The sun is finally shining and my shades have come out so I’ve made myself an upcycled denim DIY sunglasses case.
I’m fed up with damaging my sunglasses when I’m not wearing them. They normally get lost to the depths of my handbag or crushed in my pockets. To stop this happening again I designed a really handy sewn sunglasses case made from my old repurposed jeans.
Mind you, this is no ordinary DIY sunglasses case. As well as looking great it sports a unique pocket feature, for items such as money and cards.
This project is easy to make and uses the often neglected part of upcycled jeans, the front pocket.
To be more precise I used the front right pocket of the jeans with the fifth tiny pocket. This pocket was originally designed for pocket watches. These days this pocket is known as the coin pocket.
DIY sunglasses case with killer pocket feature
When nipping out to the park or the local cafe, I just take my sunglasses in the case instead of lugging my whole handbag out with me.
This DIY sunglasses case would also make a great handmade gift for either a man or a woman. I do find Men really like them though especially for the killer pocket feature as they don’t tend to carry around handbags.
This sunglasses case is more like a mini handbag, as the pocket feature leaves room for my phone, money and coffee loyalty card.
These glasses cases featured under the letter G in the A to Z of denim crafts.
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What you will need to make a jeans pocket case
- Old jeans – To be more precise you want the front right pocket on a pair of jeans. The pocket with the inner coin pocket in it.T
- Lining Fabric – You will need no more than a quarter yard. You can choose the fabric to suit the recipient. The lining fabric is a great way to jazz up the sunglasses case by adding some color.
- Very thin wadding/batting
- Cotton Thread
- Sewing Machine with heavy-duty denim needle – however, if you don’t have a sewing machine this project is easily sewn by hand. It will just take a little longer.
- Scissors or rotary cutter, pins, pen, round cup/bowl.
How To Make An Upcycled Denim DIY Sunglasses Case
1.First, cut out a 22cm square each of lining fabric, wadding and jeans pocket. I made a 22cm square cardboard template and use this to cut the fabrics with a rotary cutter.When placing the template over the jeans make sure you get all of the front pocket, whilst moving the pocket lining out the way so that it doesn’t get cut as well.
2. Next, round off the bottom corners of all the pieces of fabric. To do this fold your fabric pieces in half, lengthways. Place a bowl/cup over the bottom right corner and draw round it.
Cut the fabric along your mark. Then, unfold the fabric pieces, you will now have 2 rounded corners on the bottom of each fabric piece.
3. Next, put the jeans pocket and lining fabric right sides together. Place this on top of the wadding and pin together.
Leaving an edge of approximately 5mm, sew around the bottom curved edge and 2 sides of the fabric with a sewing machine (or by hand). The top should be left open.
4. Then, trim excess fabric from the corners and turn the fabric sandwich right side out. You should have a rounded square of fabric.
One side denim and the other patterned with a wadded filling. Now carefully turn over a 5mm edge of the lining fabric pin and sew to close the top.
5. Finally, fold the denim pocket pad in half lengthways, with the fabric lining on the inside. Pin and sew around the edge. Be careful as you will now be sewing through many layers of fabric.
This can be tricky, make sure you have a heavy-duty jeans needle in your sewing machine. You can even sew by hand if you want to.
The top waistband of the denim jeans can be particularly tricky. When this is the case, I leave this top 1 inch open.
This doesn’t affect the usefulness of the sunglasses case, in fact, I think it makes it more attractive as you can see more of the pretty colorful lining.
I made four of these upcycled jeans cases at the same time so I had some spare for gifts.
If making the sunglasses case as a gift, you can make it even more personal by using the recipient’s old jeans. I love mine and use it all the time, I find the pocket bit so handy.
I have also made a fun embroidered coffee pot cozy in a similar way to these denim glasses case.
If you are wondering what to do with the remaining back pockets on the repurposed jeans. You can use them to make some cute hanging pocket storage for your craft room.
We are a jeans loving family with three growing boys, so I have a constant supply of old jeans to upcycle.
As I had so many denim pockets from this supply, I made my son a great denim pocket wall organizer and his very own iPhone pocket pillow for his bedroom.
Denim DIY Sunglasses Case
This is no ordinary DIY sunglasses case, it has a killer pocket feature. This sewn case is made from the front right pocket of a pair of jeans. So not only is it a sunglasses case but there is also room for your phone and cards.
Materials
- Front jeans pocket
- Fat quarter patterned fabric
- Thin wadding
Tools
- Needle and thread
- Sewing machine (optional)
- Rotary cutter and mat
- Round bowl or cup
Instructions
- Make a cardboard template 22cm squared
- Use this template to cut out a 22cm square of denim from the front right pocket of a pair of jeans
- Also, cut out 22cm square of patterned fabric and wadding
- Using the bowl as a template round off all the bottom corners of the three fabrics
- Place the jeans and patterned fabric right sides together then pin to the wadding
- Stich around the fabric leaving the top open. Then turn the pocket right-side out
- Sew the top closed
- Finally, fold the pocket in half length ways with the lining fabric on the inside. Stitch up the side to hold it in place.
Here are some of my other denim upcycles you might want to look at.
Ikea Hack – Denim Chair Upcycle
Easy No Sew Denim Suitcase
Denim handmade dog toys
Elina
Good thinking to use the original pocket! Also great idea to leave the top open, it gives nice look and can indeed be impossible to sew with usual sewing machine.
Claire Armstrong
Thank you, the pocket makes it.
Dee
This is so cute! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday! :
Claire Armstrong
Thank you !
Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled
Super cute! Glad I just cleaned out my closet and have a pile of old clothes to re-purpose like this. I would find the pocket handy too. Thanks for linking up with Funtastic Fridays.
Claire Armstrong
Thank you very much, it is very handy.
Linda
The sunglass case is a very cool project and so is the Jean pillow case.
Claire Armstrong
Thank you very much ! I do like to use my jeans pockets in projects.
Pam @Threading My Way
Clever idea, Claire. As you said, these would make great presents.
Claire Armstrong
Thanks yes, I regularly give them as presents with a pair of nice sunglasses.
Christy @Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer
Such a cute way to recycle old jeans! XO
Claire Armstrong
Thank you
Linda
I followed you over from Katherine’s Corner feature. This is a cute idea. I have some old jeans I have cut out just right for this idea. My mom never let me get rid of an old pair of my kids jeans. She was always recreating pillows, jackets, place mats- anything you can think of using denim. I like the idea for sun glasses. Thanks for sharing.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
Claire Armstrong
Thank you, I keep all the families old jeans for projects.
Katherines Corner
terrific upcycle project. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop. Watch for your feature on Monday xo
Claire Armstrong
Thank you and I’ll look out for it.
Kim
Cute sunglass case from upcycled jeans!
Claire Armstrong
Thank you
Nina Lewis
I’m dropping by from the Sugar Bee Crafts link party. This is such a fabulous idea!! I have a hard case for my sunglasses but it’s a pain to open if I happen to be driving at the time. This cute case would be so easy to slip my sunglasses out of! I’m heading off to my sewing closet where I have several old pair of Levis and some scrap material!!
I have a link party that I am trying to grow. I invite you to share this idea (and a couple of others) at my Grandma Ideas Sharing Time link up at http://grandmaideas.com. I think my readers would LOVE this idea, too.
My linkup is open Wednesday through Friday at midnight Mountain Daylight Time. I know the time is short but I hope to see you there! (If you don’t make it today, please do come next week!)
All the best,
Nina
Claire Armstrong
Thanks and thanks for the invite
Carole West @ Garden Up Green
Neat awesome project. Love this and your tutorial is very helpful.
Thank you.
Claire Armstrong
Thanks
Kristen from The Road to Domestication
VERY cool idea! I never would have thought to do that! Thanks so much for taking the time to link up with us over at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again on Friday! Feel free to bring a friend 🙂
Claire Armstrong
Thanks maybe see you next week.
Torry
Your instructions are excellent! I really liked the reminder to move the pocket lining over. This is now in my favorites, to remind me when I’m making my Christmas gifts.
Claire Armstrong
Thanks. They make a lovely homemade gift.
France
That’s a good idea! It’s so true that the upper parts of jeans are hard to recycled. I threw some away last week… Thank you for the idea and the tutorial.
Claire Armstrong
Thanks and the pocket bit on the case is so handy.
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai
These are some great ideas for giving new life to an old pair of jeans. Love it! Please come share your blog posts over at the Home Matters Linky Party! We’d love to have you for a visit. The Door is OPEN. http://lifewithlorelai.com/2015/05/28/home-matters-linky-party-39/ 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Claire Armstrong
Thanks a lot for your invite I have now joined your party !