Flat Felled Seam Denim Bag Tutorial

Do you have a pile of flat felled seams from all those jeans you cut up? Like me, you can't bear to toss them out?  Okay, so you don't. But start saving them!  Here's a great use!  I'll show you how to make a bag using the currently popular wrapped clothesline method. No clothesline involved, just flat felled seams!

Trim your seams neatly on both sides

Attach the trimmed seams, short or long, with a zig zag stitch until you have a good long working length. You can keep adding as you build the purse and it grows to the size you want.

To begin, snip part way through the seam so that you can bend it into a U shape and begin zig zagging. I measured about 1.5 inches before I snipped. 

Bend at the snip into U shape and zig zag, to join, wrapping around itself. As if you are making a mat (another good use for flat felled seams!)

Turning and zig zag stitching as you go

Here I am adding some more length.

Keep going until you have the base the size you desire. Now tilt on a 45 degree angle.  Stretch the denim a little tilting and building the sides of the bag as you go.

This takes some practice, it will start to get bulky.

Keep going until the bag is the size you want.  As you get better you can flare or adjust the shape.  You should go back and check your stitching periodically. Make sure you are butting the seams together snuggly and they are well joined.  If they aren't, just go back and stitch over the area to catch both sides. Don't be fussy, you'll enjoy the project so much more.

You can finish off with some lining and some straps. The bag is quite serviceable with no lining. 

**Lining is another lesson, measuring the circumference of your bag for the sides and using the finished bag base, draw a circle for the base of your lining, every bag is different. Stitch finished lining to finished bag, wrong side together**

 I made my straps from two long lengths butted together.  Zig zag both sides of the joined strips, then stitch firmly in place.  For this project use heavy duty size 16 or denim needles. (The thick layers of stitching the handles in place could cause needle breakage.)

How about a recycled leather belt for handles? Some vintage buttons for accents? Use up, make do.

It was worth the effort!