Taking Denim to a Whole New Level

Clothespins on a denim bag? Yes, I actually did that!

I've always enjoyed taking ordinary things and finding another way to use them. Sometimes I look at something and wonder what else I could make with it besides what it was originally meant for. I've been doing that since I was a little girl, and I guess it's something I never really grew out of.

Most of what I did as a kid, I still love now. :)

This time, I decided to see what I could do with wooden clothespins and denim.

Now, I know clothespins are usually something we use to hang clothes on a line, but I wanted to try something different. I already enjoy working with denim, especially old pieces with frayed edges, different shades, and that worn appearance. So why not bring the two together? Yes, it went from a simple question in my brain to I did it. And it worked.

And that's how my Clothespin Ugly Denim Bag came about.

I like how the wooden clothespins look piled on the denim. They add another kind of funky style to the bag, and with all the different pieces hanging and layered together, there's plenty to look at. It's not something you would normally expect to see on a handbag, but that's part of what makes creating these bags enjoyable for me. It's a unique and functioning concept.

When I was younger, I didn't have to have a bunch of supplies to make something. I enjoyed cutting up clothes, putting different materials together, and seeing what I could come up with. I still have that same curiosity today, and I think that's why I enjoy creating my Ugly Denim Bags so much.

I don't always know how something is going to turn out when I first start. Sometimes I have an idea, and other times I change things along the way. I like being able to work that way without feeling like everything has to be planned out or perfectly arranged.

That's one of the reasons I enjoy my freehand method. It gives me room to create without worrying about every little piece being measured or placed exactly the same.

So, I'm getting ready to release my Freehand No-Sew Clothespin Denim Bag Tutorial, where I'll be sharing how I create this bag through a full video and a matching written PDF guide. No sewing skills are needed, and you'll be able to work through the tutorial at your own pace.

I'm sharing my process, but I also want you to enjoy putting your own ideas into what you make. You might choose different denim, change the way you arrange your pieces, or come up with something completely different. That's perfectly fine because I don't believe everybody has to create the same way. But, I am giving you my special sauce. :) Oh Yeah! And you ain't never seen this before.

The Clothespin Denim Bag Tutorial will be available for $97 as a digital purchase. It's also included in my $194 Funky Deal bundle, which comes with all three of my no-sew denim bag tutorials and their matching PDF guides. These are digital tutorials, not finished handbags or supply kits.

I'm still getting everything ready for the release, but I wanted to share another one of my creations and give you a little more of the story behind it.

When I think about the things I enjoyed making as a little girl and what I'm creating now at 50-something, I realize that part of me never really went away. I just had to find my way back to doing what I enjoyed.

And sometimes that means taking a handful of clothespins, some old denim, and seeing what I can make out of it.

That's my kind of FUNK.

Wear What The FUNK You Want.

Tangie Bell
Funky Grunge Boutique