"Project Denim", Diminishing the Jean Pile, Episode 1, Denim Pillowcase/Decorative Pillows

Hello my fine friends! It seems that my blog has been dominated by fashion posts lately, and I love

that! However  I'm excited to change gears a bit and do another DIY, creative, crafty sewing series. Anybody else (besides me) have a giant pile of old jeans that you've just been saving?  There's a huge mountain of jeans that have holes in various places, but that still have some life left in them. (Just not life in the state they are in now!) I feel like turning myself into "Hoarders Anonymous" if I don't take action soon!  I've been contemplating for a long time some projects to use up these old jeans. So let the reincarnation begin and let's diminish that denim pile together! What do you say? Are you with me? Let's do this!!


For episode 1 of this denim series I have made a pillow case and a decorative pillow for my son's cowboy themed bedroom. When I made his room accessories when he was born I made a pillow out of a brown faux suede fabric that resembles leather and I think a denim addition is just what his room needs now that he is getting ready to move into the "big boy bed!"

Pillow cases are really easy to make, but denim creates it's own challenges just because of it's thickness. So just be thoughtful when planning which pieces of denim go where so that you don't have too many thick seams together. (Most sewing machines don't like this sort of thing!)

What I did:

I used two large pairs of denim jeans. I opened the pants first by cutting down the inseam and all the way to the top of the waist and then opened the pant leg up. Then I cut the leg into 2 pieces. (This will obviously vary because my hubby is 6'3 so I have lots of leg to work with!) I got out an old pillowcase the size I wanted to make and patterned after that for measurements. I sewed 3 of my pieces together and made two of those, then with right sides together I sewed them together to make the case. I did not finish the raw edges that show because I wanted the fray look. If you don't then you would need to finish the raw edges before sewing the case together. When using 3 pieces sewn together it made "leftovers" so that's why I made the smaller pillow.
I was just careful to not put thick seam on thick seam. This did not take much time and I'm 2 pairs down!! If you have pile like mine, stay tuned to the blog. I will have more ideas on how to use up the hoarded stash of old denim!!

Hope you have a Fancy Day from "Patch-A-Heaven!"




Here's a shot of some of the vinyl lettering we did in the boy's room.

The magnet board that I repurposed from when it belonged to my daughter.

Do you have one of these piles at your house and wondering what the heck to do with it?! Stay tuned for more ideas!!

 

I made a decorative pillow case and pillow for my son's cowboy themed room.