upcycled denim book bags

One of my YouTube subscribers (and repeat customer) threw out the idea for me to design a bag that he could toss a few books into; something simple to throw over his shoulder, made from upcycled denim, with a touch of birds (yes, this subscriber found me through Riley Mae’s beloved bird channel).

At this suggestion, my brain instantly went 💡

A handmade denim bag sitting on a dresser

these bags look small and compact, but are big enough to comfortable fit an 11″x9″ notebook into, as well as a few books!

Of course, I got this idea in the midst of my Valentine’s craze, so I harnessed all of my self-control and willpower to put the inspiration on the back burner until I got through my list of February-14th-inspired projects.

By the time I was free to work on this project, I had already found a starter pattern to base my bags off of, and my vision was solidified in my mind.

The details of a handmade denim bag with floral designs on it

I put two YouTube shorts together of making these bags; the first one is narrated by me, and the second one is a bit more fast-paced, and set to a Shania Twain song 🧵

As you all might’ve realized by now, I typically enjoy making my work quite feminine, so the entire time I was working on these bags I kept having to remind myself to stick with androgynous designs (it was especially hard to ignore my inclination to add lace details).

Of course, after I made the first two bags, I simply had to make a more feminine, floral design with the last scraps of denim I had on hand.

I couldn’t resist.

And I’m glad I couldn’t, because it turned out

✨gorgeous✨

Up-close photo of a handmade denim bag with a bird and pinecone on it

The inside of a handmade denim bag, showing an inner pocket

Up-close details of a handmade denim bag

The inside of a denim bag, showing a floral design and an inner pocket

The style of these bags is a simple little backpack that can be slung over your shoulders. I happened to have two sets of clips/hardware that I was able to use for the first two bags’ closure systems, which I loved, because they’re not only aesthetically pleasing, but also very secure.

On the inside of the bags I sewed real jean pockets, which serve as actual pockets. And since they’re pockets from men’s jeans (aside from the yellow one), they’re big enough to hold your essentials.

An up-close photo of a hummingbird patch on a handmade denim bag

An up-close photo of a vireo patch on a handmade denim bag

An up-close photo of a handmade denim bag with a floral patch on it

An up-close photo floral patch on a handmade denim bag

I think my cute little custom tags are always the cherry on top 🍒

The bird/floral patches on the front were a design of my own; I cut the birds and pinecone out from a vintage throw blanket, and the floral design from a vintage bedsheet. I then sewed them securely onto scraps of denim, and intentionally frayed the edges to give them that textured, carefree look, before sewing them onto the flaps of the bags.

I’m so happy with how they came out (I’m especially proud of how clean my stitching is on the floral patch!), and I’ll likely use this idea on future projects.

Photos of a girl wearing a striped shirt, baseball hat, and a denim backpack

you can watch this fit check here!

The straps of the bags are 100% cotton webbing, and the inside linings are made from cotton canvas fabric (the bird bags), and a vintage bedsheet (the floral bag).

Sewing multiple layers of denim was not easy on my hands, but thankfully my sewing machine did quite well with it, and overall I’m so happy with how these turned out!

I’ve already sold the hummingbird bag to the the guy who gave me this inspired idea, and Mom has laid claim to the floral design (I would’ve been tempted to keep it if she hadn’t!), but the vireo bag is still available in the shop!