Recycled Denim Purses

Concho and leather fringe handbag
Materials:

old blue jean leg
1/2-inch hitched webbing
3/32-inch drive punches
polyboard
mallet
rapid rivet setter
San Mateo concho - rivet back
leather fringe - gold
3/4-inch aged synthetic bone beads - 90 each
waxed thread - natural
needle
Fabri-tac
scissors
sewing machine
thread
tape measure
lighter

Steps:

2. With the wrong side out, hand- or machine-sew the cut opening of the leg to create a pouch for the handbag.

3. Cut and cement a length of fringe under and around and just below the top hem of the handbag (figure B).

4. Measure and cut a length of hitched webbing to go around and along the top of the fringe (figure C). Fuse the ends of the webbing with a lighter to keep the length from fraying. Adhere the webbing in place, securing it with clothespins until dry (figure D).

5. Along the center and top of the handbag, use a 3/32-inch drive punch and mallet to punch two holes through the webbing and fringe.

6. Attach the decorative concho using a rapid rivet setter and mallet.

7. Thread each end of a 1-1/2-yard piece of a waxed thread onto a large-eyed needle. String the first bead to the center of the thread. String both needles through opposite ends of the next bead, pulling the thread until the beads are snug horizontally ( figure E). Continue to lace half of the beads onto the length of the thread (figure F). Tie an overhand knot to secure, leaving the thread length. Cut and attach the needles onto a new 1-1/2-yard length of thread. To connect the strands of beads, string one needle through the first bead of the first beaded strand and begin to string the remaining beads onto the new thread. Once the remaining beads have been strung, tie an overhand knot to secure, leaving the thread length.

8. Thread a large-eyed needle onto one end of one beaded thread. Make a half-inch stitch from the inside of the bag (figure G). Remove the needle from the thread and secure the thread with a knot. Repeat this step with the other end of the beaded handle.

Feather fringed handbag
Materials:

old blue jean leg
1/2-inch hitched webbing
black feather fringe
50, one-inch black horn beads
13, two-inch black horn beads
13 red E beads
black waxed thread
black sinew
stitching needle with large eye
size one glover needle
Fabri-tac
scissors
sewing machine
thread
tape measure
lighter

Steps:

1. Repeat steps 1 through 4 above.

2. Thread black sinew onto the glover needle. Attach the black horn beads and red E beads along the bottom edge of the handbag.

3. Repeat steps 7 and 8 above.