Quilting can be a very expensive hobby, but if you scrap quilt, you can make quilts for just about free. I have made two twin size blue jean quilts, and am nearly finished with a queen size quilt made out of old clothes and scraps from sewing. Each of them cost about ten dollars for the materials I needed. I had been saving blue jeans for a quilt, but it was taking a very long time. When you are saving jeans from two young boys, and a hard working Daddy, there isn't much left to quilt with! So I decided to check at garage sales. That wasn't going too well either, until I found a garage sale where the people were selling blue jeans for a dollar a bag! And they had tables of them! I was so excited. I think I bought three trash bags full of blue jeans. We were able to wear some of them, and the rest were perfect for my quilt project.
Here is how I made my quilt. You can save your old blue jeans, find them at garage sales, or ask all your friends to save you their jeans. Don't worry about all the blue jeans being the same shade. The variations add character.
Begin by cutting your jeans into squares. I cut mine six and a half inches square. You could make yours smaller or larger according to your taste. Remember that smaller squares make more cutting and sewing. You can make some squares out of two triangles sewn together and cut some squares around pockets. Sew the squares into strips and sew the strips together to make the quilt the size that you want it. Next comes layering the quilt. To save money, I used an old blanket for the batting and a sheet for the back. This makes a very heavy quilt. Lay the quilt top on the floor right side up. On top, lay the sheet, or whatever you are going to use for backing, upside down. (Right sides together.) On top of the sheet, lay the blanket or other batting. Smooth the layers as flat as you possibly can. Pin well all around the edges, and trim the edges even. Sew around the edges leaving about a foot open for turning. Trim the corners and turn the quilt right side out. Sew up the hole. Next you tie the quilt. I used red cotton yarn, and tied on the corner of every two squares.
Use the same method and make a matching pillow. Happy sewing!
For more frugal ideas visit Biblical Womanhood.
16 comments:
This looks like something that even I could do. :) I may start saving denim for it. Thanks for the idea. I think it would make a great quilt for a boys room.
What a cool idea, Emily!! Your sewing projects always look so good. :) Great deal on those jeans- wow!
Very cute! I've been saving ours. A friend and I are planning on making them in the new year. Very cozy...
Your quilt turned out so cute! I love to make quilts from clothing and scraps. I just posted about this earlier this week here:http://homemakingdreams.blogspot.com/2008/12/scrap-quilting-treat-to-myself.html
I'm still saving jeans for more.
It looks AWESOME! Great job!
I've always wanted to make a denim and flannel quilt-someday when the kids are older probably:)
Very cute! I should finish the jean quilt Sam tried to make back when we lived in Peoria. :)I believe that's when he broke my sewing machine. Actually, I think he broke it trying to make a sleeping bag for his GI Joe. Oh, my.
Mrs. Wilwerding
Haha! I remember hearing about that. Wow, that was a long time aga.
That's a great idea! I was going to toss my jeans out, but I think I'll do this instead. Do you think it would work to mix the denim with regular fabrics, or is the denim too heavy?
Mixing fabrics works as long as the fabrics are of a similar weight. You don't want to sew denim onto a light weight cotton because the denim will pull holes in the cotton. But a heavier fabric will work fine. I am planning to make a quilt of flannel and denim together.
Great quilt!
I'm saving scraps to make a strip quilt, but I have the feeling it will be a while before I have enough. I do use old pairs of jeans for other projects though.
i love this site and the music is so graceful it is the best one yet the quilt is beautiful. wanda
Nice work! I am saving bluejeans for a quilt, too, and I think I finally have enough. It's been awhile, though; I guess I haven't visited enough garage sales ! :):) I am planning a pattern that's a little different; it mixed jean and cotton. Yours looks very lovely, though. Thanks for sharing!
This is my first time on you blog. I love the music. :) Do you play an instrument? I am interested in herbs, too; this year is my second growing them. I bet you could teach me a lot about using them!
Thanks for the comment, Amber. I love the music too! :) I have a Smokey Mountain CD, and it's one of my favorites. I play the piano and glockenspeil. I have two sisters that also play the piano, and one plays the flute and the other the violin. We really love playing together.
I have been saving jeans for this very thing. I'm wondering about needles. Do I need a special needle to sew them together? The reason I ask is because I think that trying to sew through 4 layers of jean material (at the intersections of squares) will be very difficult. How did you overcome this? Thanks for the picture. I hadn't decided whether to put the seam allowances inside or out. I really like the pic so think I will do them on the inside.
Hi, Stephanie! I used the largest needle that came with my sewing machine. I have a Jonome, and I think the number was 16. I did have some trouble sewing across the intersections. If my machine won't go
across several layers like that, I turn the hand wheel for a few stitches. Hope your quilt turns out beautifully!
~Emily
Hi! just found your link over at Life in a Shoe. Your quilt turned out very nice.
My daughter is making a "picnic" quilt out of blue jean fabric and red cloth (old red checked tablecloths, leftover red scraps, and some purchased reds, too). Hopefully, it may be done by picnic time this summer.
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