Denim Do over

CHENNAI : There can hardly be a wardrobe without a pair of blue jeans. But if you’ve outgrown it or worn them out, you don’t really have to kiss your jeans goodbye yet. Kavithaa Narasimhan from city-based brand Ekagrata shares ingenious ways to upcycle your favourite pair of denims. “Patrons bring an old pair of jeans to us suggesting we give it a trendy makeover. The fabric does not get dirty easily, has a long lifespan and can withstand heat. Except for the waistband and belt loop, other parts are easy to remove and stitch. Overall, the fabric has a global fashion appeal, design aesthetic and utility value,” said the designer. 

Pillow cover
Take a pair of old denims, throw in some coordinating fabric and voila! You have a cushion that costs next to nothing. Take a piece of the fabric as a centrepiece and stitch it with design bits to give an artsy touch. Stitch the denim patches for that comfort quilt you always wanted! 

Accessories
Rescue the waistband on your jeans by rolling it into a pair of pretty earrings, a bracelet,hairband or a fun neckpiece.

Wall art
Fraying scraps of denim can be used to make feathers or tassels. You will need pieces of denim with no seams or embellishments to create this beauty. The individual denim feathers can be hung on the wall, used to make earrings, bag charms, and gift toppers. 

Stationery
Bookworms, ahoy! That old denim scrap can make for a perfect bookmark that hugs the page of your book. Or a pen stand and file holder for stationery junkies.  

Coaster
Roll the scrap in circles and what you have is a cute coaster.  You can even brighten up your teatime with a denim tea cosy or stitch it into a cutlery holder.

Potholder
We will need two back pockets, some fleece for the batting (padding) on the inside, pretty material for the other side of the holders and contrasting material for the binding around the edges. Hang them up in the kitchen to add a cutesy feel. 

Apron
You can make an entire apron using one pant leg. The pocket on the front of the apron is the back pocket from the jeans and the neck and waist straps are made from the inseams of the jeans. If you wish to trim your apron with colourful bias tape, you will need to purchase that.

Bottle holder
Denim works as a great holder of weights, especially bottles. One can paint the desired design on the body or leave it plain. Measure the length of the strap with flexible string made of twisted bands. Attach it to the bottle holder so that it can be worn on your shoulder.

Wall hanger
Back pockets can be assembled on a piece of cloth, stitched together and used as a hanger. Each pocket can hold objects. Who knew jeans could help us stay organised!

Bags
Based on the type of stitch, a pair of jeans can be remodelled into different types of bags like a wallet, pouches, sling or a shopping bag.