# Making a quilt using old jeans.



## southrngardngal (Oct 18, 2005)

Our grandson (freshman in college) wants a quilt made from denim and flannel. I have a good number of old denim jeans that have good fabric in them. I am cutting them apart today. The way grandson wants the quilt made is a block of denim sewn to a block of flannel. Now he wants the flannel to be brown plaid (not specific is he? LOL) but I am afraid that the flannel may be too light to go with the denim. I want to sew different shades (faded) of denim together to make the top and then back the quilt top with flannel. 

If I do this it will be the flannel quilted (probably tacked) to the denim top. It would be too heavy to put batting in the center don't you think?

Another thing that I am wondering about is how to bind the backing and quilt top? Should I use the flannel and bind the two together or maybe sew the top and back together (right sides together) then turn it and top stitch around the edge?

Any ideas? Advice? I know some of the ladies have made the denim quilts before. I remember seeing the pictures but can't remember exactly how they were put together.

One more thing:  His bed is 36" by 80" (college dorm bed) so how wide do I need to make the quilt and how long. I was thinking 44" X 92". Do you think this will be wide and long enough? 

Thank you for any help.

southrngardngal-Jan


----------



## TxCloverAngel (Jun 20, 2005)

here is a link to my post bout my first quilt ever.... a queen sized jeans quilt... lots of good info from everyone on it.  Good Luck and buy LOTS of extra needles! lol

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=129436


----------



## southrngardngal (Oct 18, 2005)

TxCloverAngel said:


> here is a link to my post bout my first quilt ever.... a queen sized jeans quilt... lots of good info from everyone on it.  Good Luck and buy LOTS of extra needles! lol
> 
> http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=129436


Dana, I was thinking you were the one that made the denim quilt but was afraid to say so. LOL

O.K. looking at your quilt...You put the right sides together and sewed around the edges then turned the quilt. Right?

There is a piece of flannel on e-bay that is denim blue with tan if I remember correctly. I think that piece would be pretty as the backing. Then in Dekalb at the Village Cloth Shoppe there is some flannel that is dark blue, red and green which would be very pretty as a backing. Decisions, Decisions, Decesions. lol I want it to look nice as this is going to be his Christmas gift. 
He will be at this school for two years and then most likely at Ole Miss. So I know he can use it for four years. After that I don't know since it will be twin size in width but longer than a normal bed requires.

Thanks Dana for the link. You really helped me a lot. Now back to cutting jeans apart.  

Oh, I loved the pocket on the block. I was thinking of doing that and also one with a fly on it. hee hee

sgg-Jan


----------



## TxCloverAngel (Jun 20, 2005)

nope I didnt turn it,..... But I am planning on doing that to the quilt I'm working on now...

I made a sandwich w/ the top/batting/backing and the backing was bigger and had about 8" hanging over on all edges.

I pinned the excess backing up and over the the edges of the other layers, folding it under at the edges. Then sewed the whole thing together I sewed around it two times in two rows about 1/2 inch apart from each other.

I hope that makes sense lol

If I had it to do over I would probably do it differently.. but like I said.. I didn't have a clue what I was doing lol.


----------



## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

That looks alot like the denim rag quilt I made. You just take and make a sandwich of the denim, batting and flannel. I sewed an x in the middle of each sandwich. Make sure and cut your batting square an inch smaller than the denim and flannel. Then put two of the blocks together (you can put denim to denim, denim to flannel or flannel to flannel) and sew about an inch in from the edge. Do this til you have it as big as you want. I went and fringed the seams (make even cuts in the seams but stop before you cut into your seam) so when it was washed it would fray. On the outside rows I just sewed an inch in from the edge and fringed. It turned out nice and you will have one side with frayed seams and the other will be solid. I didn't make a very big quilt this way cause I got tired of fringing the edges. If I do it again I would probably skip that step. It is also a nice heavy quilt. 

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/rkintn37/P9190023.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/rkintn37/P9190022.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a218/rkintn37/P9190021.jpg


----------



## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

This is how I like to make a denim quilt. Make a sandwich with the right side of the denim down (if there is a right and wrong side); two flannel pieces, right sides together, and denim, right side up. Sew one half inch seam. Open, with the flannel pieces facing up, denim down. Press. You now have two patches. Make a row of these in the same way, with the seams showing on the denim side. Put two rows together,,,, etc.,,,, When it's the right size, run a 1/2 inch seam all around the edges. Then, using small scissors, clip the seams so that they are raggedy: clip from the edge to almost the seam. In the washer, put through a rinse cycle. Put in dryer on tumble- no heat, for 10 minutes. Clean out the lint tray. Repeat over and over until you aren't getting lint.

Denim is so heavy that I don't use batting. The pretty colors from the nondenim side show as lines on the denim side. I don't really like using flannel with denim because the denim is so much stronger, I use midgrade cotton fabric.


----------



## TxCloverAngel (Jun 20, 2005)

so you used batting and quilted each individual square?

that would be sooo much easier!!!

I did it just like any other quilt...
Top layer = finished quilt top
2nd = batting
3rd = backing


----------



## rkintn (Dec 12, 2002)

Yep! It was easy and it made up pretty quick just the fringing was tedious.


----------



## ewelady (Jan 24, 2004)

I read this forum often but am kinda shy about posting. But hope this helps! I'm just finishing tying a denim quilt I have been working on for my FIL in the retirement home. I used 6 1/2" blocks of varying colors of old jeans and homespun fabric in red/tan check, blue/tan check and green/tan check. The blocks are every other one denim and homespun. The backing is another variation of homespun in red, blue and tan. I made a sandwich with the top, batting and the backing and have been tying it with dark gold embroidery floss. I am planning to bind it with denim strips, that I finished cutting and putting together last night. I was worried that the denim would be too heavy for the homespun, but it has worked well and it will brighten up his room!

My goal for tonight is to finish tying the blocks (I have three left) to do and then start to put on the binding. Sewing the denim binding may be the most difficult part.

Your plan should work with the denim and flannel. Your color choices sound great and it will last for a long time. I have done quilts for doll cradles in denim and flannel and the two fabrics together have held up well.

Keep us updated on your progress. I love reading about everyone else's projects here!


----------



## TxCloverAngel (Jun 20, 2005)

oooooh pictures,,, we want pictures!!! 

and... so glad ya joined in on the quilt chat.


----------



## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

My mom made a full sized one for my husband one year, and it's held up great. She didn't have a sewing machine, as she was a 'snowbird' in Az during the winter. She just used the pocket area of jeans, and backed it with two pieces of flannel sewn together to make it large enough. Turned in the edges and used yarn and a blanket stitch to sew the edged together. It's all tied, not actually quilted, and has held up well. She did put some type of batting in, but it would have been fine without it, and not quite so heavy! Good luck with yours!

Jan in Co


----------



## nana9 (Mar 5, 2007)

Check out these sites for blue jean quilts. I have made 2 of the first one.

http://www.equilters.com/library/jeans/jeans_gallbaros.html
http://www.equilters.com/library/jeans/jeans_galnakles.html
http://hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_qlt/article/0,1805,HGTV_3876_1729220,00.html
http://guilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/denim_guilts.htm?p=1
http://www.patchwork-and-quilting.com/rag-guilt.html

Hope this gives you some ideals and info. I just love these quilts and they are heavy and don't have to have a batting.


----------



## HomesteadBaker (Feb 8, 2006)

nana9 said:


> Check out these sites for blue jean quilts. I have made 2 of the first one.
> 
> http://www.equilters.com/library/jeans/jeans_gallbaros.html
> http://www.equilters.com/library/jeans/jeans_galnakles.html
> ...


I like the idea of polar fleece backing on the second one, it would be very warm and no batting.

Kitty


----------



## southrngardngal (Oct 18, 2005)

I have started the denim quilt. Will it ever be finished? Nope, not at the rate I am going. I am so use to putting right sides together when I sew that I can't get use to putting the wrong sides together. I have to redo about every other one. GRRRRR....

Maybe I will have it ready for Christmas....


2008!


sgg-Jan


----------



## TxCloverAngel (Jun 20, 2005)

lol you so sound like me! lol


----------

