Create a Sling-Style Plant Hanger from an Old Pair of Jeans

A Denim Window Garden

I say give me a pair of jeans and I can do anything. That's how I created this denim window garden. It gave my ferns enough style to get excited about. Okay, plants don't get excited; but it's not really about the plants now is it? 

I just wanted a change. When I can transform something old into something new, that makes the change even better. Here I used an old pair of jeans to create a sling-style plant holder and two flower container covers. It's a great project for anyone who wants to give their plants a new attitude.

You'll need these materials:

• One pair of old or too-small blue jeans (no bell bottoms please)
• A 2 liter plastic bottle
• Thread the same color as the top stitching on your jeans or simply use whatever color you have.

You'll also need:

• A sewing machine or you can hand stitch everything if you prefer
• Hand sewing needles
• A stitch ripper
• Scissors
• A pencil or marker
• Straight pins
• A safety pin
• A flower pot or planters to transform with denim

Idea #1- Make a Sling-style Denim Holder and Planter- 35 Minutes

• Cut off one jean leg just below the crotch.
• Lay it out flat.
• Use a pencil or marker to draw an 
• elongated "U" on the front.
• The curve of your "U" should be 6 inches from the bottom hem.
• The "U" legs should go all the way to the top of your piece.
• If you prefer using a "U" pattern, cut one from newspaper and pin it in place with straight pins.
• Cut away the "U" shape from your jean leg. If it's easier, cut one side first, then the other.
• Pin a 1/2 inch hem along the raw edges of the "U" shapes.
• Hand or machine stitch the hems into place.
• If you prefer not to hem them, zig-zag stitch or fray the edges by removing a few  threads.

Finish the bottom so it can hold a container:

• Cut an 8 inch by 1/2 inch strip of denim from the fabric you just cut away.
• Use a stitch ripper to open 1/2 inch of the hem stitching at the bottom of the jean leg.
• Attach a safety pin to one end of the strip.
• Use the safety pin to guide the denim strip around the inside of the hem allowance and back out the opening.
• Gather the fabric tightly along the denim strip. This won't close the opening completely, but it will be closed enough to hold your plastic plant container.
• Knot the strip in place and cut off the excess.
• Tie the finished "U" ends into a loose knot or bow.
• Hang your sling-style planter over a low curtain rod or on a hook.
• Add a lightweight planter. (below)

Create a lightweight planter from a plastic bottle

• Cut off the bottom 5 inches of a plastic two liter bottle.
• Cut the top half into small pieces and layer them in the bottom for drainage.
• Add potting soil and a plant.
• Place your plastic planter inside your denim hanger.

Idea # 2- Make a denim sleeve for an old flower pot- 10 minutes

• Cut off the bottom 10 inches of the other jean leg. Leave the bottom hem in place.
• Turn down 3 inches of fabric at the top (wrong side of fabric to wrong side)
• Hand or Machine stitch in place.
• Add top-stitching at the top if you desire.
• Slip a flower pot inside (A 6 inch tall pot will work best.)
• Turn down the fabric at the top for an upside down cuff look.

#3- Make a denim cover for a larger planter- 25 minutes

• Retrieve the top part of your jeans.
• At a point about 1/2 inch below the back pockets, trim away the excess denim all the way around.
• Your piece will resemble a small skirt.
• Turn the piece outside in and slip it around a large planter. (like a skirt)
• Pin a vertical row of straight pins so the piece fits closely around the planter.
• Cut away excess fabric, leaving a 1 inch seam allowance. (I cut the excess fabric from the front, leaving both back pockets as trim.)
• Stitch the seam where pinned, leaving enough room to ease your planter into place.
• If your jeans have a stitched yoke, trim the fabric down to the yoke. It will have fun top-stitched details and you won't have to sew that part into place.
• If you don't have a stitched yoke, turn the top down 1/2 inch and sew into place.
• Sew a hem at the bottom so your overall denim cover height is an inch taller than your planter. You may have to fold up the bottom of the pockets, but it will look just fine.
• Ease your planter inside.

If you've followed along step-by-step, you now have a denim window garden of your very own. Don't stop there. You have at least half a jean leg left. Create another sleeve to cover one more muddy flower pot. If you don't like ferns or flowers, make yours a denim herb window garden. You'll not only have the best looking window sill in town, your dinners will be tasty too.

Originally published on Voices.Yahoo.com