A long, long time ago (2003) back at Utah State, the spring before I left on my mission, I started cutting squares for a jean quilt. My roommate Kady had one (and a pillowcase to go with it-that I shall NOT be doing-who knows how much longer that would take :), and I really liked it. So I decided to make one for myself, and so the project began.
I took old jeans that didn't fit anymore, than I was holding onto for when they fit again...right...sidenote-when you do actually fit those smaller jeans again, they'll be out of style and you'll just buy new ones anyway-ok, back to the story...I cut them into large squares and thus started my jean quilt adventure. I didn't have much, nor $ to buy jeans to cut up, nor did I think to go to a fabric store to buy denim. Well, I decided that it would just be an ongoing project. Whenever I grew out of jeans, or they got stains, or holes in them, or whatever, I would cut them up to add to my jean quilt project. I kept the squares in an old Utah State shopping bag. Through the years, I kept adding to the bag. After I was "terminated" from LDT (I drove a city bus for a year and a half in college after my mission-and the firing is a story for another day-but many thought that I shouldn't be fired) Anyway. I also cut up all my pants from there to add to my quilt collection. The material fit well with denim and they were navy blue. There were perhaps some hard feelings as I cut them up as well. So pieces of fabric from my life were basically going into this quilt.
Well, when Jason and I got married-now 6 years later, he asked what the huge bag was in the BACK of the closet. I told him what it was of course, and he gave me this strange look. He said something along the lines of 'Why are you dragging around this beat up old bag of jeans for years. Why don't you just finish it?' Good point. But as true newly weds, we didn't get much done other than working, making food, eating, sleeping and uh, bonding. After I got pregnant (yes it was planned), and decided not to teach this year, and needed things to do, I started it up again. It gave me a great pregnancy project, and I really wanted to finish it and enjoy it!
Over the summer I cut many more squares, and thanks to my Mom's help, I actually got a measuring square to help me get them all exactly the same size. Having never made a quilt before this one, I needed to be educated about it. So, I mostly did it myself. By the end though, being an overly exhausted 6-9 month pregnant woman, Jason helped me at times, and the night before I went into labor, my mom actually pinned the border for me since I couldn't get down on the floor anymore.
So here are the pictures that illustrate the process. Man did this take forEVER! But it was worth it! We love it!
Me holding up the squares finally all sewn together.
We went to JoAnne's together and Jason picked out the green flannel fabric for the back. Greens' my favorite color so it was cool with me. :)
PS> Jean quilts are really heavy. This was a serious work out throwing the jean part over the flannel to spread it out to be pinned for tying.
2 days before Christmas. Just measuring to make sure that it's centered before we started to pin it.
And sometimes we got stabbed with 'safety' pins. Youch!
Our FHE activity this Monday-finishing the quilt. In this pic. I'm starting to sew the very last border edge.
My trusty helper, holding the quilt straight to make it easier to get the lines straight. Jean quilts are soooo heavy.
I was so frustrated sewing this last part (borders). The fabric was SO heavy and kept pulling and it was making it impossible to get a straight stitch. It was so much better with Jason's help-hence my huge smile! Plus, I was almost done.
Very tired hands, thankful to be almost done.
ALL DONE!!!
Looks good huh! It's tied with forest green embroidery floss instead of yarn. Yarn gets yucky after a while. I got the idea from Grandma Linda and Mom. It's not actually made for a bed. We made it to be a anything quilt-picnics, couch cuddling, camping, bed, etc...But we're enjoying it on our bed for right now. Mmmmm. It's nice.
And Henry loves it too. :)
