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Patchwork Denim Hobo Bag | Jeans Upcycling Sewing Pattern

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Soft and slouchy, and made from recycled materials, you’ll be right on trend with this handy bag.

This is a great project for upcycling fabrics, particularly old jeans, as worn denim is such a lovely fabric to work with: after many washes, the fabric is softened, plus denim fades in a really interesting way. Look at the wrong sides of the denim too, as it sometimes looks very different to the right side and so can be used as an extra colour. I’ve used one leg of each of three pairs of jeans plus a few scraps of patterned cotton fabric – the remaining denim fabric could be turned into a patchwork cushion, another bag or some other project. I’ve also repurposed the back pocket from one pair of jeans as a pocket on the bag, but if you’re not using jeans, you can simply leave this off or make your own (see Adding Patch Pockets).

Of course, you could use any fabric you like – old shirts or sheets, for example – and the bag pattern can be used with one piece of fabric if you prefer that to the patchwork look. You can also use fabric remnants, either your own or fabrics from your local fabric store’s bargain bin.

A hobo bag is soft and slouchy, so I haven’t used any interfacing for this one as I felt the denim was firm enough. If you’re using standard cotton, fuse a medium-weight interfacing, such as Vlieseline G700, to the wrong side: anything too bulky will make it difficult to turn the handle through.

Note: use ¼in (5mm) seam allowances.

Finished size: 19½ x 10½in at centre front, or 19½ x 28½in with handles

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You will need:

Equipment

• Sewing machine  
• Magnetic snap fastener 
• Quilter’s ruler and rotary cutter to cut out your squares 
• Fabric clips or pins  
• Optional: fabric glue for the jeans pocket – I used Guterman HT2 
• Optional: removable fabric marker 

Materials

• 44 x 19in (112 x 48.25cm) of outer fabric in total – if not using patchwork squares, you will need to join the handle, or, if you’d prefer to avoid a join and are using one piece of fabric you will need 44 x 31in (112 x 79cm) of fabric 
• 44 x 19in (112 x 48.25cm) of lining fabric – again, this will mean a join in the handle 
• One back pocket from the jeans, if using 

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