Jean Purse

What You Need:

• A pair of scrap blue jeans
• Sewing scissors
• Pinking sheers, optional
• Needle and thread
• Pins
• Wax paper
• Fabric Paint

What You Do:

1. Using pinking sheers, cut a back pocket from an old pair of jeans. Make sure to cut away both the pocket and the fabric behind it since this will be the pouch.
2. Have your child help you cut a strip of fabric from the jeans for the strap. An easy way to cut a long straight piece is to cut along a seam on one leg of the jeans.
3. Position the strap inside the outer edges of the pouch. Pin into place.
4. Denim is heavy so your daughter may not be able to do this step. You might need to sew the strap into place. If so, engage your young crafter by talking about how she will decorate her pouch.
5. Slip a piece of waxed paper into the pouch/pocket so paint doesn’t bleed through. Now let your child get creative with the fabric paint. Possibilities include her name, stars, flowers or stripes. Anything and everything goes as your child expresses herself.

Want to let the guests do this at your daughter’s birthday party? Pre-sew the straps into place, slip a piece of paper into each pouch with each crafter’s name and then let them get to work.