Upcycled Jeans Cross-body Bag Workshop

Newcastle Museum is running an Upcycled Jeans Cross-body Bag Workshop on Saturday 5 September, a three-hour session that turns a pair of old jeans into a small crossbody bag. It's run by the museum with support from Create NSW, and the whole point is to take something you'd otherwise toss and make it useful again.

The process is straightforward: you start with old denim and work your way to a finished bag. You'll use fabric scraps for embellishment, so you can add your own touch to the design, and you'll sew in an exposed zip using simple hand-sewing techniques. There's no prior experience needed, so you don't have to be a seasoned sewer to get stuck in. All the materials and equipment are provided on the day, which means you just need to show up.

The session is aimed at adults and late teens, and it runs from 1:00pm for three hours, so you'll be there from early afternoon until about 4:00pm. It's a good length of time to take your time with the stitching and the embellishing without feeling rushed. Bookings are essential, so you'll need to secure your spot beforehand rather than turning up on the day.

It all happens at the Newcastle Museum, 6 Workshop Way, Newcastle 2300, and the cost is A$10. If you've got a pair of old jeans sitting in the back of the wardrobe and fancy spending an afternoon making something you'll actually use, this is a low-stakes way to get into it.