Upcycle Your Jeans Into A Really Useful Denim Pocket Pillow For Your iPhone
What is it about teenagers that they seem to spend over half their lives in bed. When I was a teenager, I spent a lot of my time listening to music in my room. Now that my boys are teenagers they like to do the same, but this time the music is on their phones and they listen through headphones. They are always losing their phone down the side of the bed or under the covers. Therefore I designed and made my youngest son Fergus a cool denim pocket pillow for his phone.
This is no ordinary pillow, it has a killer feature; I have incorporated the pocket from an old pair of jeans so he has somewhere to put his phone whilst lying on the bed listening to music.
Ironically my sons like to listen to a lot of the same music as I did, apparently, it’s quite cool to listen to 80’s music!
What you need to make your pocket pillow
This denim pocket cushion was made for an inner pillow 40 X 70 cm you may want to adjust the measurements to fit your pillow.
- A leg of an old pair of jeans (straight or loose fit jeans are best)
- On old sweater; this is optional but as I had one that went well with my fabric I decided to use it. Also, the wool sweater gave the pillow a nice cozy soft feel. However, you can just make your pocket pillow with fabric and denim.
- Scrap fabric if using the sweater then it needs to be a least 25cm by 82cm. If just fabric and denim then you’ll need twice the amount.
- A zip between 30cm-35cm.
- Scissors, pins, needle, thread and sewing machine.
How to make your denim pocket pillow
- Prepare your denim pocket by cutting the off left leg of the jeans all the way to the top of the waistband and as close to the crotch as possible. You will want to end up with a piece of denim approximately 50cm by 40cm or as close you can get to this making sure you have both the front and back pockets. Fold in half and pin right sides together before sewing along the waistband.
- If using a sweater you will need to felt this in the washing machine first. Once felted cut and your sweater so that you end up with a piece 25cm by 80 cm.
- Next your 3 fabric pieces (denim, sweater and fabric) are ready to sew together. Pin the sweater piece to the your patterned fabric right sides together and sew along the long edge. Next, pin this large piece to the edge of your denim fabric again sew right sides together
- You should now have something that looks like your pillow but with an open bottom edge and side.
- Sew along the bottom edge of the pillow cover and then turn right side out.
- Finally you will need to sew in the zip into the open fabric. There are a lots of youtube videos that are much better at explaining how to sew in a zipper than I can ever do. For example MADE Everyday has a great video tutorial.
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The finished iPhone pocket pillow
Of course it goes without saying this iPhone pillow is android compatible, infact it works with all types of mobile phones.
One of the great thing about this pillow is that as you have both the front and back pocket of the jeans you can use it on the the left or the right depending on your preference. My son loves his new pillow, it stops him losing his phone in the covers or accidently knocking it out of bed. The colours go great with his room. We gave it a cactus themed makeover last summer so the cactus fabric fits in great with this and the denim goes well with the denim pocket wall organiser I made him.
If you love to make pillows out of old jeans, check out all the best denim pillow ideas here.
I love to upcycle and repurpose my families old jeans. You may want to check out some of my other awesome denim DIYs for the home.
Lisa // Cucicucicoo: Eco Sewing & Crafting
16th September 2018 at 6:37 amThis is such a great idea! And good job linking around to other posts on your website. I have just opened up about 10 pages or so! And here I thought that I’d already seen a good part of the amazing projects on your website, and I find tons more! I just love your style, kudos! 🙂 Lisa
Claire Armstrong
16th September 2018 at 10:34 amThank you, Lisa, that’s very kind. My son still has this pillow in his room and uses it regularly.
crafty.grandma.56
11th December 2016 at 5:49 pmWhat a great idea!!! I still have time to make one for my grandson who loves to listen to music and watch movies in bed. It would make a great place for the remote which they are always losing!! LOL! Of course I’ll have to make one for the other two also – one who plays video games on their Ipad the other likes music! Velcro sounds like a great idea too!
Claire Armstrong
11th December 2016 at 9:22 pmThank you, I bet your grandson would love one.
LYN BUERGER
11th December 2016 at 5:44 pmThanks for the tutorial. I have used old jeans for everything under the sun. Love picking them up at garage sales (your trash if my next art project). I’ve used them for carry bags, trims on sweat shirts, and saddle bag pillows for the sofa to hold remotes. etc. Keep up the good work.
Claire Armstrong
11th December 2016 at 9:21 pmThank you, I love to upcycle old jeans and I’m always looking for new ideas.
Della
25th September 2016 at 6:39 amLove the pillow, I also changed it a little. I put Velcro on the inside of the pockets to close in the wires from the headphones. We have pups (dachshunds) and they chew everything. The pups lay on pillow and I listen to music.
Claire Armstrong
25th September 2016 at 7:00 amThank you ! The Velcro sounds a good idea. LUckily my dogs not a chewer.
Bea Allison
24th September 2016 at 5:49 pmGreat idea! I can also see using both a right AND a left jean pocket with one contrasting or coordinating fabric in the middle
Claire Armstrong
24th September 2016 at 7:02 pmThank you, that’s a good idea.
Robin @ Redo It Yourself Inspirations
2nd March 2016 at 11:11 amSuch a clever idea! The pillow looks fantastic and that pocket is a great spot for keeping things from getting lost. Thank you for sharing at Homemade and Handcrafted! Pinned to share too!
Claire Armstrong
2nd March 2016 at 11:20 amThank you so much ! Glad you liked it.
julie nichols
27th February 2016 at 3:55 pmI love this pillow, how fun that you mixed different fabric designs with cheerful colors. Your son looks like he really likes it. You are my pick for this weeks Talk of the Town Link Party. Pinning!
Thank you for linking up.
Julie @ Love My Simple Home
Claire Armstrong
27th February 2016 at 4:23 pmThank you very much ! I look forward to seeing it.
Whitney
25th February 2016 at 2:44 pmThis is such a neat idea! Jean pockets make such versatile crafts. 🙂
Claire Armstrong
25th February 2016 at 2:54 pmThank you ! I love to use the pockets in my upcycles.
Michelle L
22nd February 2016 at 6:18 pmWhaaaaat? Claire, you are a genius. Love everything about this from concept to colors to awesome photos (and your way cool model). Lovely jean recycle, something I have not seen before!
Claire Armstrong
22nd February 2016 at 8:32 pmThanks very much, your are very kind and generous with your words ! I just love making stuff with old denim.
Mary-the boondocks blog
21st February 2016 at 11:21 pmThis is such a great repurpose Claire. I’ve also got a teen who lives with headphones in her ears all day long. I feel like I’m talking to myself half the time. I’ll have to show her this idea. I love the use of the denim.
Claire Armstrong
22nd February 2016 at 7:25 amThank you, glad you liked it and hopefully your daughter will too.
Kristina & Millie
21st February 2016 at 7:39 pmyour model looks like he is saying hurry up lol. love this pillow, how fun to use the different fabrics into one cool pillow! the pocket is just perfect too for little hideaway spot for things when not in use for the iphone (maybe baby teeth, small stuffie, etc.). thanks for the diy!
Claire Armstrong
21st February 2016 at 8:41 pmThanks ! Those sound like good ideas too for the pocket.
Tuula @ Thrifty Rebel Vintage
20th February 2016 at 10:44 pmWhat a fun project Claire! Very cool. Thanks so much for sharing it at Vintage Charm.
Claire Armstrong
20th February 2016 at 11:48 pmCheers and thank you !
creativejewishmom/sara
20th February 2016 at 6:55 pmBrilliant Claire! I just asked my 12year old if he’s like one for his mp3, so he can do the same! Thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!
Claire Armstrong
20th February 2016 at 10:31 pmThanks ! My son really likes his pillow. He also uses his phone as an alarm so it’s handy for that as well.
Shirley
20th February 2016 at 9:19 amHi Claire. Great idea. I bought a bag years ago that was made out of a pair of Levi’s 501s. I am new to your blog- got a link from Hometalk. Even though I live in England I seem to follow a lot of American blogs. Even though they are great I’d like to follow more UK ones. Can you recommend any?
Claire Armstrong
20th February 2016 at 9:43 amHi and thanks. I don’t know many English blogs but I do like http://www.sumoftheirstories.com/. If you come across any good English ones can you pass them on to me as well, thanks.
Pam @Threading My Way
19th February 2016 at 11:03 pmWhat a cool idea, Claire! Looks great and practical, too.
Claire Armstrong
20th February 2016 at 7:56 amThanks ! Yeah my son loves it and uses it all the time now.
Anne
19th February 2016 at 2:53 pmThis is so awesome! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for this afternoon that features your tutorial: http://sewing.craftgossip.com/?p=86736 –Anne
Claire Armstrong
19th February 2016 at 2:55 pmThank you really look forward to seeing it !