Chair Pockets aka Blue-Jean Bags

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Home : 2003 : July : 13

Chair Pockets aka Blue-Jean Bags
By KarolinBess

I hadn't thought of Chair pockets since I taught 3rd grade years ago, just thinking of them makes me want to get them together again.
Here's what I did:
I collected OLD Blue Jeans from as many people as I could.
I got a lot of them from my family and friends, but even had the kids bring in some that mom, dad or older siblings weren't using anymore...even if they had HOLES in the jeans. (I cut the jeans JUST BELOW THE POCKETS and ran a sturdy stitch (with very strong thread) across the bottom (just where I'd cut)to make a bag. If there were any pocket-liners that were too long, I just cut them

also and stitched them up when I ran the stitch at the bottom.)

Then just attach them to the back of the chair with some heavy cording by using the belt-loops on either at the "hip" area.

My kids really LOVED using the jeans...They'd use all the pockets for their pens/pencils/erasers, etc, then they'd put their bulky textbooks in the desks and use the jean pockets for their library books or a place to store their items that they're taking home for the night.
You could even use fabric paint on the pockets and decorate them as a fun art project, then let the kids use them and take them home at the end of the year.
By the way, if you're going to send a letter home to parents about donating jeans, make sure you stress that they should be a pair that NO ONE needs anymore. Otherwise, kids will raid their parents' closets and bring in the jeans they still use!)
The blue-jean bags hanging on the backs of their chairs really brightened up the room...it was cute, and I got a lot of compliments about them.