5 Clever Ways To Recycle Old Denim Pants For Home Decor
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Don’t you just hate it when your most trusted and well-fitted pair of denim just gives up? I am talking about that one pair of jeans (if you’re lucky, maybe more) that hugs our derrière like a glove and gives us the perfect shape without compromising on the element of comfort.
It is very difficult to throw such a treasured pair of jeans, especially when it has been with you through the most difficult phases of your life (I am talking about the eat-chocolate-to-drown-your-sorrow phase). But what if I was to tell you that now you don’t have to. That’s right, I have found a way to salvage your treasured jeans.
Instead of throwing away your favorite pair of denim pants, you can upcycle (recycle is passé) to make objects for home décor! It can be the perfect side project to help you tide over these long days of summer. So, get your DIY kits in order and get to work making these trendy home décor objects:
1. Use Them To Make A Place Mat
Why spend thousands on buying fancy placemats, when you can fashion them at home, right? To make them, you would require the following items:
- Kid’s jeans
- Adult jeans
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Backing fabric
- Fabric adhesive tape
- Iron
How To Make Them
- Cut out the pockets from the kids’ jeans and set them aside.
- Now, cut out the front and back leg panels from the adult jeans. Make sure you cut out large pieces (don’t include the seams).
- Trim the panels and give them a rectangular shape. Join the panels by stitching them together to make a placemat which is around 20 inches wide (it can be a couple of inches more too).
- Now using the fabric adhesive tape, paste the pocket on the right corner of the bottom of the mat.
- Cut a section from the backing fabric of the same length as the placemat and attach it to the back of the mat using the adhesive tape.
- Remove the excess fabric by cutting it off. Iron the mat to ensure that the pieces are firmly attached to each other. And voila! Your denim placemat is ready!
2. You Can Also Restore Them By Making Denim Coasters
One can never have enough coasters, right? Making coasters won’t require as much effort as it did in making the placemats. All you have to do is cut out the pockets of your old jeans, and stitch them together. You can also choose to decorate the coasters with embroidery (as shown in the image above). Since denim is made from cotton, these coasters will easily absorb the spillage, if any.
3. Organize Your Home By Turning Your Old Jeans Into Denim Pen Stands And Organizers
If you are tired of buying ugly plastic containers to hold the miscellaneous items you find strewn across your home (the numerous pens, lipsticks, the odd pins, etc.), this upcycle project is for you. And the best part, this project doesn’t even require a lot of crafting. All you need is a container (you can use the one which has become dirty and unsightly), and a pair of jeans. Just cut up a panel from the jeans and wrap it around the container. Fold the excess fabric as shown above. You can use fabric glue to hold it in place. If you want, you can also decorate the container by accessorizing it with lace or decorative stones. Go creative!
4. Make Your Home Cozy With This Denim Area Rug
If you have a large swathe of denim fabric at your disposal, you can use it to create an area rug. Not only will it help you get rid of a large number of old jeans, but you will also get a stylish addition for your home that would be unique and not mass-produced. You can learn to make an area rug from old jeans by clicking here.
5. Spruce Up Your Sofa By Giving It These New Denim Throw Pillows
This is another innovative way of upcycling old jeans. And don’t worry, you don’t even need expert sewing skills to make this. The process of making denim cushion cover is pretty simple. All you need is a pair of scissors, a sewing kit, and some scrap fabric to make seams. Click here to get a detailed tutorial on making denim cushion covers. You can add your own twist to the process by adding more details to the cover using other scrap fabric or lace, or you can also glue some decorative patches on to it.
We are pretty sure that after looking at these innovative ways of reusing old clothes, you would certainly be in a very crafty mood (pun intended). So now, get on with your summer project and give your old jeans a new avatar. If you know of other ideas for recycling denim, share them with us in the comments section.
