I love denim, I always have.
I'm not sure if it my country roots, all the colors and fits, or just that you can style them in so many ways its a little of everything I think.
Many of us love denim, but what happens to those jeans you decide you don't like, don't fit, outgrow, or rip? Usually one of two things, they are donated or they are thrown away.
My Mom started saving denim for me when I started making bags back in high school, yes its true, and yes many of the first bags I made a sold were from that same denim she saved for me. There were some treasures in there, some acid wash and Rocky Mountain jeans, remember those?
I always thought it was fun to use the seam and other pieces of the denim as well, I use the hems for the key fobs to pull your zipper open, I use the flat felled seems for the wristlet straps and I use the pockets for many different projects!
Many people upcycle denim, there are so many things you can make from denim, I have made scrunchies and pin banners which were both a hit as well.
Most of my denim so far has come from friends and family but I have started to have to thrift for some as well. I am going to start a donation program, hopefully soon, where you can send me your denim and you will get a coupon to use in my shop! The denim will have to be in ok shape, after all no one wants stains or holes in their bags but I bet a lot of you have denim that fits the bill!
I do wash all my denim before I make it into bags, even if it has been washed before, though dark denim can still sometimes stain or "rub off" blue onto yours hands or lighter color fabrics. So please be aware of this. Most of the time I don't recommend washing your denim bags even though you could because the dye in the denim can still bleed onto the lining fabric of the bag. If you have a light colored denim bag I would say its fine, just wash it by hand or separately. You can always spot clean with cold water and soap, try ice and water if you are trying to remove a stain or blood.
If you have any questions please email me, or reach out on social media, I am happy to answer anything!