Patchwork blanket from old jeans: do it yourself

Repair and decoration

04/08/2018 Anastasia Prozheva

A breastplate is a must-have attribute for any traveler. Every home has more than one pair of jeans, worn out by time and adventure. If you don't mind throwing away your favorite thing, you can give it a new life. After all, denim is an amazing material that retains its stylish and attractive appearance even when worn out. What qualities of denim attract needlewomen? First of all - natural composition, special coloring of cotton, strength and durability. The interweaving of dark and light shades at the base creates its own unique effect. By getting rid of huge stocks of scraps and implementing the most daring ideas, a home craftsman can create many necessary and original things with his own hands.

Jeans patchwork: ideas

Patchwork is patchwork sewing that turns any pieces of denim into interior items, accessories, and clothing. You can express your individuality by making your own blankets, pillowcases, blankets, bags, and decorating the upholstery of old furniture.

Old denim items of different types can be harmoniously combined to form the upholstery of a country sofa

Hand-made items using the patchwork technique often become family heirlooms, which are always valuable and never go out of style. In addition to the original design, needlework has a special energy, because when making a masterpiece, they put their soul into it.

Patchwork is popular not only among housewives (as an economical DIY option) - the ideas and possibilities of patchwork inspire designers, allowing them to create extravagant and exclusive things.

A home craftsman can sew a short skirt or bag from whole jeans with his own hands, decorating them with appliqués, cords, and ribbons. It is much more interesting to make from leftover fabric. A sofa cushion, a chair cover, a cover for a book, phone or tablet, a cosmetic bag, a bag for any purpose, and kitchen utensils look simple and beautiful.

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Denim patchwork ideas are also relevant for little ones

Here are ideas for a summer house: you can make a comfortable hammock out of jeans, or a screen or curtain for the bathroom for a summer shower. New upholstery of a sofa and armchairs made from denim scraps will help you update the interior of your country furniture with your own hands. Children will be delighted with the denim tent house, where they will play with pleasure.

Patchwork is also useful for making children's clothing; for example, a sundress can be sewn from one trouser leg, decorating it with frills and appliqués made of contrasting fabric.

For your beloved pet, you can make overalls, a hat, and pants from leftover fabric for walks in bad weather. The cat and children will love the original house.

Denim rugs

Bedspreads and bags from old jeans are made more often than other products. But everything would be too simple if patchwork from jeans was limited to this. Rugs made from old items that need to be recycled can still serve faithfully for many years and, moreover, become a worthy decoration for the interior of the hallway.

All actions for cutting and sewing the product are similar to making a bedspread. Depending on the sketch, the shape of the flaps can be completely different: circles, triangles, diagonal stripes or trapezoidal pieces of fabric. In this case, there will be plenty of ideas for experiments.

Denim patchwork bedspread

Even beginners can create a denim blanket using the patchwork technique with their own hands if they get acquainted with the lazy crazy patchwork, where you can learn to stitch by placing pieces in any direction. Here is the simplest master class.

Crazy patchwork is a simplified technique that even a beginner can handle

You can use an old bedspread or linen sheet as a basis. The size and shape of the bedspread is limited only by your imagination; no diagrams are needed here. The smallest scraps will be used, from which even children cannot sew clothes. The threads can be of any color, since all the seams in this type of patchwork technique are made inside.

The basis of a crazy product can be any asymmetrical figure with at least five corners

In the center of the base blank we set up a pentagon (a 6- or 7-gon is possible, but smaller is not possible. We attach the next piece from the inside, attach, turn away, extend the sides, drawing a trapezoid. Its upper base is smaller than the lower one. It is convenient to sew counterclockwise , it is important to maintain consistency.

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If a piece seems too big, there is no need to rush to shorten it. First stitch one end, align the edge, pin and trim off the excess.

If denim runs out, the master combines it with any other fabric that matches the color and texture.

Having secured several fragments, they must be ironed so that the product looks neat

Step by step instructions:

• The base is a pentagon sewn into the center of a lining made from old bed linen;
• The parts are applied sequentially and are always sewn in one direction;
• To make the pattern more expressive, you need to alternate dark and light patches.

Design options for a denim patchwork bedspread (video)

Required Tools

First of all, you need to decide on the product. Once the choice has been made, it's time to move on to preparing the tools. To work you will need:

• old denim products (cut scraps from whole parts and not worn ones, and different colors and textures will be a big advantage). Before work, wash the fabric well and cut out the flaps of the required size;

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Old jeans

• lining fabric so that the back side is soft in case the future product comes into contact with the body (for a blanket, for example, you can take natural wool to make it more comfortable);
• the filler is useful for blankets or toys; you can choose either natural wool or padding polyester (the latter will be much cheaper, but it is not a natural material);

Natural wool

• dense threads and needles, just make sure in advance that they are suitable for denim, and the color of the threads should be either matching or contrasting, but combined;
• If you have a sewing machine, stock up on needles, presser feet and pins, so the work will progress much faster;

Sewing machine

• chalk, scissors, ruler, diagram and pattern.

Attention! There is nothing complicated about patchwork. The most important thing is to find a successful scheme. Creating a pattern will greatly simplify the work.

Denim Patchwork Quilt

If you have a large collection of scraps, you can sew a patchwork quilt from denim. Prepare a square template and cut the fabric into equal pieces using the pattern. Lay out the blanks and think over a combination of shades. You can draw a diagram or use the ideas offered by the master class on sewing bedspreads.

It is convenient to sew the squares first into strips, then connecting the rectangles into one whole

For a baby blanket, you can also sew an applique onto plain squares. It is convenient to cover the seams with tapes. A strong sheet is suitable for lining. You can also duplicate it with padding polyester. Then it also needs to be cut into squares and connected to each piece of denim, stitching the pieces diagonally twice.

A patchwork quilt made from old jeans looks great on the couch or on the beach.

Step-by-step instructions for making a bedspread from old jeans

So that the painstaking work is not in vain, and the result does not become a disappointment of the year, you need to follow a certain sequence of actions.

Preparation of recyclable materials

First you need to wash and dry your denim items. For the creative process to be more or less comfortable, the material must be clean.

Then you will have to separate all the parts of the jeans from each other. This can be done in two ways:

1. Open each item. In this case, there will be more fabric, but its color inside the seams is usually darker.
2. Cut the single-layer fabric along the edge parallel to the lines.

Large pieces of workpieces need to be ironed carefully.

Cutting patchwork blanks

To speed up the process and obtain more even flaps, it is rational to use a prepared 17*17 stencil. You need to place the stencil on the fabric, trace it, and then cut out the square along the outlined contours with sharp scissors.

By the way! Having placed the pattern on the denim, you need to make sure that one side of the square coincides with the stroke of the grain thread, and the other with the transverse thread. If you do not do this, the bedspread may become deformed after the first wash.

It’s better to immediately mark the stitching areas. To do this, a corner stencil is placed on the corner of each workpiece on the front side, and a smaller square pattern is inserted into it. Then the corner is removed, and the square is outlined with a pen on a light material or with soap on a dark material.

Assembling the bedspread

At this stage you will need to “play” puzzles. Since it is almost impossible to choose a dozen old jeans of the same color, you need to lay out a drawing of the future blanket on the floor. Then number each flap so as not to confuse their order during further work.

You can also simulate the drawing on a computer, taking into account the number of squares of each color. After that, lay it out according to the diagram.

So, for example, in this pattern:

• 52 elements dark blue;
• 72 – light blue;
• 16 – white.

Stitching parts

First you need to form 1 row, then all subsequent ones to get patchwork stripes. Focusing on the outline of the part:

• fold;
• baste by hand;
• stitch.

The resulting “semi-finished products” should be thoroughly steamed, straightening the edges of the squares in different directions. After this, stitch adjacent strips together.

Patchwork: jeans bag

Denim is a versatile material, and patchwork denim bags are another proof of this. You can make a summer beach bag from scraps, a spacious shopping bag, a romantic handbag with lace and ribbons for a young fashionista, a backpack bag, a case for a tablet, and even a bag-basket for firewood that looks great by the fireplace. These and other ideas can be borrowed from the photo.

A patchwork patchwork bag made of jeans can be made in different variations

Master class of a simple bag:

1. Choose an idea for a handbag, make a pattern or print a ready-made one from the Internet.
2. Prepare the denim material: rip the denim trousers and skirt, cut off all rough seams.
3. Select lining fabric.
4. You can sew pieces of jeans of any shape and size, as in the first example of “lazy patchwork”, or prepare diagrams.
5. Prepare two identical parts - the front and back of the bag (according to the pattern).
6. Sew rectangles along the bottom and side seams.
7. Separately sew a rectangle from the lining, put it in the bag and stitch it to the bottom.
8. Cut a strip of fabric along the length of the top of the bag (both sides).
9. Connect the lining to the top with a strip, similar to the belt in a skirt.
10. Sew on ready-made handles or sew from leftover jeans.
11. Decorate the product according to your mood - with beads, appliqués, bows, buckles. The bag is ready.

For those who have successfully mastered the master class and sewing a simple bag from scraps, you can try to make a designer item, then in the video there is an original bag and a detailed master class.

Jeans bag: master class (video)

There's no need to rush to send your old denim items to the landfill: your creativity and creative approach can give them a stealing life!

What can be done

The main tricks of the patchwork technique are precise cutting of the elements, neat connection. To meet the requirements, the fabric is cut according to special patterns. Be sure to draw up preliminary patterns and select pieces of fabric of the required sizes and shades. The flaps can be sewn or joined using a hook or thread. Cotton fabrics are most often used in needlework. To work you will need the following tools:

• sewing machine;
• scissors;
• ruler;
• pencil;
• threads, needles.

Two types of patchwork needlework are popular: classic and crazy. In the first case, fabrics of two shades are selected. The flaps are cut to the same size and shape and sewn together according to a template. And the things turn out to be of good quality, with a discreet design.

The crazy technique allows for arbitrary combination of textile pieces of different sizes, shades, and shapes. The finished product is decorated with lace and beads. You can create a wide variety of products from jeans using different patchwork techniques. Moreover, it is not difficult to make things both for the home (blankets, poufs) and clothes.

Preparation of flaps

To create an original and unique thing, you need to carefully prepare. You can come up with a drawing for the future product yourself or find a ready-made one. Taking into account the sketch, templates are cut out (preferably from thick cardboard). Denim items (both trousers and skirts are suitable) are cut into fabrics, which are recommended to be washed. If a piece sheds, it is better not to use it. Dried parts are ironed well.

Pieces of similar shades are selected and, using a special chalk, the flaps are cut out according to ready-made templates. The parts are cut out and folded in a special order.

Plaid

Even novice needlewomen can create a blanket using the patchwork technique from denim. For the first product, you should better prepare scraps of simple geometric shapes (square, rectangle). To make the product more elegant, you can choose threads of a contrasting shade (red, orange, green). The flaps are sewn end-to-end using a zig-zag stitch. Step-by-step process for creating a blanket using the patchwork technique:

• From the prepared pieces of jeans, flaps are cut out according to the template. All pieces are stacked in the required sequence;
• the elements are sewn end to end. To ensure the strength of the finished product, experts recommend making one seam four times. From different pieces they create a strip along the width of the blanket;
• individual strips are also sewn end to end. Each line is repeated 4 times.

The final touch: the fabric is folded around the perimeter and sewn with a zig-zag seam.

Blanket

The principle of creating a blanket from denim scraps is not much different from sewing a blanket. Additionally, tapes and lining material will be required. Since individual pieces of fabric are sewn together with a straight seam, the flaps are cut out with a seam allowance (approximately 1 cm).

When sewing stripes, be sure to smooth out the internal seams in different directions. Decorative tape is sewn around the perimeter of the canvas. A piece of lining fabric is cut to the size of the blanket. The denim fabric and lining are folded with the right sides inward and stitched around the perimeter. On one side, a section about 25-30 cm long is left unstitched. Through this hole, the blanket is turned inside out and the section is stitched with a decorative seam.

Bag

Using old denim to sew bags using the patchwork technique is very popular. For decoration, braid, beads, sequins, and rhinestones are used. Main stages of work:

• According to pre-prepared sketches, denim scraps are cut for the fabrics of the bag and handles;
• first, the main fabrics of the bag are sewn together step by step;
• the canvas is stitched along the sides and bottom. The top of the bag is turned inside out and stitched. If desired, you can insert a zipper or sew a button with a loop to close the bag;
• stitch the handles and sew them to the bag. It is important to make several lines so that the handles do not come off;
• the finished bag is decorated with decorative elements.

Depending on the sketch, the denim flaps are joined using a straight or zig-zag seam. If you do not plan to sew a lining, you can use a zig-zag stitch.

Toys

Old, unwanted jeans are great for sewing textile toys. The most popular, easy-to-make option is a toy pillow. Funny denim items in the shape of a favorite animal's face will be practical and kids will like them. Step-by-step process for sewing a pillow in the shape of a cat's face:

• templates are prepared according to prepared sketches: two circles (bases), triangular ear parts, decorative elements;
• Details are cut out of denim fabric;
• On the front side, the decorative part of the muzzle is customized, and button eyes are sewn on. Triangular ear parts are sewn in and basted to the upper part of the front side of the pillow;
• The main parts of the pillow are folded inward with the right sides and stitched along the contour. A small area is left free to turn out the cover;
• the pillow is stuffed with padding polyester and sewn up on the front side.

Denim patchwork is an ideal option for sewing textile toys. Creating more complex products requires skill and more time. But it’s not difficult to learn, because the principle remains the same.

Poof

To create furniture in the patchwork style, pieces of denim are selected that are not frayed and have a strong base. The easiest way to sew a pouf is from rectangles. The dimensions of the product are preliminarily determined and templates are made. If you use square flaps, this will greatly simplify the work. Step-by-step process for sewing a denim pouf:

• a straight suture is used to connect the flaps on each of the four sides;
• the side panels are joined right sides together and stitched together;
• connect the bottom and sides with the right sides inward and stitch them together;
• fold the right sides of the top and sides and stitch them together. Leave an area 15-20 cm long open;
• The cover is turned inside out. The pouf is filled with synthetic padding or a special filler and sewn up.

Round poufs in patchwork style (both high and low) look original. The product can be decorated with ribbons and appliqués. More practical are poufs with removable denim covers. In this case, a zipper is inserted into one of the seams.

Clothes

The patchwork technique has long been a fashionable trend in tailoring. Fashionistas appreciate that patchwork allows you to make unique, creative models. When creating things, it is better to give preference to discreet close shades of denim. Plain models in casual style look elegant and stylish. Suitable for the fair sex of any age.

But dynamic, elegant things will appeal to bold fashionistas who are always ready to experiment. At the same time, clothes can combine denim of different shades and textures (with scuffs, holes). Things in the boho style are decorated with ribbons and lace.

Patchwork denim styles are part of your everyday wardrobe. Such non-boring things are perfect for walking around the city or meeting with friends. Coats and shirts made from denim scraps are very popular. Therefore, you should not rush to throw out your old jeans and skirts. You can find a simple master class and independently sew an ordinary vest, decorated with appliqués or original embroidery.

Patchwork is a fascinating sewing technique that is not difficult to master. This activity develops the imagination of needlewomen. You can implement a lot of creative ideas and create many unique denim items.

Examples of patchwork sewing from jeans (photo)

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