50+ Unique Ideas On What To Make With Old Jeans

Inside: Transform your worn-out jeans into DIY projects! Explore denim crafts, from making denim aprons to crafting denim coasters, and learn how to upcycle old denim jeans effortlessly.

Don’t you hate it when your favourite jeans are no longer wearable? Mine always wear away on the inside of the thighs. I’ve tried patching them, but that doesn’t last. I can’t give them to the charity shop, but the material is too good to throw away. So, I keep the jeans for upcycling and crafting. The number of beautiful things you can make by upcycling one old pair of jeans is amazing.

My popular A to Z of denim crafts comprises hundreds of denim upcycles. However, many of these ideas, such as denim rugs and quilts, involve repurposing more than one pair of jeans. You might not have a stash of old blue jeans to repurpose, but just one pair.

Like a few of us, you might no longer be able to fit into your favourite pair of old jeans due to those extra lockdown pounds. You could be one of the lucky ones who lost weight, and your old jeans are too big. Or they might just no longer be fashionable and have seen better days!

Maybe you’re unsure whether to put those old jeans in the donate pile or upcycle and repurpose them. Hopefully, after checking out these creative ideas, you’ll be inspired to give your old denim jeans a second life!

How to Upcycle Jeans and Take Them Apart

I will show you how to deconstruct a pair of jeans into different parts to upcycle. You can repurpose old jeans into more than just bags and cut-off shorts! And even if you just cut off the pant legs to make shorts, you can still make plenty of things from the cutaway denim fabric.

You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the number of upcycled denim pieces you can use to create just one pair of jeans. These ideas will keep you crafting for a while, and many of them would make great homemade gifts, too.

Denim is a sturdy fabric that can be used in many different ways. You’ll be amazed by the great ideas from a single pair of jeans.

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What You Need And Where To Start

When taking apart an old pair of jeans to upcycle, I use two main tools: a good pair of sharp fabric scissors and a seam ripper.

The seam ripper is used to unpick the stitches in the jeans. Hold the fabric with the seam facing you, and then carefully stick the long, sharp, pointed end of the ripper between the stitches. Pulling the ripper up the sharp edge of the ripper blade will cut the thread. Carry along with the fabric until all the stitches are removed.

The first stitch is always the hardest to remove. If you want to remove the rivets and buttons from a pair of jeans, I recommend using a good set of pliers with a wire cutter edge. I like to keep the buttons on with my denim upcycles, which add character to my craft.

Before deconstructing your old jeans to upcycle, consider what you will make. For example, some denim sewing projects require you to cut the back pockets right up to the seam, like these hanging pockets. Another denim pocket upcycle may also need some denim fabric surrounding the pocket.

1. Upcycling the Jeans Waistband

The waistband on a pair of jeans is often the thickest part. This is because it is constructed of two layers of denim stitched together, sometimes with a piece of fabric sandwiched between them. The thickness of denim waistbands can make them challenging to sew, but you can do plenty of things with them that don’t involve a sewing machine.

The belt loops are attached to both the waistband and the main part of the jeans. Before removing the waistband, you must use a seam ripper to remove the belt loops. Keep the belt loops, which add personality to denim upcycles and can be used as hanging loops, like with these denim heart keychains.

The waistband can be removed from the jeans in two ways. The first is to cut the waistband from the top of the jeans as close to the seam as possible.

The second is to use the seam ripper to unstitch the waistband from the top of the jeans. This method opens the waistband at the bottom edge.

2. Upcycling the Seams & Hems on Jeans

Seams can be found on the inside leg of a pair of jeans. You want to salvage and repurpose the double-stitched thick seams on jeans. A long seam can be obtained by cutting the stitching up the inside of one leg of the jeans, following it around the crotch, and back down the other leg.

Another seam runs across the seat of a pair of jeans, between the waistband and the pockets. Jeans’ hems can also be cut out and used for many denim seams upcycles.

3. Upcycling the Pockets on Jeans

You can upcycle the front and back pockets, often with the same project. Before cutting away the pocket on a pair of jeans, decide how you will upcycle them. Some projects require just the pocket, while other denim crafts incorporate some denim fabric surrounding the pocket.

4. Upcycling the Pant Legs

Pant legs are the most common part of an old pair of jeans to upcycle. Many people cut down their old jeans into shorts and are left with the denim legs to repurpose.

The legs on a pair of jeans provide the largest expanse of fabric to work with when upcycling. A seam ripper can open up the leg to create one big piece of fabric. Also, the amount of denim fabric you have to work with will depend on the style of the jeans you are upcycling. Flared and boot-cut jeans will provide a lot more fabric than skinny jeans.

With this easy-to-make rag rug, there is a guide on how to upcycle jeans into fabric yarn.

5. Upcycling the Left Over Denim Scraps

After dissecting and upcycling a pair of old jeans, you will find many small scraps of leftover denim. Don’t throw them away; you can make so many wonderful things from these scrappy bits of fabric.

Denim scraps are one of my favourite bits of old jeans to upcycle. Not all projects require sewing; there is a lot you can make by fraying and glueing strips of denim fabric.

All The Denim Crafts You Can Make from A Single Pair of Jeans

I hope you find upcycling jeans inspires you to hang on to those old jeans. I suggest all the denim crafts you can make from that single pair of jeans.

• Left front & back pocket + left side waistband – denim sunglasses case
• Right-back pocket – hanging pocket storage
• Remaining waistband – fabric key fobs
• Left jeans leg – combine with other fabric to make a Boho denim pillow or table runner
• Bottom of right leg & belt loop – hanging denim planter
• The remainder of the right leg and scraps – dog toy, tags, feathers, flowers, and tassels
• Smallest scraps for jewellery – Like Boho earrings or even a neckless denim pendant.

More Than One Pair of Jeans

There is a disadvantage to having just one old pair of pants to upcycle. It’s not just because you can make bigger things with more denim and tackle projects such as denim upholstery; it’s the colour. One of the most attractive things about denim upcycles is the different colours of indigo that jeans come in.

If you have more than one pair of jeans, you can add another element to your upcycle by showing off the different shades of denim with clever patchwork and making larger DIY projects such as a denim quilt or denim rug. The fabric can also be enhanced with embroidery and fabric paint. If you are looking for pairs of old jeans, thrift stores are a great place to start, and you can ask friends and family for their cast-offs.

Upcycling and repurposing old denim jeans is not only a creative way to give your old clothes a new life but also helps reduce environmental impact. From denim aprons to bow ties, from denim pillows to floor mats, the possibilities are endless. So, grab your worn-out jeans and some tools, and let’s start crafting!