10 Denim Crafts You Can Make from a Pair of Jeans

If you can recall your first pair of designer jeans, then you understand just how powerful denim can be. (Mine was during Christmas of '84, a $100 pair of two-sizes too-big Sergio Valente's that I begged my Dad for and that he purchased against the wishes of my mother, who thought that was just too much to pay for a pair of jeans with somebody else's name on it.) Blue jeans as we know them were born 141 years ago, when Levi Strauss & Co. patented a style of dungarees made more durable by rivets at the seams. Indeed, denim makes for some rather indestructible goods that take on an attractive patina with repeated use—hardworking items for decorating and organizing—and they'll only get more appealing with age.

When it comes to denim, we love and adore them. You likely already own a favorite pair of jeans that fit you perfectly, are just the right hue of blue, and make you feel your best each and every time so slide into them. Yet with constant and excessive wear, that once-perfect pair starts to lose its color and shape, or become worn and tattered. If you're holding on to a storage bin of such items from your younger days, it just might be time for a new plan and a host of new projects.

Consider upcycling them into storage bins, aprons, and durable desk supplies. The wide spectrum of blues coordinates with just about any color, and its resilience and machine washability invite you to stretch out and put up your feet on it. All it takes is a little creativity and know-how to turn those denim jeans into something marvelous and magical, once again.

Whether you work in arts and crafts, gardening, or cooking, you know the necessity of donning a protective apron. This denim apron is tailored to you—in terms of both fit and needs—making it the perfect accessory to making your hobbies more organized and enjoyable. In addition to denim material that you will cut from your unwanted jeans, you'll also need eyelets and cotton webbing tape (both of which can be purchased online or at a specialty store). 

We could all use a bit more storage, and transforming your unwanted denim jeans into a bin is a simple project that holds almost anything. Made in any size, these baskets can be used to tidy up any room of your home—grouping together socks, children's toys, makeup and toiletry items, or knitting and craft supplies. For this project, a sewing machine, tailor's chalk, and needle and thread are required. 

If you can iron a shirt, you can do this project. The folders are made by fusing the scrap denim onto a durable folder with iron-on adhesive. Lightweight denim and engineer stripes bring color, texture, and durability your filed papers.

Portable electronics such as tablets, phones, and laptops have become part of our everyday reality. Get into the practice of protecting these items from wear and tear by transporting them in a convenient case. Tech-savvy and style go hand in hand with these cases made with denim and felt. Not to mention, they make customizable gifts for your family and friends.

Newspapers, mail, and stationery tend to get lost in the mix of a messy desk. Corral those loose odds and ends in a chic yet simple-to-assemble shallow leather box. Use lightweight denim to line the interior.

Redecorating? Upgrade an entryway bench, living room sofa, dining nook, or porch area with a few strategically placed denim pillows. For just the right amount of color contrast, create these easy-to-make pillows in varying shades of denim blue. Try experimenting with the sizes of your mood-boosting blue-hue pillows as well to create the picture-perfect finishing touch.  

As Mother's Day, prom season, and spring all steadily approach, flowers will be in great demand. Go for the unconventional and give a gift that will last forever with a denim corsage. The recipient will love the time attention you put into this treasured keepsake. To crafty these denim roses, all you need are strips of denim, and a needle and thread.

What's better than having a perfect pair of jeans? Prolonging their wearability with a denim patch. Not only can you preserve your adored pair as a decorative patch, you can repair another garment that has holes or tears. A well-placed patch is all you need to get that favorite piece of clothing in need of a little TLC back in rotation.