Denim Quilt Instructions

Save old pairs of blue jeans by transforming them into a quilt.

Make a denim quilt from new, store-bought denim fabric or by savvy recycling, using old denim jeans, shirts, jackets and skirts. Save countless denim items from the trash when making a larger quilt and add clever detail to the quilting squares by including pockets or belt loops from the denim items. Make a quilt for a mother-to-be by using her old childhood denims for a baby-size quilt, which is sure to be a memorable keepsake gift.

Things You'll Need

• Denim fabric (or denim clothing)
• Sewing needle
• Thread
• Sewing machine (optional)
• Lining fabric
• Single or double-fold binding

Instructions

1. Cut the squares for the quilt. When using new denim fabric, decide on the size you want each square to be and cut. When using recycled denim clothing, find the clothing item that provides the smallest quilting square. Cut out the square and use it as a template to cut out additional squares from the remainder of the clothing. For a 60-by-72-inch quilt, made from 6-inch squares, you need about 120 squares.

2. Lay the denim squares on a large working surface and arrange them in the order you want them to appear in the quilt. For a 60-by-72-inch quilt with 6-inch squares, arrange the squares so that they equal 10 squares down by 12 squares across.

3. Sew a whipstitch along the raw edges in between each square to join the denim fabric squares.

4. Measure the length and width of the denim quilt. Cut a piece of lining fabric according to these measurements. For a 60-by-72-inch denim quilt, cut a piece of lining fabric to the same size.

5. Lay the lining fabric down with the good side facing downward. Place the denim quilt on top with the good side facing upward. Pin the edges, and sew to join the two layers together. When using a sewing machine, sew a tight zigzag stitch. When sewing by hand, sew a tight straight stitch and sew completely around the quilt twice for added strength.

6. Measure the final length and width of the quilt. Cut four pieces of single or double-fold quilt binding. Cut two pieces to the length of the quilt and two to the width. Cut each end on a 45-degree angle so that the edges do not overlap when sewn to the quilt.

7. Slide one side of the quilt in between the two layers of one strip of binding. Pin the binding to the front and back of the quilt. Repeat with the remaining three pieces of binding. Sew the binding through both layers of fabric, using a straight or zigzag stitch.

Tips & Warnings

• To create a more defined quilting pattern, bind each denim square prior to joining them together. This creates defined edges between each square.

References

• Quilting 101: Scrap Quilts
• Quilting 101: How to Make a Quilt
• Straw: Blue Jeans Quilts