DIY denim tote bag from recycled jeans!

Hello Friends!

It's been a while since our last post but now we are back with many many new DIY projects. Lately we have been busy making cool accessories for the summer. Today we are showing you a lovely DIY denim bag we made out of left overs from cut-off denim shorts. The crochet like lace gives to the bag a romantic and boho touch. This lovely bag is so great and easy to sew. We loved the whole process, we hope you like the result! 

 

So, lets get started. You will need a denim fabric or left over denim scraps and for the lining I used a quilted fabric to add some stability in the bag. For decorating your bag you can use anything extra you may like. I used crochet lace and some handmade drops. Just to let you know the denim pieces I used in this bag are the left overs from a denim pant that I turned it into shorts. This blog is about clothes recycling after all.

Lets make the shape of our bag. Lay out your fabric and draw with a pen the shape of your bag.  I made the bag in oval shape. Then cut out the fabric following the shape you have drawn and stitch it. 

 

For the lining of our bag we will make an exact same bag in smaller size than our denim bag. The point is to put this lining bag inside our denim bag.

We place the two pieces of lining inside out and we stitch them all around except from the upper part. 

Lets go back to our denim bag to decorate it. I placed the crochet like lace on the bag and I stitched it carefully. So simple and nice! 

After stitching the lace we place the lining-bag inside our denim bag. Do not forget to insert it with the rights sides facing one another. Now it's time to install our magnetic button closure.

You can find many tutorials on the web on how to place a magnetic snap. I will try to explain you how to place it as I don't have photos. The magnetic snaps are attached to the lining of the bags.To avoid tearing through the lining fabric with wear, you will have to place an interfacing fabric. Just a little square of fusible fabric is enough. So, at the center of the lining's wrong side (very important), place a little square of fusible interfacing fabric and iron it. For your info, a complete magnetic snap has two sides and each side has two parts. Take a snap (the one with the vertical slits) and mark on the interface where you want to place it. Cut the slits with a sharp blade or with sharp scissors to mark the area. Push the snap tabs through the holes of the lining place back the snap (with the slits) and push the tabs apart (in outward direction). Repeat the same process for the other piece of lining. 

 

Now, it is time to attach the handles. For this bag I used a pants belt that I didn't wear anymore. 

So it was really easy the whole process. I measured the desired length and cut it. Then I attached the handles to both sides of the bag and my bag was ready!

P.S :  Many thanks to my beautiful model FKappou for her contribution to our blog.

Kisses,

Tailor Spy

Like Mikalina facebook page!

Hello friends!

Today's post is dedicated to our blog's contributor Mikalina. This talented girl has shared with us some of the most creative posts about DIY accessories. Now she opens her wings into a field that she knows really well, the handmade little treasures as she calls them. Her collection of bracelets, earrings and necklaces is inspired mainly by the Bohemian style enriched with an ethnic touch. All the accessories are handmade and each piece is unique. The materials are innovative and some of them are handmade (braided bracelets). For more information you can send her a private email to her Facebook page. Please visit and Like her page.

We wish her the best of luck at this new beginning! 

Don't forget to Like her Facebook page! 

Kisses

Tailor Spy

Denim shortscut!

Hello friends...this is our last week before our summer vacations, at last! Our spirit is high as we dream to spend the next weeks on a beautiful beach with good friends. I hope to get some tan and relax my mind from the past and furious winter. As we are in the middle of summer and the tempereature has risen, this week I am presenting an easy DIY denim pants refashion into a pair of super, stylish and fresh-looking denim shorts!

This project was really easy and quick. You will do it in no time, I assure you. So let's start.

Photo 1
All you need is a pair of denim pants, a lace, a ruler and a pair of scissors and pencil, of course...

Photo 2
First step is to cut a triangle from both side hips app. 10cm from bottom hem. A ruler and a pencil are very useful for this! 

Photo 3
Then we cut the pyramid we previously draw by pencil. 

Photo 4
We measure the lace ribbon we need for each side of our pyramid and we cut it. I also placed this lace ribbon all around the bottom hem because it looked nicer like this.

Photo 5
We carefully stitch the lace ribbon all around the bottom hem and our super denim shorts is ready to wear!

Your final work should look like this...You will notice a stitched flower in gold at the right side. This was made a long time ago with thick thread. This is a nice idea to refresh an old pair of denim pants. I kept it because it looked nice...You can try it, too! 

Many thanks to my model FKappou for posing! 

I hope you like it!

xxx

Tailor Spy

The lady in lace!

Hello friends!
It's been a while since my last post, I know, but I am back with a new amazing DIY project. This tutorial is so easy and fun and the outcome is also great! T-shirts are my favourite garments because you can transform them in a minute and in so many ways! This time I added this great lace in a plain cotton t-shirt! What a result! 

Photo 1
What you need is a cotton t-shirt which you can easily find everywhere. This is actually a men's t-shirt in size M. Women's t-shirt are usually more tight and I wanted the fitting to be loose. 

Photo 2
First we cut the hem around the neck and we shorten the sleeves by cutting 5-8cm from sleeve's hem. The original sleeves were too long!

Photo 3
We turn the t-shirt inside out and we stitch it from bottom hem up to the armole and sleeve. We repeat this proceed at the other side too. In this way we make the t-shirt a bit more tight. It is totally up to you! After you finish with the stitching, you must cut the excess fabric at the left and right.

 

Photo 4

Then we cut the bottom hem around 20cm below the armhole and we stitch the lace on the outter side of the hem. If you want, you can stitch the lace under the bottom hem. We keep aside the rest of the fabric for later. 

Photo 5
At this stage, the t-shirt should look like this. Last, you take the fabric we cut from bottom hem and we stitch it under the lace, this time. The t-shirt is ready! It is a romantic and elegant piece you can wear in the office or for a night out! Enjoy!

*Many thanks to my beautiful friend Fotini who accepted to be my model at this photo shoot. 

Kisses
Tailor Spy

 

Denim shorts + Lace = Love!

I guess that I am a romantic girl, after all. Yes, I admit that I love lace! But I am also a denim fanatic...What about lace in a pair of denim shorts...mmmm that sounds really nice...wait a minute...what about transforming an old pair of jeans into a brand new pair of denim shorts with plenty of lace...That sounds even better... what do you think? 

Photos 1 & 2
This is how we do it. We take an old pair of jeans (this was quite worn out) and we cut the legs. A pair of shorts suddenly appears! Wow...

Photo 3 & 4

Then, we turn the lace up side down and we pin it on the hem. Next, we stitch the lace onto the hem with our sewing machine (hand stitching is also allowed) and our lace is ready!!!

Photo 5

What I did next was to change the back & front button..It was about time...I used the one shown in the photo..it looks nice...

Photo 6 & 7

This the result...I hope you like it. I was super excited for two reasons: not only have I added a new pair of denim shorts in my wardrobe but I have refashioned a garment which was no longer wearable. This is the joy of clothes upcycling!

 

Top by Zara

Denim shorts by Tailor Spy

Kisses!

Tailor Spy