A couple years ago I began collecting my family's discarded jeans. I wasn't sure what to do with them but always liked the material and that particular blue jean color. With my children outsizing their old clothes I became wistful about their growing up so fast. Recreating has become a palpable way for me to hold on to their childhood (without holding them back.)
First I cut the jeans. (see picture) I start by using a seam ripper to take out the double stitching on the inseam. My goal is to get as long of a strip as possible so I won't have to knot the jean yarn. It is possible to cut one long strip by starting at the bottom of one leg, crossing over the pant seat, and continuing down the other leg. My strip is 1/2" wide.
My first rug used nine pairs of jeans. The nine stripes show the different dyes and types of cotton used in the jeans. After a few attempts I found a satisfying way to weave the denim. If you look at the detail, you’ll see the white cotton from the gabardine unraveling. Depending on your taste for fringe on your cutoffs, you may or may not like this effect.
The second rug is made from 3 pairs of blue jeans but this time I added a golden rod colored wool yarn. These two fibers are worn pick-for-pick. I did some alternating to create a pattern.
The things I like the most about weaving blue jeans are the thickness of the rug, how flat it lies, or finding a way of using discarded, yet sentimental material.
