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You are here: Home / Denim / How To Make Hanging Pockets From Old Jeans

How To Make Hanging Pockets From Old Jeans

5th February 2020 by Claire Armstrong 32 Comments

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Denim hanging pocket storage

A tutorial for making some handy hanging pockets for your craft room, by repurposing your old jeans.

One of my favorite things to upcycle is denim. When I need some hanging storage for the pegboard in my craft room, I instantly thought of jeans pockets.

The Pockets on A Pair of Jeans

With most pairs of jeans, there are actually five pockets. Two on the back of the jeans, two at the front. Then, the fifth pocket is the tiny one inside the front right pocket.

This small pocket was originally called the watch pocket. It was designed as a safe place for men to store their pocket watches. It dates back to when Levi’s first-ever pair of jeans, which hit the market in 1879.

Now that most people don’t carry pocket watches, the fifth pocket is often referred to as the coin pocket. Sometimes it’s also called the ticket pocket.

For these handy hanging pockets, I just repurposed only the back jeans pockets.

Along with the seams and waistbands, the back pockets on a pair of jeans are my favorite part. They really add character to the jeans and make upcycled denim crafts more interesting.

My son has a great denim pocket organizer for the wall in his room. It is made from the pockets of the family’s old jeans. I also made him a denim iPhone pocket pillow.

This time I wanted something different and made these handy portable storage pockets for my craft room. They can easily be unhooked from the pegboard and carried around.

Even though I have used them in for craft storage, I think these hanging pockets would also work well in a kitchen and could be used as cutlery holders.

denim jeans pockets

Embroidering The Pockets

To add interest to the hanging pockets I embroidered a letter on each pocket.

I love a rainbow, I embroidered an initial letter for each color of the rainbow.

  • R – Red
  • O – Orange
  • Y – Yellow
  • G – Green
  • B – Blue
  • I – Indigo
  • V – Violet

A rainbow seemed appropriate as the hanging pockets were going to be used to store my colored pens.

However, you can always embroider a monogram initial on the pockets. Or even design them so they spell a word when all hung up together.

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What You Need To Make Denim Hanging Pockets

  • Old denim jeans
  • Scrap leather
  • Eyelet punch and eyelets such as a Crop-o-Dile
  • Small embroidery hoop 3-4“
  • Colored embroidery thread and needle
  • Letter templates – You can download the one I used here.
embroidery template

How To Make The Jeans Hanging Pockets

1.First, carefully cut out the back pockets from the jeans. Using a pair of sissors cut as close to the seam edge of the pocket as possible.
cutting out a back pocket with scissors.
cut out denim back pockets

I cut out seven jeans pockets in total. One for each color of the rainbow.

2. Next, place an embroidery hoop onto the pocket. The inner hoop will go inside the pocket and the outer hoop on the back of the pocket.

Then cut out the letter template you want and place it on the front of the pocket. Draw around the letter.

Pocket embroidery
preparing embroidery template

3. Next, using embroidery thread and a needle fill in the letter template with stitches. No need for fancy stitches a simple satin stitch will do.

Be careful to stitch only the front of the pocket and not go through to the back.

embroidering the pockets

4. Once the embroidery has finished, remove the embroidery hoop. Then using a rotary cutter and mat, cut a leather strap for the pocket. The leather strap should be about 1cm wide and about 15cm long.

Cutting leather strip

Attaching the leather hanging strap

5. The next thing to do is to attach the leather strap to the embroidered pocket. First, punch two holes into the leather strap, one at each end.

adding the strap

Then, punch 2 holes into the back fabric of the pocket. The holes should be at the top of the pocket and one at each end.

Using eyelets and an eyelet tool attach the strap to the denim hanging pocket.

If you don’t have an eyelet tool you can then stitch the leather strap to the jeans pocket.

attaching the strap

Repeat with the other hanging pockets. Then simply fill them with your pens and hang from a hook.

Hanging denim pockets
hanging jean pocket storage

These hanging jeans pockets are so handy. I use them on the pegboard in my craft room to organize all my colored pens.

DIY denim hanging pockets
Denim hanging pocket storage

If you liked these denim hanging pockets you might want to take a look at my other no-sew projects with old jeans.

Or if you are more into craft room organization and storage, check out this washi tape holder idea, the denim and copper tin can caddy, and these map repurposed empty cookie tin storage.

Denim Hanging Pocket Storage

DIY denim hanging pocket storage idea

Create some fun hanging pocket storage for your craft room by repurposing and upcycling your old jeans. Just use the back pockets and add some colourful embroidery.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Active Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • Old jeans
  • Leather scraps
  • Embroidery thread
  • Letter template

Tools

  • Crop-o-Dile (eyelet punch)
  • Eyelets
  • Rotary cutter and mat
  • Embroidery needle
  • Scissors
  • Small embroidery hoops

Instructions

  1. Carefully cut out the back pockets from the jeans. Cut as close to the edge of the pocket as possible.
  2. Place the inner embroidery hoop inside the pocket. Then, place the outer hoop on the front of the pocket.
  3. Draw a letter on the front of the pocket using the printed out template.
  4. Fill the letter pattern with an embroidery stitch. A simple satin stitch will work well.
  5. Cut a leather strap about 1cm wide and 15 cm long, using a rotary cutter and mat.
  6. Then, with an eyelet tool punch holes into the end of the leather strap.
  7. Then, attach the leather strap to the pocket using the eyelet tool and two eyelets. The leather should be attached to the back of the jeans pocket so that the leather strap forms a hoop from which to hang the pockets.
  8. Repeat with the other jeans pockets. For a rainbow, you will need seven hanging pockets one for each colour. Red, yellow, orange, green, blue, indigo and violet.
  9. Fill with pens and hang from a hook or your pegboard.

Notes

You can also use these pockets in the kitchen as cutlery holders.

© Pillarboxblue
Project Type: Upcycle / Category: Denim

For more upcycled crafts visit cheapandthrifty living.

Filed Under: Denim, DIY Upcycling Tagged With: denim pockets, hanging pocket, hanging pockets, jeans pockets, monogram, organization, pocket, rainbow, storage

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. natelia bailey

    6th March 2020 at 1:23 pm

    Great project, and I get the “no-sew” idea, but for me, I would trim the back of the pocket longer than the front so that I could turn an edge under and have no ravel edges. Guess you could use iron-on tape or even fabric glue to continue with your no-sew idea. Love the leather handles.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th March 2020 at 4:10 pm

      Yes, that is an idea. I found when they were hanging up you didn’t really notice the back of the pockets also if you brush the cut edge with glue that will stop the denim from fraying.

      Reply
  2. Ann

    17th February 2020 at 7:31 pm

    Very clever and useful! Thank you for sharing at Party In Your P’s, you are being featured on my blog Tuesday evening.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      18th February 2020 at 7:20 pm

      That’s awesome I look forward to seeing it.

      Reply
  3. Michelle

    15th February 2020 at 8:03 am

    This is a super cute idea!

    Michelle
    http://mybijoulifeonline.com

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      15th February 2020 at 11:06 am

      Thank you so much

      Reply
  4. Donna @ Modern on Monticello

    12th February 2020 at 4:22 pm

    You share some of the best ideas for reusing old jeans and they look fabulous every time. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      12th February 2020 at 7:01 pm

      Thank you, Donna. They are one of my favourite things to repurpose.

      Reply
  5. creativejewishmom/sara

    11th February 2020 at 7:03 pm

    wow, genius! ROYGBIV is one of the few things I took away from my science degree, so fun to use it this way!
    thanks so much for sharing on craft schooling Sunday!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      12th February 2020 at 7:14 pm

      Thank you, Sara. Yes, I always remember the rainbow by the rhyme Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain!

      Reply
  6. Julie

    10th February 2020 at 7:17 pm

    That’s such a fab idea. They would be sweet spelling out a name for a child’s room wouldn’t they?

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      11th February 2020 at 5:41 pm

      Thank you. That sounds like a good idea, as long as they didn’t have a really long name!

      Reply
  7. angie

    10th February 2020 at 4:01 am

    what a great idea to reuse yet another item that we use daily thanks for sharing
    come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      10th February 2020 at 11:05 am

      Thank you so much, I will do.

      Reply
  8. Frédérique

    9th February 2020 at 10:57 pm

    Great project, love the idea!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      10th February 2020 at 11:06 am

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  9. Jeanne

    9th February 2020 at 2:22 pm

    Great project!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      10th February 2020 at 11:07 am

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  10. Anita holland

    8th February 2020 at 9:20 am

    Wow, what a great idea. Well done.

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      8th February 2020 at 9:38 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  11. Michelle Leslie

    8th February 2020 at 8:38 am

    Another beautiful idea Claire. I was wondering how you managed to embroider the letters without sewing the pocket together. Very clever

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      8th February 2020 at 9:39 pm

      Thank you, Michelle. I was just very careful not to stitch them together and the embroidery hoop helped.

      Reply
  12. Marie

    7th February 2020 at 1:20 pm

    Such a great idea, Claire and they look so pretty too. You always come up with the best ideas to recycle denim! Pinned

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      7th February 2020 at 9:35 pm

      Thank you, I just love crafting with the fabric and have a large stash.

      Reply
  13. Beth Watson

    7th February 2020 at 1:41 am

    LOVE everything rainbow!! Always so creative!!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      7th February 2020 at 7:58 am

      Thank you, me too a love a bit of colour.

      Reply
  14. Allyson

    6th February 2020 at 5:59 pm

    I always enjoy seeing what you create next with denim ~ Pinned! Love the pockets!! I’m visiting from Artsy Fartsy. (I shared #11 and #12) 🙂

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th February 2020 at 8:16 pm

      Thank you so much. I just love working with the fabric there are plenty more denim crafts to come.

      Reply
  15. Jo (A Rose Tinted World)

    6th February 2020 at 2:40 pm

    These are great for storage! My little girl really needs something like this for all her pens!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th February 2020 at 8:16 pm

      Thank you, Jo. That’s what I use them as and they are really handy pen holders.

      Reply
  16. Michelle

    5th February 2020 at 9:30 pm

    This is such a great idea! This would be perfect for our homeschool room for holding pencils and markers. Pinning!

    Reply
    • Claire Armstrong

      6th February 2020 at 7:55 am

      Thank you. You could make it more fun by using the children’s old jeans for the pockets.

      Reply

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