Little Jean Pocket Purse

Preamble

Unlike most of my patterns, I came upon this idea while just winging it. I had a pair of old jeans from my best friend's hubby, and thought that the pockets would be cute for a purse. You will need to find a pair of jeans that will give you enough finished fabric, as well as a contrasting fabric for the lining and the flap. Since your bag size may be different based on the jean pocket, I will not be providing specific fabric requirements here.

Supplies

1. One pair of old jeans with pockets intact
2. One 1" square of velcro"
3. Contrasting fabric for lining (your size will vary)
4. Decorative Button

Fabric Cutting Instructions

Specific fabric sizes/quantity are not specified. These dimensions will vary based on the size of the pocket you use. The pocket I used came from a man's pair of levi's, probably size 34".

Determine the size of the bag based on the dimensions of the pocket. You will want to use the pocket for the back of your bag.

You will need at least 1/2 - 1" on either side of the pocket for seam allowances, and approximately 1.5 - 2" above and below the pocket.

Now, based on those dimensions, cut a facing piece of denim, and two lining squares. For our example, we will be using the dimensions 8.5" x 10". You will also need one piece of denim, and one piece of lining fabric for the flap, 7.5" x 8.5".

For the straps, you will need 3" x length of your choice. (I used 20" for this young child size bag.)

Straps

• Fold the strap in thirds, iron firmly to set the crease.
• Using a Jean needle, top stitch 1/4" inside each side of the strap.
• Using a decorative stitch, or a wide zig-zag, stitch down the center of the strap to keep it flat.
• Trim the ends cleanly.

Jean Purse

• Attach velcro:
  • On the right side of the non-pocket jean piece, fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, and measure down about 3.5" from the top.
  • Sew your 1" square of velcro (soft side) to the rectangle. (You may prefer to use a standard button or other enclosure.)
• Using a standard 3/8" seam allowance, stitch 3 sides together. (Keep the top open.)
• You may press the seams if you desire.
• Create the box pleat on the bottom:
  • With the bag inside out, draw the corners on top of each other diagonally. The seams should lie flatly on top of each other. (You should now have a pointed corner.)
  • Measure 1" from the tip of the corner on either side. Draw a line connecting the 1" markings.
  • Sew on this line, and backstitch the entire seam. (You want this strong.)
  • Repeat on the other corner, ensuring that the base seam on the bottom is going in the same direction.
  • Turn the bag inside out and ensure that the square pleat is cleanly sewn, with the side seam allowance matching the bottom seam allowance.
  • If they match well, turn it inside out and trim the corner 1/4" from the seam. (You do not need to finish this edge.)
• Turn the bag right-side out.

Lining

• Trim the lining fabric so it is 1/2" shorter than the purse.
• Repeat the steps above for creating the Jean Purse with the lining fabric.

Sewing The Lining to the Jean Purse

• First, you will need to "unsew" about 3-4" of the bottom seam of the lining purse. (This will enable you to turn the purse inside out so that the lining is on the inside.)
• With the lining purse inside-out, and the jean purse right-side out, insert the jean purse into the lining purse.
• Aligning the side seams, bring the lining fabric up to the top of the jean fabric. (You may need to work to do this, remember that the lining purse is 1/2" shorter than the jean purse.)
• Pin well!
• Using the free-arm of your machine, stitch the two bags together using a 3/8" seam allowance.
• Turn the entire purse right side out using the hole in the lining purse bottom.
• Sew the opening of the lining purse closed. (You may hand sew this for a cleaner look.)
• Tuck the lining inside the jean purse nicely. (The jean purse should now be right-side out with the lining purse inside the jean purse.) Make sure everything seems to fit together nicely before finishing the bag.


• Now, turn the purse inside out again with the lining on the outside.
• Using plenty of pins, arrange the seam allowance so that the extra jean material is about 1/8" above the lining fabric. (The pins will help keep this in place while you sew.)
• Then, top stitch around the entire bag using a 1/4" seam allowance. (Or, if you are careful, stitch-in-the-ditch where the two fabrics meet.)

Attach The Straps

• With the bag still inside out, center the end of one strap with the seam allowance on the side of the bag. The "wrong" side of the strap should be on top of the bag, with the raw edges about 1/8" away from the top of the bag.
• Pin the strap in place to hold it.
• Fold the strap back up onto itself. (The wrong side should now be facing on top.)
• Sew the strap to the bag within about 1/8" from the top of the bag. (You want to try and eliminate extra seams showing on the bag, so align the straps with the top stitching you did previously.)
• Remove the pins and tack the bottom portion of the strap in place using about 4-5 stitches, backstitching to lock in place.
• Repeat the steps above for the other side of the bag. Pin it in place, and make sure the strap is not twisted before sewing it down.

Preparing the Flap

• Put the jean flap rectangle on top of the lining fabric, right sides together.
• The 8.5" side is the "width" of your flap.
• Measure in 2" from each of the bottom two corners of your flap.
• Draw a diagonal line between these two markings, and trim the corners off of both pieces.
• Measure in 1" from each of the top two corners.
• Draw a diagonal line between these two markings, and trim the corners off of both pieces.
• Pin with a few pins to keep the fabric from shifting.
• Keeping the top open (this is the side where you trimmed corners off at 1"), sew the flap using a 3/8" seam allowance.
• Turn the flap inside out, and push each corner out. (You will have 6 corners to push out.)
• Press the flap.
• Now, top stitch about 1/4" all the way around the flap.
• Trim the opening section if necessary.

Attaching the Flap to the Bag

• With the wrong side of the flap up, center it on the back of the purse, with the raw edges about 1/4" away from the top of the bag.
• Pin on both sides. (Make sure you use long pins that you can easily pull out.)
• With the pins still in place, fold the flap ontop of itself, aligning the fold of the flap with the top edge of your pocket.
• Pin in place.
• (Your previous pins will need to be pulled out after sewing, so if you cannot see them, you may wish to baste the flap down before folding it back up.)
• Now, stitch the flap down aligning your seam with the previous seam of the top stitching of the purse. (Approximately 1/8" from the edge.)
• Remove the pins and top stitch the bottom portion of the flap (next to the pocket top) in place.
• Turn the flap to the front and determine the placement of your other piece of velcro.
• Sew it in place.
• Sew a decorative button to disguise the velcro.

Voila, a finished bag. Wasn't that easy? ;-)

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