• Old blue jeans in varying colors
• Sewing machine
• Straight pins
• Rotary cutting mat
• Thread
• Rotary cutter
• Scissors
  
  
   

Denim Throw

Directions:

1. Start by saving or having your family and friends save old denim jeans. If you need more, you can always buy them for a couple of dollars or less at thrift stores.

2. Cut away all the seams, zippers, and pockets from each pair of jeans.

3. Decide on the size of squares you want to use on your denim patchwork throw. I used a 6½-inch quilter's square and a rotary cutter and made a big stack of squares.

4. When I thought I had enough squares to make a decent size throw, I started laying out my pattern of squares on the floor of my sewing room.

5. I wanted a random pattern of light, medium, and dark denim, so I played around with my squares until I liked the look. You can do what pleases you—stripes of light and dark denim, rows on the bias, around the world—you name it!

6. Decide whether you'd like the outside of the jeans with the chenille side or the inside of the jeans with the chenille side. Be sure to get your throw started the way you want because you won't want to rip any of these seams out—believe me!

7. After you've established your pattern, begin sewing each square in the first row to the next square using a ½-inch seam. When the row is completed, place it back on the floor in your pattern. Now begin sewing the squares of the next row together until you have another row completed. Continue this until all your squares are connected in individual rows.

8. Now you can start connecting your rows. Again, using a ½-inch seam allowance, begin by sewing the first and second row together. You'll then add the third row to the raw edge of the second row. Continue to follow this pattern until all your rows are connected.

9. To chenille the seams of your denim throw, use a small pair of sewing scissors to make cuts about ¼ inch apart on each seam almost to the stitching (this is a 90 degree angle to the seam). You might need to try a few scissors to see what is most comfortable and controllable.

10. Snipping the seams is a bit time consuming and hard on the hands, so you might want to do it in stages. After all the seam snipping is complete, snip around the perimeter of the quilt in the same way.

11. Your final step is to wash the throw to chenille the edges. It may take several wash and dry cycles to get all the seams as fuzzy as you want them. Enjoy the beauty of your blue jeans creation!