A one-of-a-kind handbag that is made using upcycled scraps of denim jeans, and pre-loved fabrics sourced from Achieve Australia’s The Sewing Basket.

Designed and sewn by me, Katie, in my home studio in the Sutherland Shire, NSW, this bag gives beautiful pre-loved materials a second life while helping reduce textile waste.

Outside

• The front has a panel made with the scraps of denim leftover from my other upcycling projects.

• The scraps are varying shades of blue and are arranged in a geometric type pattern with contrast stitching.

• The back is a panel of light denim with a zipper pocket in the center top. There is a beige zipper with antique-brass coloured teeth and pull.

• There is a gusset made of navy denim giving the bag sides and a base.

• Reinforced with Pellon SF101 woven fusible interfacing for structure and shape.

Inside

• Fully lined with a pre-loved black cotton printed with coral roses, mustard-yellow tulips, and tiny white daisies.

• Reinforced with Pellon SF101 woven fusible interfacing for added strength.

• One internal zipper pocket- using the same zipper as the other two and second hand floral fabric for the pocket lining.

• One slip pocket, divided into two made from a cream and floral scrap fabric.

Straps & Closure

• There are two sturdy straps made from denim, each reinforced with a strip of stabiliser for added strength.

• A recessed zipper closes the bag, with the internal lining fabric enclosing a beige zipper with brass coloured teeth and pull.

Materials & Upcycling

The denim and fabrics are second-hand. The denim is a mix of thrifted and donated textiles, and the latter was purchased from Achieve Australia’s The Sewing Basket, a social enterprise supporting people with disability.

New materials used are limited to stabilisers, metal hardware, zippers, thread and the cotton label.

All pre-loved textiles used in this bag are washed before being sewn.

Measurements

• Width: 33cm

• Height: 25cm

• Straps: 67cm long ( 30cm drop) × 3.2cm wide

• Top zipper opening: 28cm

• Outer zip pocket opening: 21cm

• Internal zip pocket opening: 20.5cm

• Internal slip pocket opening: 9cm x2

Please Note- Every item is individually handmade by me. While I take great care to ensure consistency, slight variations in dimensions, pattern placement and finish are a natural part of the handmade process. These individual characteristics are what make each piece unique.

Care- Spot clean only. Line dry in the shade. Warm iron if required - avoid ironing over the zippers as heat may damage or melt them.

Postage- Sent via tracked parcel post with Australia Post.