Once upon a time, I made two full size quilts for a woman who had saved up all her family's old jeans. She sent a very grand and heavy box from Philadelphia and asked me to work some magic with her stash of old pants.
I cut, ripped, manipulated and cursed the TOUGH-AS-NAILS old trousers. Then I broke needles, fingernails and almost my arms trying to manipulate the fabric through my machine.
Then I did all AGAIN.
I pieced some soft soft flannel for the backs and sent these 2 extremely HEAVY quilts off to be quilted. I do have SOME respect for my machine (and myself). It would have maimed us both for sure!
I swore I would never work with denim like this again. In my lifetime, I have made 4 old-jeans-quilts, but I own not a one to show for it. (One for my brother, at least it's in the family.) So, I have again been saving old jeans for some time now, and what better way to use them than to make a charming and full-of-memories quilt? Are you with me here? Quilting is like childbirth - you sort of forget the pain once you see the product of your hardwork.
Someone PLEASE talk me out of this!!!
I've always wanted to make a jean quilt and have been saving jeans from everyone in the family for a few years now. Problem is, I've never made a quilt before. Now I am worried about my jean quilt dream, since you had a hard time with them, and you are like the queen of quilt-making. :-)
ReplyDeleteI found you from Emily. :-)
Wendy, you could do it. Just be prepared to be fa little frustrated. I KNOW you have much more patience than I do. I am so impatient when it comes to this, and everything else, really.
ReplyDeleteYou know what happened to the owners of the Philadelphia quilts. . . . You don't want the same fate for your own children. I say forget the denim quilt and make something nice and soft for your sister in Phoenix.
ReplyDeleteEmily, what would you like?
ReplyDeleteI have thought about that for years too, so cute, I just might have to put that into my stack of someday ideas.
ReplyDeleteI actually have very little patience. I think that having (almost) 8 kids makes people *think* I am patient! I so am not. :-) Truly.
ReplyDeleteI might still give the quilt a whirl, though. If you think I can, maybe I can.
Hmm, are you taking orders? One Grandma's Dishes, please!
ReplyDeleteIf only I had some skill set to offer in return. . .
Wendy,
ReplyDeleteIf you really want to do it, here's what you'll need:
*Rotary cutter with 1 or 2 replacement blades - denim really dulls them.
*Heavy duty needles - someone at a quilt store or Joann's would be able to tell you which ones work for denim. The needles will breeak, especially going over seams, so you'll need some extra.
*Extra denim - no matter how many pairs of old jeans you have, you'll need more, I promise. So take a look at what you've got, and buy a yard or two of a color you don't have much of. Or get more of what you've got to keep the tones the same.
*Use at LEAST a 1/2 or 3/4 inch seam allowance. Denim frays easily.
*Don't be rushed. I told the woman I did this for that I could not work with a deadline. She was fine with that. I worked on them on and off for 8 months.
*Hire someone to machine quilt it. Tawnya Mecham did mine for 1 1/2 cents per square inch. It was about $120 per full quilt.
Whew, that was lengthy!
Emily, We'll talk.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tips, Sarah! :-)
ReplyDeletewhatever you do, it will look wonderful...
ReplyDeleteps. my favorite person at the ranch was mark. i really like that guy. he makes me happy and makes me laugh.
nienie,
ReplyDeleteHe makes me happy and makes me laugh too.
We had a great time with you!
Can I have a quilting lesson?
ReplyDeleteDiana,
ReplyDeleteYou betcha! Maybe at Thanksgiving or Christmas or sometime when we're not too busy.
What an amazing quilt!!
ReplyDelete