I have and they are pretty easy to make. The #1 Tip I can share - if you are going to be using pieces with seams, make sure your needle is new and sharp - these are the buggers that cause most of the needle breakage.

I've made a variety of different jean quilts - some 6" squares, some 4" squares (not recommended as you need tons of squares if you are using 1" seams), 6" strips, 3" strips and various combinations of the leftovers.

I don't cut the seams anymore because I wash and dry them which starts the process for me and requires that strings be cut afterwards anyways so why cut twice? It just depends on the look that you want.

The ones I've liked the best are the ones that have the most variety of shades/colors in them. I'm always on the look out for colored jeans at thrift shops and garage sales. Even if you only have one pair of colored jeans, adding the squares/strips to the mix can really make a difference in the overall look of the quilt.

Keep in mind that you can use cordouroy too, which gives you a different texture. They fray the same as jeans are are about the same weight.

Other things to keep in mind - you need to clean your bobbin casing often when making a jean/cordouroy quilt as the amount of lint is massive. Use sharp needles but not necessarily the denim needles - depending on your machine and the speed you sew and the alignment of the stars - an 16 or 18 might be a better choice. Use verigated thread - the brighter the better - I just made one using hunter's orange and man does it look neat! And finally, write the care instructions on one of the blocks. I've found some folks are afraid to use these quilts after they are made because...I'm not sure why. I always put something to the affect that I was made to be used and loved, that I clean up just like a pair of jeans and some of my favorite spots are on the ground for a picnic or fireworks, wrapped around you when camping or boating etc.

Here are a few pictures of ones I've made recently to give you some ideas.

Yep, I have made a jean quilt. I just gave it to my son for his 18th birthday and he was in heaven because he has a "GREEN" quilt, meaning of course that it is recycled.
I agree with Digger to use a new needle. I used the stitch on my machine that goes up two and back one, it took FOREVER!!!! I wouldn't do that again but I would just use a smaller stitch. I cut all the seams as per the directions in little 1/2 chunks and it did take a long time and yes my hand got a bit sore but your going to want a pair a spring scissors, they are also called rag snips and are made by Fiskar. That really helped me a lot. I used a lot of different shades or denim and the over all affect was very pleasing. We ladies in our family wear only dresses and skirts so I used several of my old denim skirts and that was a help because the pieces were so big to start with. Mine where all 6 inch square and I'm waiting for the I spy swap to come in so I can make another one for my youngest son. Oh one more thing. I put mine together in rows that where straight. The next one I make I'm going to put together like a brick wall it will help with the real bulky seems.
I loved making this quilt because once your done cutting and give it a washing to fray the seams it's done, no finishing it off. (you will have to stop the dryer a LOT to clean the dryer screen.)

Here is a link that might be useful: fiskars rag snips

Vicky do you have any pictures of the jean quilts you have made?

Marty (Missouri)

I'll take one after my son decides to remove his lazy self from the bed!!!! After all it is 9:51!

Vic

Vicky

Vicky , Really like the quilt there !!
Like the lay out too!!
Thanks for the pics.
betty

Vicky, do you have any batting in that quilt? The one I saw that I wanted to copy had a thin layer of batting inserted in each block. Sounded very time consuming.

There is no batting in this quilt and it is VERY, let me say that again VERY heavy! It was hard for me to sew at the end because of the weight.

I have read where you can put a piece of batting in the middle of rag quilts but I think that if you use flannel or calicoes on both sides. The pattern I have seen says to cut the batting an inch smaller all around, layer your three pieces and then sew an x in the center of the block all before sewing all the blocks together.

Vicky

Vicky ~ Nice quilt, thanks for posting pictures. I have been stock piling jeans to make one in the future and I planned to do it similiar to a rag quilt I plan to piece the backing in various flannels sewn to the front and rag the top like what you have done. I don't plan to use batting as I am told they are very heavy and warm.

I am thinking of embroidering some of the squares with football items as it will be for my nephew. Actually he wants to help put a quilt together with a football theme but he's the age that our times never mesh so it will be easier to make it and then give it to him.

Marty (Missouri)

Here is a picture of the jean quilt I made for DS & DDIL. It is not raw edged and I wasn't brave enough to use the seams and pockets in the quilt. It was tied with taupe colored embroidery thread with the ties on the jean side.

Jean side:

"other" side:

Vicki and Loretta I just love your Jeans quilts with the pretty backings on them.I notice there are no x's or ties on them.What holds them together or are the squares small enough that you don't need to tie them together?I'm saving jeans to make one someday for my grandson and I thought I would use out door type(camping ,hunting ,fishing) fabric squares on one side.
Yvonne

I have a good sized box of old jeans which would like to be made into a quilt but I don't know how. Perhaps one of you talented ladies would run a class on how one goes about putting one togeather. I know there is a thread about putting togeather classes.
Jayne

Yvonne,
These quilts don't have to be tied because you sew four pieces together and them open them up. It's kind of hard to explain.

I have included some directions in this link. This is NOT the pattern I used and some of the things are different but it gives the general idea. You will be able to "see" how it's done.
I used The Lazy Denim Quilt pattern from Bonnie B Buttons.

Here is a link that might be useful: rag quilt

Vicky, thank you for link to the pattern.I've bookmarked it and sure it will come in handy when I'm ready to make one.Right now I've go to get busy on two baby quilts,both due in August. Whew! Hope I can get them done in time!

I've made 3 of these. If you want to watch Bonnie Snyder (of Bonnie Buttons patterns) make a quilt like this, go to the Simply Quilts Video web page at HGTV:

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_58466,00.html

When the video window loads, in the Search Video field, search for this phrase:

denim fray-edge quilt

There are 3 segments you can watch.

I do use a heavy jeans needle when I make these. Jeans needles have much sharper points than universal needles to pierce multiple layers of heavy fabric. I use the triple stretch stitch (two stitches forward, one stitch back) even though it does take a bit longer.

I also recommend the Fiskars rag snips or Fiskars craft snips (very similar). You want something spring loaded with very short blades. The first quilt I snipped with my regular sewing scissors, which is difficult to do, because all the cutting happens right at the tip of the blades, so you end up using a lot of pressure on the scissors to get that snipping action. I nearly killed my poor hands.

CMC

Here is a link that might be useful: Simply Quilts Videos on HGTV web page

Vicky ~ you said "four pieces together and them open them up" I have made a few rag quilts but I am not clear what you mean by that process, can you explain it? Thanks!!

Marty (Missouri)

Vicky ~ never mind. I watched the link that CMC posted and I believe I know what you are referring to.

Thanks CMC.

Marty

My hands aren't strong enough to work with jean weight fabric but I do admire the quilts shown on this thread...you are so creative in your ideas.
Jean

I've made two so far (working on a third).

The first one weighs in at 11 pounds - flannel backing, denim top and batting in the middle. It was a bear to quilt, which is where all of my broken needles came in.

The second one is 56 inches square. It's flannel rag on one side, denim on the other. This one has no batting, and weighs about 5 pounds (I haven't actually weighed this one...). It's tied - which has taken for evvveer, but I have no broken needles because of it.

For all of the denim quilt stuff I've sewn, I've used denim needles, and 1/2" seams. I wouldn't recommend doing anything less than that, as I've had some pieces fall apart - my cat likes to rip at seams on my quilts and he pulled one out on my big one, but it was only a 1/4" seam.

Good luck,

~ Kit

Vicky, that link is very similar to the one I want to make, except I think the pattern I saw had a 3rd layer of flannel to make the seams chenille more & they cut out designs in some of the jean patches & exposed the good side of the flannel underneath. I'm also thinking of using that heavy fabric I got stuck with at the auction.

That's really cute grace. Are the Care Bears flannel?

I made a jean quilt out of denim circles from this pattern:
www.equilters.com/library/jeans/jeans_galleryindex.html
Doreen's Circle Jeans Quilt Instructions
I bought an Olfa circle cutter which made the circles easier. I did put a square of batting inside each circle, but with the finished weight, I don't think that was necessary. It was a fun pattern with a faux cathedral window look. Sorry, I usually send things off before I take a picture, but the website has good illustrations. It was a bear to get through the sewing maching though!

I was so glad someone asked about jean quilts. It motivated me to make my first rag quilt with the stash of jeans that were hanging around my sewing room. I finished it today and plan on giving it to my grandson who will leave for collage next week to be used in his car. I made a matching pillow case with the left over flannel that I used for quilt. It was fun to do and turned out pretty good for the my first effort. I must say all that clipping of denim was a challange. I couldn't find the rug scissors and settled for Ginger razor sharp craft scissors. (50% off at Jo-Annes). I think flanned would be easier.
Jayne

Has anyone made a jean quilt with just 1 layer? Or does it need to have that 2nd layer?

All above posts are great advice. Although the jeans I used were washed and dried, I was amazed after the project was finished at how much lint was left all over my room - blue dust everywhere. I used throw away scraps of W&N batting to tidy up. Hope this helps!

Gwen

A thought--would the edges fray better if cut with a pinked edge and then washed and dried?

doris, I like your idea of sashing and back is very nice. I also took mine outofdoors for a good shake between washings and drying. I also stopped the drying cycle 1/2 way and cleaned out the lint filter which I felt lessened the drying time. As I was making mine as a car quilt I was lucky to find race car flannel for the back. It was fun.
Jayne

The pattern I was given suggested going the laundromat for the first washing and drying because the commercial units would give it a harder agitation and pull more of the fluff out. The quilts that I did I washed and dried twice at the laundromat I was pleased with the fringing/ragging lots of fluff the first wash not as much the second.

Marty (Missouri)