Recycle your old cargo pants into a satchel!

Here is a quick instructable to help you design and create your very own bag full of handy pockets! I hope you will use this as a guideline to adapt and make a creative bag.


Estimated time: 2-4hrs. depending on your sewing skills

Materials used:

Old worn-out cargo pants
Belt (to be the bag strap)

Sewing machine
Scissors (heavy duty fabric scissors recommended)
Measuring tape
Chalk (optional, used to measuring and marking the fabric)

I used almost all of the material from the pants including belt loops, pockets, and what I could salvage from the pant legs. So be careful when you are cutting and make sure you don't ruin something you might need later.

Step 1: First step: cut up the pants

I cut the pants into three sections:

1] The top section of the pants will provide the belt loops and back pockets.

2] The middle section started right below the inseam and nicely isolates the cargo pockets and some extra material for building the body of the bag.

3] The bottom of the legs will provide nice lengths of flat material.


I cut the pant leg segments up the middle of the leg to flatten out the material and make it usable.

Comments

[stealthy_ninja_1]

this is so cool! though i do have a question did you use two diferent pairs of pants or did you die the material somehow?

[alaskantomboy]

Its actually the same pair of pants, the color change is due to the lighting conditions that I took the pictures. The pants appear more grey under natural lighting and more orange/brown under interior lighting.

[tleet59]

Dang! Several months ago I disposed of a garbage bag of my husbands old pants--many of which would have made the best bags. I did save the good pockets and buttons, but not enough of the fabric to create such a nice sachel. Good work!

[chinda.raul]

i know right! but that's why we have the Salvation Army :)

[alaskantomboy]

Such bad timing! Well hopefully you can keep this project in mind the next time he throws away some pants.

[conceptualstratagem]

niice, very skillfully sewn. I too created a project for recycling army surplus cargos, check it out http://www.instructables.com/id/Quick-Pouch/

[alaskantomboy]

Thanks, you have a nice project as well. I'm glad other people see the power of cargo pant pockets! I may have to try it out as soon as I get another pair of worn out pants

[poofrabbit]

Hey congratulations on winning Scoochmaroo Challenge: Reuse!!!

[alaskantomboy]

Thanks! I'm excited people liked my project :)

[TekoMuto]

very awesome!