Close the Lining Opening: Go to your ironing board. Press the raw edges of the opening in the bottom of the lining under by 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) so they meet neatly. Align these pressed edges and clip them together. Stitch this opening closed by machine (sewing very close to the folded edge for a neat finish) or by hand using an invisible ladder stitch for a truly seamless look.
Now, gently push the lining down into the exterior denim bag.
Final Press & Topstitch: Carefully press the entire top edge of the bag, ensuring the lining is fully tucked inside and isn't peeking out over the top edge of the exterior fabric.
For a super polished and durable finish, topstitch all around the entire top opening of the tote, about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) from the edge. This final topstitching marries the lining to the exterior, helps the bag hold its shape, and creates a crisp, professional look. You can also sew a second row of topstitching about 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) from the top edge for added detail and stability.
Your unique, upcycled Denim Tote Bag is now complete! You've transformed old jeans into a functional, durable, and truly one-of-a-kind accessory. Enjoy carrying your sustainable creation with pride!
What unique details from your old jeans did you manage to incorporate into your new tote?
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