New Tutorial Available: Lots of Buttons Fabric Cuff Bracelet

Make your own fabric cuff tutorial with Lots of Buttons!  

This is a great use of worn jeans!  You can use any fabric you wish.

You just need to be able to sew in a straight line.  I'll teach you everything else!

Great for people who have metal allergies and can't wear metal jewelry!

Pick it up for just $5 in my Craftsy Pattern Shop.

Old Jeans - New Pillow Tutorial

Old Jeans - New Pillow Tutorial

I have probably mentioned this before - I Love Denim!  It's sturdy and rugged and matches everything!  

This tutorial will help you reuse jeans that are worn out or your kids grew out of and make it into something awesome!

This pillow looks impressive, but it's really simple and easy to put together.

Tools Needed:

Sewing machine

Scissors

Needle

Supplies Needed:

Old jeans in 2 different shades

Thread to match the jeans

Polyester fiberfill (or other stuffing for your pillow)

Step #1

Go through your old worn out jean collection (lol...I might be the only one with that sort of collection!), or get your family and friends to donate their old jeans to you.

Pick out 2 different shades of jeans.

Step #2

Decide how large you would like your pillow.  And cut strips of denim from your jeans to make enough to make that size pillow.

My pillow is smallish - about 12" x 10".  So I cut my strips 1 1/2" wide and 12" long.

Cut an even number of strips.  (I didn't, learn from my mistake.)

Step #3

Cut out the back denim blocks.  Cut half of the back in 1 shade and the other half in the other shade.  Then cut those pieces.  I didn't make the second cut in half, so that there were 2 larger blocks and 2 smaller blocks.  (See below)

Step #4

Sew the larger pieces to the smaller pieces and then sew the 2 halves together forming the back of the pillow.

Step #5

Cut your long strips into different lengths.  Cut 2 strips (1 of each shade) at a time.  Cut each pair in the same lengths and then arrange them.  Then move to the next 2 and so on.  

I sort of messed this up at the end because I didn't use an even number of strips, so my last strip is just solid.  

Step #6

Sew dark shade of denim to the lighter shade of denim into long strips.

Step #7

Sew the strips together.

Step #8

Put the right sides of the front and back together.  Sew around the edges, leaving a opening big enough to stuff your pillow.

Step #9

Turn the pillow right-side out.  Make sure you push out the corners.

 Step #10

If you haven't ironed - iron your pillow! 

Then stuff your pillow.  For a firmer pillow, use more poly fiberfill; for softer pillow, use less.

Step #11

Sew your pillow closed.  Fold in the edges.  Pull the needle and thread from the inside and them sew it up.

Step #12

Enjoy your pillow!!

General Tips:

I was trying to get photos of each step before the sun went down, so I didn't iron at the beginning or along the way.  You should definitely iron along the way while you are making this pillow.

You can really use any design you want for this pillow - you don't necessarily need to make strips or blocks.  Obviously straight lines are easier to sew.

Have fun!

I love this look so much, that I'm thinking about making a skirt with the same strips!  If I do, I'll be sure to share!

Work in Progress

Here is a new doll that I am working right now. The green top part is from a beautiful cashmere sweater that was given to me. Unfortunately for the previous owner, it had become holey. Fortunately for me, I could cut around that portion.

Her legs are from jeans that were also very torn apart and outgrown. Her hair is pink fabric leftover from a shirt that my mom made me (she used to make all of my clothes growing up). Yes, that fabric is definitely vintage. (ugh, I am getting old)

As you can (barely) see from the photo, this doll also features hand embroidery I designed and did. Her face will also be hand embroidered.

This doll is larger than my previous dolls.

Hopefully she'll be ready in time for First Friday tomorrow evening. I hope to finish her up tonight.

Thursday Green Artist of the Week - A Bit of Color

I am so happy to bring you A Bit of Color as the featured green artist of the week this week. A Bit of Color uses polymer clay to make all sorts of jewelry and accessories. (Also check out her sculptural ceramics and Smoke-fired ceramic jewelry)

What I am most excited about is A Bit of Color’s line of headbands and pins that use recycled jeans. You can find them in her Etsy shop here.

The Interview:

What specifically do you do that is “green” in your business?

I use recycled/upcycled jeans in making flower pins, headbands, and other accessories. I also use recycled packaging wherever possible.

Why have you decided to use these green practices?

My mother always saves old blue jeans to make quilts and potholders out of. Even though I live far away from her now, out of habit, I keep worn-out jeans in a bag in the closet. Usually, I'd just take them to my mom when I visited home. Then one day, I thought, "Blue Jeans and Polymer clay--that's gotta be an awesome combination!" I pulled out my jeans, some remnant fabric, a needle and thread, and of course, my polymer clay.

Do you have one tip for people to incorporate being green into their everyday life?

You don’t necessarily need to be a pack-rat to save materials from the landfill. When throwing something away, I like to ask myself if it’s something I can use in a project. I keep fabric, ribbons, cardboard, boxes and packaging (for shipping my ceramic art ), and anything else that catches my eye. If I can’t use it or don’t know someone who can, then I see if I can recycle it before just throwing it away.

Where do you draw your inspiration?

My 3-year-old daughter is my biggest source of inspiration. When I’m out of ideas, she’s my go-to gal to ask for something crazy to make next. This is where my nesting bird pieces came from (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19641053 and http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=20017678 came from. I asked her what I should make and she told me I needed to do some birdies.

All the ways you can connect with A Bit of Color:

Etsy: http://abitofcolor.etsy.com

my other Etsy: http://trpottery.etsy.com/

Artfire: http://abitofcolor.artfire.com/

Blog: http://abitofcolor.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/trpottery