Apr. 22, 2007 - Blue Jeans Malady
Blue Jeans Malady
Quilt retreat weekend is always something that I look forward to. Twice a year, my seamstress friends and family gather at Twin Lakes Christian Center in Manson, Iowa for an extended weekend of sewing, chatting, munching and relaxing. I have just returned from my most recent quilting getaway, fresh with ideas, and with batteries recharged.
It was definitely not one of my more productive weekends, but very enjoyable, nonetheless. I spent the first two days cutting old blue jeans into little squares and the last two days decorating the squares with ribbons, appliqué, white eyelet, embroidery, and fabric yo-yos with button centers. What I now have is a pile of 360 pieces all ready to sew into 90 blocks which will make a truly unique blue jeans quilt for Hayley’s double bed.
Last summer I saw a news report about an Iowan woman who was making blue jean quilts for soldiers in Iraq. The reporter asked for donors to send jeans to her to provide additional fabric for her project. A few days later, a follow-up report explained that this kind lady’s home had been overwhelmed with hundreds of boxes of jeans, sent by viewers, with more on the way. She now was emphatically asking that all jean shipments cease.
For those of you contemplating sending your old jeans to me to put them to good use, please know that I have been cured from my former jeans affliction. I’ve been saving these jeans for ages, but halfway through the cutting project, I started to question whether my recycling effort was worth it, after all. Having finished the cutting, I can honestly say that I will have to forget how much work it was before I attempt another jeans quilt.
Here is a sampling of the embellishments on the unfinished pieces.
Ever wonder what 360 little squares of blue jeans looks like? Well, not anymore. 
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Comments
May. 8, 2007 - Now that looks like fun!!
Posted by Little Sis
Great job Sallie!!! The hard part is over. You really needed a quilt retreat to get all that done. Looks fantastic !!
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Sep. 11, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Anonymous
Ah, jeans! Yes, I think it is a good way to use your all old ones.
Yes, cutting is a hard part, but I think sewing is not easy either unless you have a really very good machine (which I don't have ).
What will you use for the backing? And do you have ideas about the stiching part?
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Feb. 7, 2009 - great quilt!
Posted by Anonymous
I've made a few blue jeans quilts myself, but not out of little squares; I cut long strips, about 4 inches wide, and sewed all the strips together to make twin bed-sized quilts. Yours looks really cute. Did you get it finished? Now I'm making a t-shirt quilt, using strips of my boys' old t-shirts, fused with a backing. I've got nine 12" squares and I've got to now attach them all and finish up. It's such fun to see other people's quilts. And your sewing/crafts room is gorgeous! Lynn
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