Aug 27, 2009

Old jeans ride again

I've been inspired! I was looking on www.flickr.com and I saw denim quilts made by Alicia and her friends. Her blog is http://lucysquilts.blogspot.com and it has info about making a quilt out of cast-off denim clothing. I was really tempted because I thought of my eldest granddaughter who is going off to Cal Poly University. This kind of quilt would be so suitable for her. I love old denim and have a few old denim clothes of my own, but I'm still wearing them, so I wouldn't part with any of those. However, I learned that by going to a couple of garage or yard sales, I could get all the old denim I need. First I washed everything, and then I started cutting and pressing the pants. I began to cut out the various size squares that are required for the quilt. I went to the fabric store to pick out a few yards of something to make the strips that are sewn in between the denim squares. I decided to make those strips the gold color that is often used for the thread in jeans. Meanwhile, the last time that I was shopping at the Target store, I saw that they had in a shipment of denim pants that could only be described as ratty. It seems that old, ratty jeans are in style now. But apparently not the ones that are in your closet, or at a thrift store, but the ones that you spend $30 for in the store!
Meanwhile, I didn't forget my string quilt. I have free-motion quilted it, and I'm finishing hemming the binding now.


3 comments:

Not Lucy said...

Looks great! I should have one done after the weekend for my great-nephew who was paralyzed in a swimming accident about 3 weeks ago. My sister will be here and we are putting one together for him to get in the mail and help keep him cheered up!

Clare said...

I love denim jean quilts. There is just something about them. I've been ripping up jeans to make another one very soon as the first one looks as if it will be going to Lycée with DD in September 2010.

Sharon said...

I've made one denim quilt with the "raggy" method. It is quite heavy and warm. And it wears like you wouldn't believe!

I've been cutting up old jeans for a couple of years now with the idea of making another denim quilt. I need to decide what pattern I'll be using - AGAIN - because I can't remember what I had in mind!