How to Cut Up Jeans for Sewing & Upcycling Projects

[@robinsnest7627]

I just moved and I’m unpacking a lot of boxes. Some aren’t mine. My son said he doesn’t want his old jeans anymore and I’ve hit the mother load (pun intended?), I feel there are a few that can be donated and a few for crafting. It’s great to see how to deconstruct jeans. It still makes me nervous to cut up a perfect pair of jeans. Thank you for sharing. I want to make a cute little bag with pockets. Have a wonderful day! Your PNW (Washington) friend. 😊

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Have fun with them. Extra tip that I didn’t know when I made the video is you can unpick the back pockets (some folk use a razor!) to give you more usable fabric from the butt area 😂

[@rosepaul9681]

I was cutting up some jeans and watched a few tutorials. Thanks, it helped to see how others use the various parts.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Thanks! Have fun with your upcycling!!

[@jessicarogers7469]

I saved some of the front pockets to sew inside my denim bags!

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Great idea!

[@lalagamma4452]

Great tutorial!! I cut off the legs and my grandmother made purses with the tops. She created flat bottoms that I can't remember how exactly to do since I had mini strokes. I think she did a seem the bottom center portions where the legs and crotch was then did something with the corners to make a flat bottom to lay the purse on. If you do anything like that I would love to see it. I want to attempt to make them once I get my sewing machine running that was gifted gifted to me when my mother in law's alzheimer's was getting bad. Since I cared for her to keep her at home. She had been more like a mother than my own Mom who constantly told me and everyone else how much she disliked me. My ex's mom, ( that mother in law), and I spent many an hour next to her sewing machine working on crafts. A lot of great memories. She also loved jean purses too. I figure it's a good way to honor them both to make Christmas presents for the daughter, granddaughters and great-granddaughters in the family. I was even thinking about making some teeny purses for the great-great granddaughters out of pockets. Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also like a pattern to make something with a man's T-shirt to give to people in the family for my current father-in-law who passed away a few months ago.🧵😁🐞🥰🧵

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Hi! I think she probably sewed ‘gussets’ into the corners which results in the bottom being flat. How flat would depend on how big she made the gussets. You basically pinch the corners when the bag is inside out and see across. Hard to explain in a comment but I’ll keep in mind to cover that in another video when I have the right project for it.

[@lalagamma4452]

Thanks ever so much it's hard when there's little things that you've lost due to mini strokes. I'll be watching for them thank you. And thank you for responding to each and every comment I sent you that was very sweet of you. 🤗🐞🥰

[@ScrapFabricLove]

No problem!

[@sparklemint2458]

Thank you

[@ltyrell405]

Really interesting video thank you! I have acquired a bag full of old jeans I've just been washing with the aim being to repurpose as much as I can - thanks for sharimg your technique, I will check out your other denim videos :) PS would an old waistband make a decent bag strap riveted on?

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Yes I think that would be a great strap - give it a try!

[@heathersutton9186]

Great tutorial and super helpful to just "get to it"! Question....why pinking sheers vs scissors (fraying?) and why not rotary cutter for some parts? Thanks for answering.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Hi! This is an older video made before I started quilting - so I was using the jeans for other upcycling projects. So…no rotary cutter because I didn’t own one yet 😂. And the pinking shears are for fraying (only a problem with some jeans not all) and because I found they cut through the seams better than my fabric scissors. If you have an awesome sharp pair of fabric scissors that will work fine to and nowadays I would use a rotary cutter after I’ve cut off the thick bulky seams. Hope that helps!

[@heathermorrie8833]

Makes total sense. And you really helped me to just get started!!!

[@debbiescott6836]

Scrunchie!

[@tamarajurisic8523]

It's so useful your video. I want to cut my old used and sell to upcyclers or taking upcycling classes. Which one would you recommend me as a side hustle?

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Glad it was useful. If you can find a good way to get your materials in front of upcyclers I do think there would be buyers - it’s all about how to find them!

[@tamarajurisic8523]

@@ScrapFabricLove maybe Etsy or Vinted. I want to cut in a professional way and take good pictures.

[@lasvegasadventures8729]

Hi - Do you know what might be the best way to disassemble/deconstruct denim jeans into their parts in bulk? I need to disassmeble more than 1000 pairs of jeans in bulk and I am wondering if there are machines that I can use? I can not do this with just scissors and my hands.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Goodness that is a lot of jeans! I’m afraid I haven’t heard of a machine like that. Hope you can find one!

[@joanneberends4014]

Last Christmas my daughter and her husband gave me a Worx zip snip. Works great on jeans.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Never heard of that! Cool!

[@janesusan4072]

a quilter's rotary cutter and board could help......... big, quality shears also a possibility

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Good suggestions!

[@joanneberends4014]

What do you use the waistband for? I have several of those. Thanks.

[@ScrapFabricLove]

I sell mine but I know some people weave the into rugs and doormats.

[@joanneberends4014]

@@ScrapFabricLove thanks!

[@MyraNagy]

I know that it takes lots of time to cut with pinking shears. Is there a reason you don't use regular shears?

[@ScrapFabricLove]

I find it pretty quick for me. I use the pinking shears mostly because I don’t want to dull my rotary cutter blades on the denim. I don’t do a lot of cutting with dress making shears in general - but that’s cause I’m more of a quilter!

[@alizmim]

helps with the fray

[@ScrapFabricLove]

@@alizmim absolutely!

[@darleneappleman3911]

Ive got some jeans too big for me im cutting it up

[@ScrapFabricLove]

Have fun!