You guys! I just finished this beast-of-a-quilt, and it is gorgeous, even for denim! I don't normally do commission quilts, in fact, never. I don't have time. But my sister had a friend who begged to have a quilt made from all his old Levis. I quoted a price that I figured would change his mind, and he accepted! Now, I just needed about 50 hours to do it. At first, they brought over a bag of jeans that had basically one tone of denim. He must love a certain brand! To create any kind of patchwork, which is what he wanted, there must be contrast, so I had them round up some dark and light pairs. I realized that I could make a giant buffalo plaid with the three contrasting shades. If I ran short on light-colored denim, I'd flip over a medium-toned block - the backside is usually lighter. The quilt measures about 105" x 105". The blocks for the quilt center were cut into 8-inch squares. Dark: (49) squares, plus enough 2-1/2" strips for binding, pieced, about 438 inches long. Medium: (84) squares, plus (56) 4" x 8" rectangles and (4) 4" squares for borders. Light: (36) squares. To make the sewing manageable, I sewed 16 or 20-patch blocks at a time. Then I sewed the blocks into columns, then sewed columns together. I used a generous 1/4" seam allowance and pressed all of the seams open. The seams took just as much time to press as they did to sew! Lots of steam and starch, and what I call "quilting by hammer" if I needed to reduce any bulk, lol! I just pounded any super-bulky intersections into submission with my little girlie hammer, haha! The quilting is a simple edge-to-edge computerized design, "Squared", and I used the largest needle possible. I babysat the quilting machine as it stitched so I could hold down any seams where they were especially bulky. Because I had taken the time to press open all the seams and cut out as much bulk as possible in the squares prior to sewing, it all seemed to work out beautifully. Here it is, almost finished!! Then it was time for the binding. I first tried to stitch it on like any quilt, with a double-fold technique, but quickly realized that it needed to be a single layer, like a giant piece of bias tape. I used a walking foot on the sewing machine and put a vinyl glove on my left hand to help me wrangle the quilt under the needle. It was a monster!! My walking foot has an interchangeable feature, so I learned how to exchange the soleplate to the "stitch in the ditch"/"edge joining" plate, and finished the binding by machine. I think it looks gorgeous! 😂😂 Last step: stitch on the pockets. This I had to do on a regular sewing machine as there is no way my longarm could go over that much bulk! It was a workout trying to wrangle the whole quilt through the sewing machine just to get that last pocket sewn near the center. Ugh - broke a needle on the last seam with two inches to go! But it all worked out, got the last pocket sewn on, and then had to go and see the chiropractor, haha! Here's what I learned: If you want pockets on your denim quilt, cut the square with a pocket still on it, and just quilt around the pocket. If using denim for the binding, stick to a single layer. I used 2-1/2" strips and took a generous half-inch seam to sew it to the front, then folded it over to the back and stitched in the ditch, catching the fold on the other side. Use a walking foot if you can. Bonus: I learned how to change out my walking-foot soleplate! If you plan to machine-quilt, press (steam, starch, or hammer) the seams open where possible. Use a less-dense design, and try to quilt around any super bulky areas with the quilting. This is a heavy quilt, but not as heavy as it felt! It felt like it weighed about 40 pounds, but it really only weighs about 13 pounds!! Make sure you have enough table space to support the bulk of this big ol' quilt. Finally, I think this is probably the nicest denim quilt ever! Lightweight flannel on the back, Hobbs' 80/20 poly/cotton batting to cushion the seams, and it's a luscious Buffalo Plaid quilt. Now, just look at this smile! I think he loves it too!! Heehee - My sis just sent me a picture of his text later that night...😂😂 And now I know what it will take for me to make one for myself, someday. But maybe mine will be a lap quilt...*Ü* Save Happy Quilting!
If you love quilts, this set of 6 oval placemats might be just right for your dining table. The colorful fabric looks like quilt blocks, and the imagery is all about quilts and quilting things; sewing machine, quilt shop, a sign about quilts and lots of quilts in lots of colors. In between the panels of fabric that have 2 rows of imagery on them, I used strips of repurposed blue denim to finish off the mats. These placemats are reversible, with the reverse side having a random patchwork of repurposed denim in various shapes and colors of blue. Each placemat has a unique combination of denim pieces, but the finished size and shape is consistent for all six placemats. They measure about 12" tall and 18" at the widest part of the curved edges. When it's your turn to host the quilt group luncheon, imagine how perfect these placemats would be for your event! And then for everyday use, and just about all other times of the year, the denim side can be dressed up or down for mealtimes or special occasions. Useful, fun and unique, these placemats are fully machine washable and easy care! Set of 6 Oval quilt placemats $27.00 Free Shipping Available to your USA address via USPS
"Hope" Quilt by Kikuyo Miyashita 宮下季久代 from Japan There was a fantastic exhibit at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, USA, that ended January 5, 2014. Titled "Japanese Influences in Fiber Arts", the exhibit features, (among other things), award winning quilts from a major Japanese Quilt Show, the 11th biennial Nihon Quilt exhibit. [The quilts are now being exhibited at the New England Quilt Museum through April 12, 2014.] "Connected Squares" Quilt by Anco Brouwers-Branderhorst from the Netherlands The Japanese show attracts many outstanding international quilts from around the world, and over 35 of the top quilts from Quilt Nihon were displayed at the museum in Cedarburg. "In the Blue" Denim Quilt by Soo Hee Lee from Korea I have been to five quilt shows in the last three months, and yet the museum's exhibit has quilts whose design, workmanship and fabrics stand out among the many other quilts I have seen. I think that the international competition to be in the Japanese show gets a much more diverse body of work then local quilt shows. Quilt by Maya Chaimovich from Israel In this blog post I am sharing a few of my favorite quilts from the museum exhibit. There are many more quilts from the exhibit I'd like to share, but for now these will have to do. close-up of the Kikuyo Miyashita quilt, lots of Keiko Goke fabrics I love seeing quilts in person, because then you get to see not only the overall impact of the quilt, but the small details, fabrics, and quilting choices that make up the quilt. The quilt above has so many cheerful fabrics I have never seen before. The impact of the colors in the quilt is amazing in person. Close-up detail of the Anco Brouwers-Branderhorst quilt The color and construction of the geometric quilt above really caught my eye. The simple block construction, with the white squares offset, is enhanced by the quilting and the embellishment. close-up detail from the Soo Hee Lee quilt This denim masterpiece has to be one of my favorites. The use of zippers and belt loops and the arrangement of colors of denim is just fantastic in the sections of little houses, and then the overall arrangement of the houses in the quilt with a section of leaf pattern is just so creative. close-up detail from the Soo Hee Lee quilt I find myself just stunned sometimes at the talent, skill and time poured into some of the quilts. There is something exciting about seeing masterpieces, and being able to appreciate them. I can't quilt like these quilters, but I can enjoy their efforts, in the same way that I can enjoy a concert even though I can't sing well. Detail 1 of Maya Chaimovich's quilt This last quilt is so different, I can look at it and study it, and still not know where one fabric ends and the next starts. But it is lovely to see. Detail 2 of Maya Chaimovich's quilt I would encourage anyone interested is seeing this show to make the effort. Traveling to Japan to see a show like this is much harder then traveling to Wisconsin (or Massachusetts). People from as far away as Texas made arrangements to come and see this exhibit, and I can see why. These quilts traveled all over the world to get here. If you are interested in seeing more quilts from this exhibit, leave a comment saying so. If there is enough interest, I post more photos. Click on the images to see them enlarged (Yes, you can see these images even larger!). If you enjoyed this post you might also like: Batik Stars Quilt Batik Scrap Quilt Circle Quilt Heart Quilt Quilts Part 2 Valentine Vignette Valentine Hutch Spring Hutch Spring Needlework Vintage Lace Mosaic Heart Butterfly Bling I am linking up to these memes: Quilt specific links: Colorful life: Really random Thur (Entry 5 of 26.) Pretty bobbins: Quilt linky party (Entry 15 of 22.) Hotpinkquilts :Finished Fri (Entry 26 of 43.) Richard/Tanya quilts: Link a Finish Friday 93 (Entry 4 of 27.) Quilt story: Fabric Tuesday (Entry 37 of 70.) Freshlypieced:Work In Progress Wed (Entry 100 of 165.) Quilt Infatuation: Needle-and-thread Thur (Entry 1 of 69.) Marelize: Anything goes Monday 42 (Entry 45 of 45.) ihavetosay: Show-and-tell Tue (Entry 15 of 18) Fabric addict: Whoop Whoop (Entry 40 of 67.) Connie: Linky Tuesday (Entry 42 of 44.) Blossomheart: Sew Cute Tue (Entry 27 of 28.) Others I Love: Mod Vintage: Mod Mix Mon 127 (Entry 47 of 58.) Boogie Board: Masterpiece Mon 149 (Entry 92 of 98.) BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 250 (Entry ?) Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tues 187 (Entry 143 of 245.) * Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues 190 (Entry 204 of 304.) Uncommon Slice: Tues Treasures 159 (Entry 126 of 211.) Cedarhill Ranch: The Sun Scoop 92 (Entry 159 of 259.) Lavender Garden: Cottage Style (Entry 19 of 33.) b Savvy Style: Wow Us Wed 144 (Entry 192 of 390.) * Handy: Wicked Awesome Wed 136 (Entry 72 of 104.) Family Home: Wow us Wed (Entry 71 of 101.) Snap: Show and Tell (Entry 122 of 175.) Ivy and Elephants: Whats it Wed 100 (Entry 110 of 215.) Someday Crafts: Whatever Goes Wed 196 (Entry 206 of 391.) Katherine: Thurs Favorite Things 114 (Entry 66 of 271.) Jan Olson: Share your Cup of Tea Thur 81 (Entry 70 of 139.) From my Porch: Treasure Hunt Thur 132 (Entry 64 of 137.) Girlish Whims: Your Whims Wed 137 (Entry 180 of 199.) No Minimalist Here: Open House (Entry 85 of 170.) Sew Much Ado: We Did It Wed 182 (Entry 144 of 221.) Brambleberry Cottage: Time Travel Thur 174 (Entry 51 of 109.) Col Lady: Vintage Thingies Thur (Entry 12 of 26.) A Delight: Home and Garden Thur 55 (Entry 61 of 110.) Knick of time: Knick-of-time Tue (Entry 86 of 87.) Adorned from above: Adorned Wed (Entry 144 of 153.) Sand yellow door: Home (Entry 26 of 38.) Charm of Home: Home Sweet Home 145 (Entry 18 of 129.) Thrifty Grove: Thrifty Things Fri 135 (Entry 44 of 79.) French Country: Feather Nest Fri (Entry 153 of 316.) * Common Ground: Vint Inspiration 164 (Entry 14 of 225.) * Romantic Home: Show and Tell (Entry 20 of 249.) Chic: Flaunt it Friday 180 (Entry 140 of 190.) Tatertots: Weekend Wrap Up (Entry 680 of 1038.) Create-with-joy: Inspire Me Mon (Entry 258 of 259.) 137586 2015 Quilt, 2022 Quilt, hokkaidokudasai, jonellepatrick. Tokyo kimono, Tokyo Wisteria, Tokyo Plum, Japan Flowers
by Robin How have I not shared this recycled jeans denim quilt with you yet?!? It's one of my absolute favourites. It combines so much of what I love: making something beautiful and useful for
So here is part 1 of the tutorial that I promised. As you may or may not know I am a huge recycler! I love to take things that are old or us...
If you are planning on making a quilt with your old blue jeans then these tips for quilting with denim jeans will help you out.
Are you a DIY enthusiast looking for your next creative project? Look no further than the world of denim crafts! In this article, we will …
The best of denim for home decor and fashion. Jeans are a timeless classic. Denim is so versatile in interior design. Denim pillows, sofas, shoes and more.
Choi So-young enjoys painting urban landscapes of Busan where she lives on with pockets, seams, belt loops, buttons of second-hand denim. She has become an internationally famous artist since some creative paintings were sold at Christie's auction a high price in Hong Kong. I love her works in the snug with a soft shade of blue because they are not esoteric like other modern art. ▲ After the Snow (112 × 162 cm, 2010) A Sightseeing City, 2011 ▲ Laundry on Rooftop (97 × 97 cm, 2010년) Sanbongno, 2005 ▲ Snow Scene 2 (162×130cm, 2011) ▲ Tourist City (80.5×80.5×6.2cm, 2010) ▲ Snowy Village ▲ Busan Harbor (217.3×287cm, 2006) ▲ From the Woo Po Swamp, 100x65.5x6cm, 2010 ▲ London at Night ▲ Brick House in London, 72.5x100x6cm, 2010 Exotic Korean paintings of Kim Hyun Jung Lee Ufan's 'Correspondence' introduced in 'Non-Summit Witty Korean paintings of Sin Sun Mi Creative Denim Artist Choi So-young Ha Jung-woo transformed himself from an actor to a painter Pen and Ink Drawings of Lee Me-kyeoung
Get inspired to use up some old, worn denim fabric with these creative denim upcycling ideas. This post features stuffed animal sewing patterns for denim, upcycled jeans bags, denim home decor and more upcycling projects.
If you are planning on making a quilt with your old blue jeans then these tips for quilting with denim jeans will help you out.
Don’t throw out that holey pair of jeans! They make for a great quilt and when paired up with a few different fabrics, you can make quite the beauty. Check out this list of 8 patt…
I've had this log cabin quilt sewn from upcycled denim in mind for years, but it's the state of my fabric stash that prodded me into action.
Learn how to choose sewing machine needles to sew denim. Whether you're sewing jeans or upcycling denim, these tips will help you.
Free Pattern How to make an Easy Blue Jean Rag Quilt. This Easy Blue Jean Rag Quilt is only a single layer and doesn't need batting! Plus it has borders!
How to make flowers out of denim?
Choi So-young enjoys painting urban landscapes of Busan where she lives on with pockets, seams, belt loops, buttons of second-hand denim. She has become an internationally famous artist since some creative paintings were sold at Christie's auction a high price in Hong Kong. I love her works in the snug with a soft shade of blue because they are not esoteric like other modern art. ▲ After the Snow (112 × 162 cm, 2010) A Sightseeing City, 2011 ▲ Laundry on Rooftop (97 × 97 cm, 2010년) Sanbongno, 2005 ▲ Snow Scene 2 (162×130cm, 2011) ▲ Tourist City (80.5×80.5×6.2cm, 2010) ▲ Snowy Village ▲ Busan Harbor (217.3×287cm, 2006) ▲ From the Woo Po Swamp, 100x65.5x6cm, 2010 ▲ London at Night ▲ Brick House in London, 72.5x100x6cm, 2010 Exotic Korean paintings of Kim Hyun Jung Lee Ufan's 'Correspondence' introduced in 'Non-Summit Witty Korean paintings of Sin Sun Mi Creative Denim Artist Choi So-young Ha Jung-woo transformed himself from an actor to a painter Pen and Ink Drawings of Lee Me-kyeoung
DIY ideas with denim
I originally had another denim stained glass pattern in mind but, our friend was small so wouldn't have been able to cut any 12" squares (unless I left some leg seams in them which I thought might make the quilt even heavier less comfortable). I saw the idea for this quilt for a similar style but with smaller pieces on The Flemings Nine blog. There doesn't seem to be a pattern for it but, color blocks are pretty popular these days so a quick search will give you plenty of free blocks patterns to choose from and adapt one to fit the size pieces you're able to cut from your jean pieces. Or, you can just check out the cutting info below for this one. The quilts I made are each composed of 48 blocks and measure 60" x 80" finished. Here are some photos I took as I was constructing the second one along with a breakdown of the size pieces I used. Press all seams toward the black fabric. Each block denim: 5" x 10" 5" square 5" x 2 1/2" (2) 2 1/2" squaresEach block black: 1" x 10" (2) 1" x 5" 1" x 2 1/2" Sashing: 1" x 10" between blocks (40 pieces for this quilt) and 1" x length of finished rows. The blocks should measure 10" but, I did have to square them up a bit before joining them because jeans had stretch fabric. If yours does too, measure the completed rows and use the average measurement before you cut the rows of sashing. I used 3 1/2" binding strips so the outside edge would be the same 1/2" finish as the rest of the black pieces in the quilt. Click on the photo to enlarge it. Begin by sewing black strips to the block pieces but, only sew them on half of the 2 1/2" squares. Sew 2 1/2" squares together. Sew the black edge of the 2 1/2" x 5" strip to the squares. Sew the black edge of the 5" square to the previous unit. Add the black edge of the 10" x 5" square to the side of the previous unit. Construct all of your blocks with the pieces positions in the same way. Next, sew your blocks into pairs by adding a black strip between blocks and rotating one block 90° counter clockwise. My rows are 6 blocks across (3 pairs of blocks). Add sashing to join pairs of blocks but do not add it to the beginning or end of each row. The binding strip will complete the design. (As mentioned above, I cut the binding at 3 1/2" so it would be a wide 1/2" finished binding.) All of the rows are construced the same. Just flip every other row upside down
Textile artist Ian Berry has been working for 12 years with Denim. During this time Ian has developed a technique to make the art look like paintings or even
Reuse, repurpose and refashion your old worn out blue jeans with this bumper list of over 25 amazing diy ideas for old jeans.
Double gauze can be a slippery and tricky fabric to maneuver, but with a few tips and the right tools, you will master this luxuriously soft substrate.
I decided I wanted needed to make myself a new denim skirt but I was a little nervous it was going to look home made. So I incorporated a couple of fancy Flat Fell Seams to help give it a professional look. Have you ever looked at the seam on your jeans and wondered, "How'd they do that? Where's the raw edge?" Well, wonder no longer. While I was working on my skirt I took a couple of photos so I could share this fun sewing technique with you. Believe it or not it's really not as hard as you might think and it gives great finished detail to almost any project. Let's get started. Like I said before a Flat Fell Seam is a great way to enclose your seam. Not only does it look sharp and professional but it gives extra strength to the seam. However, there are a couple of things you need to remember in order to get the look you are going for. If you are sewing on denim or any thick fabric a heavy duty (denim) needle is essential. Don't forget to make your stitch length longer. I sewed this seam with the stitch length at 4.2 (5 is the longest length on my machine.) Step #1 Take your two fabric pieces and pin them Wrong sides together (Right side facing out). Step #2 Increase your stitch length and sew your first seam. Your seam allowance can be anywhere between 1/2 and 5/8 of an inch but not smaller than 1/2 inch. Step #3 Press the seam allowance to one side. You can decide which way will be best for your project. If you notice on jeans the seam allowance normally is pressed to the back. The seam allowance that is facing up will remain the top of the finished seam. Step #4 With your finger open up the seam allowance and trim the bottom piece (the seam allowance in between your main fabric piece and the top seam allowance after you pressed the seam allowance to one side.) to a scant 1/4 inch. Step #5 Feel free to pin at this point. I did. Just to make sure everything stayed in place. Pinning takes some time but it IS YOUR FRIEND! Step #6 Move your needle position to the far right, make sure your stitch length is the same as when you sewed your first seam. Sew close to the folded edge of your seam. Take your time as you sew so your stitching is nice and even. That's it! Not too bad is it! Take a look at what your seam should look like on the inside and on the outside. Nice and finished and no raw edges anywhere to be seen! Check out my finished skirt! I wish I was confident enough in my body image to show you how I look in the skirt......but I'm not, so you get the skirt on a plastic hanger. (Note to self: purchase some presentable skirt hangers so I don't have to take pictures of my skirts on the free plastic hangers from Khol's anymore.) BTW I realize I should have pressed the skirt before I took a picture for the whole world to see but I didn't so what can I say? You get my skirt wrinkles, plastic hanger and all. Just keepin' it real! ☺ Good luck! I'd love to hear from you if you decide to try this out!
Do you have a bunch of denim collecting dust? Turn it into a quilt with these instructions for how to make a denim strip quilt.
Learn to make a puff quilt with precut fabric with a step by step guide and video tutorial.
Use our "invisible" mending technique to repair jeans and denim on a home sewing machine! It couldn't be easier to fix your favourite jeans!
Cooler weather means wearing jeans frequently, and wearing jeans frequently means wearing jeans out more quickly than you ever thought possible. If your favorite pairs are ripping, fraying, or just showing more wear-and-tear than you’d like, these 10 DIYs will keep them functioning and looking fabulous all fall. If you want a basic fix without adding too many distracting elements (these are jeans after all), try this tutorial on how to add a denim patch inside your favorite pair.
Okey Dokey, here is my first attempt at a tutorial…feedback encouraged! Hopefully at least some of this makes sense. :) I’m going to explain the ridiculous way I figured out how to do t…
