TO MAKE THE BAG

Step 1: The legs of a pair of jeans are cut off at the thigh and set aside. The centre seam of the seat is cut away.

Step 2: The jeans are turned inside out and placed flat, with the side seams together so the fly is on the left. To give the finished bag a more pleasing shape, some excess material is removed. A seam (A) of running stitch is sewn from the bottom cut edge to the base of the fly. A second seam (B) is sewn between the two back pockets. The excess material is trimmed off.

Step 3: With the jeans flat, and turned so seams A and B are on opposite sides, another seam is sewn across the bottom edge, leaving a ¾in (2cm) seam allowance. The denim is then turned the right way out and pressed.

Step 4: A double thickness strip is cut from the inside of both cut-off legs. The strips should measure approximately a third of the width of the leg. The remaining larger piece of each leg is discarded. Both strips are folded inside out and a seam is sewn from top to bottom leaving a ⅓in seam allowance. Each strip is turned inside out and pressed.

Step 5: Each strip is folded in half and a seam sewn close to the edge to seal them to make two sturdy handles. One strip is pinned in place and sewn to the inside of the front waistband, with each end 3in (8cm) in from the side of the bag. The second handle is sewn onto the inside of the back of the bag in the same way. A silk scarf is threaded through the belt loops and tied in a knot.