1 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
My
BEST TIPS for SEWING (& Quilting) with
Recycled Denim Jeans! By Heather Banks
2 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….pg 3 1. When Making a Rag Quilt, use 100% Cotton Jeans!………………...pg 4
2. Change Your Rotary Cutter Blade Often……………….……….……….pg 5
a. Denim Dulls b. Give the Body a Break
3. Starch, Starch, Starch…………………………………………………………….pg 6
a. Getting the Wrinkles Out b. Stabilizing c. Pressing Seams d. Which Starch to Use
4. Using Sewing Machine Needles Designed for Denim……….……....pg 8
a. Needle Size b. When to Replace Needles
5. Don’t Waste Time with Weak Pins………………………………………….pg 9
6. I Don’t Think I Need to Say This but Slow Down!...............................pg 10
a. Relax the Foot Pedal b. Warning
7. If You Need to Ease, Use Heat……………………………………………........pg 11
a. Your Iron is Your Friend
8. Gloves Will Lighten Your Load……………………………………………….pg 12
9. Use a Walking Foot………………………………………………………………..pg 13
10. Increase the Seam Length………………………………………………….….pg 13 Bonus Section: Where to get MORE Jeans!...............................................pg 14
3 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
“New Life for Old Jeans”!
I LOVE my local quilt shops! Buying new fabric is as blissful as the
memory of ripping into a package on Christmas morning as a child! New
fabric will always be a part of my designs.
That being said, I also like the thought of finding new life for old
clothing, especially jeans.
As I began using jeans to construct quilts, it wasn’t long before piles of
jeans started to stack up in my house. The problem was I was cutting
them up just as fast as I was taking them in! I needed a LOT of jeans!
As I cut and sewed with denim; I learned.
Here are some tips that have worked for me so far. I hope they make
your own sewing experiences more enjoyable, when using denim or any
other fabric!
Heather
4 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
Here are my BEST Tips for SEWING with Denim Jeans (so far!)
1. When making a RAG QUILT, use 100% cotton jeans for the
perfect frayed edge!
If you’re making a “rag” edge quilt, purse or pillow,
a nice frayed edge is important so go with 100%
cotton jeans!
Stretch jeans won’t fray with the same GUSTO as
100% cotton ones. If you must use stretch jeans,
use jeans that are at least 98% or 99% cotton with
only a small amount of “stretch”.
*If you have a stack of poly/cotton jeans and would still like to use them
(for sentimental reasons or just because that’s what you have!), then
here’s a suggestion:
Starting at the base of one leg, use a sharp, strong pair of scissors to cut through the hem and into the leg approximately 1-2” deep. Make 5 or 6 clips about ½” apart. Basically, you’re simulating the cuts in a rag quilt. Wash and dry the jeans as you would your quilt. After drying you’ll have a really good idea of how the jeans will fray in your project. Sometimes, poly/cotton jeans will fray well and other times they don’t fray at all. This is an easy way to find out to find out if you will like the results!
Manufacturer brands that offer 100% cotton jeans include: Levi,
Wrangler, Lee and Kirkland to name a few. Jeans for men tend to offer
more 100% cotton options than jeans for women (for obvious reasons-
we like our stretch jeans!).
5 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
Denim Fact: Over 200 pairs of jeans can be made from one bale of cotton! 1
One other reason to use 100% cotton jeans versus stretch jeans:
TOO Much Give…
Stretch jeans STRETCH (like the name implies).
Therefore, as you sew, you can end up with some really wonky, overly
stretched seams. Go with the COTTON if you can or when using stretch
jeans, use lots of pins and don’t over press!
2. Change your Rotary Cutter Blade often.
I am extremely guilty of getting as much life as possible
from my rotary blades even in my normal, everyday (non-
denim) sewing life.
Those blades are expensive! Plus, who wants to stop in the
middle of a project to change the blade (this is also why my
sewing machine doesn’t get oiled as often as it should!).
Denim dulls…
Denim is thick and tough, this is not news. Plain and simple,
it dulls your blade faster than traditional quilting cottons do.
I am always pleasantly surprised when I finally change the blade and cut
into denim. It makes such a BIG difference to have a sharp blade!!
If you’re familiar with my Denim Circle Quilt
pattern and plan to cut denim circles with the
Olfa Rotary Circle Cutter, PLEASE invest in a
few extra 18mm blades.
6 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
As soon as you begin to notice your circles aren’t cutting all the way
through the denim, pop in a new blade. You will instantly feel (and see)
the difference.
Another thing to be aware of is that using a sharp blade when cutting
denim will reduce stress on your body and make for a more pleasant
cutting experience.
Give the body a BREAK…
When cutting denim you must apply more pressure
than when cutting regular cotton. This can become
tiresome and can eventually wear on your
shoulders, arms and wrists.
This is a good reason to stop and enjoy a piece of
chocolate every now and then and give your body a
break.
Denim Fact:
Denim is unique because it is woven with two yarn colors: the indigo yarn and the "filler" yarn, which is un-dyed (turn your jeans
inside out and see the white filler yarn for yourself.)2
3. Starch, Starch, Starch!
I use spray starch in my everyday sewing but when
sewing with denim it is a MUST.
Denim jeans vary in thickness. A hardy pair of men’s
workpants can feel like cardboard. On the other
hand, I’ve worked with denim as soft and thin
as any traditional quilting cotton.
7 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
Getting the wrinkles out…
Initially, when preparing your jeans for cutting, you will likely want to
give them a quick press to remove any wrinkles, however, denim will be
much more resistant to ironing than a traditional fabric.
Spray starch takes the “manhandling” away from ironing and works with
the heat to remove wrinkles.
Spray starch serves another important purpose as well.
Stabilizing denim…
Additionally, (and VERY importantly), spray starch STABILIZES denim.
One of the most important things I have learned through trial and error is
spray starch will help to stabilize denim and minimize stretching during
the cutting process.
Here’s what I do: working with a single layer of denim
liberally spray the area to be ironed with spray starch and
allow it to dry BEFORE ironing. Once dry, press with a
very hot, dry iron. The result should be a nice, stiff piece
of denim!
Over and over again I hear in my classes, “it really is
worth it to use the starch!”
What we’re doing here is not just ironing out the wrinkles; we are
changing the attributes of the denim.
Before cutting, ESPECIALLY circles, I like my denim to
resemble cardboard it’s so stiff. What this means is that
when I cut a circle (or any other shape), the denim will
not pull or give with the movement of the rotary blade.
This has made a HUGE difference in the accuracy of my
cuts!
8 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
Pressing Seams…
Lastly, when pressing a seam (either open or to
one side), a hot iron is often not enough. A liberal
dose of spray starch will put those seams in their
place (literally).
Which starch to use?
Spray starch designed for quilters can be rather expensive. I am a fan of
these starches and appreciate the way they minimize the white build up
of starch left by the iron.
However, when it comes to jeans, you can also buy the value spray
starch from the grocery store with equally good results!
Denim Fact: About 450 million jeans are sold in U.S.A. alone each year. On average, every American owns at least about 7 pairs of jeans.3
4. Use sewing machine needles designed for denim.
Denim needles are made for sewing with denim of all
weights. They have a strong shaft and can also
accommodate heavier thread. A strong shaft is helpful
in avoiding broken needles. Heavier threads contribute
to the structural integrity of the item and are a
decorative element that reminds us of the stitching
found in jeans.
Denim needles are an important tool when sewing tough, heavyweight
fabrics like denim.
9 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
Needle Size…
You can purchase three sizes of denim needles:
14, 16 and 18. I most often use a size 16 needle
when sewing with denim. This is the size I
recommend in my classes and patterns. I find this
needle size accommodates all weights of denim I run across.
Replacing Needles…
How often and when should a sewing machine needle be replaced? This is
one of the hardest questions to answer.
Replace your sewing machine needle when…
-The needle becomes dull (hitting a pin can dull the point of the needle).
-The needle becomes even slightly bent (hitting 'too' many layers of
fabric with the wrong sized needle can bend it).
-The tip or point of the needle gets a nick or a snag (easy to do if the
needle was not the right size for the fabric being sewn).
-After every eight hours of running the machine. Needle companies
suggest that a needle (when used properly) has about 8 hours of life in its
tip. *Tips for when to replace a needle were recommended by Zsuzsy Bee at HubPages.com.
5. Don’t waste your time with weak pins.
Does this seem like a no-brainer? Honestly, it wasn’t for me!
I go back and forth between which type of pin to use and it really does
vary depending on what I’m doing. I like flower heads because you can
10 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
iron with them in place and they’re moderately strong but on the down
side they bend easily in heavy fabrics and aren’t very sharp.
I like glass head pins because they’re long and very sharp
but then again, they’re not flat and they bend easily.
So, what’s a girl to do?
My solution for working with denim is to use a very strong, sharp pin
with a round, yellow head. The ones I use are called “Quilting Pins” by
Collins, they retail for $6.99 and come 250 to a box. I have also run
across another brand with good results, “Quilter’s Pins” by EZ Quilting.
These are another strong pin with yellow and white heads.
These pins easily go through multiple layers of denim and I haven’t had
nearly as many problems with bending.
6. I don’t think I need to say this but... but slow down!
Heavy duty “commercial” sewing machines can sew over the toughest
denim at fairly high speeds. However, most home sewers do not sew on
commercial machines so it is important to remember that although your
machine can sew over denim, there are still times when it pays to go
slowly!
I can buzz away at my machine all day long
when sewing on denim. I’m not concerned
about breaking my needle (ahem-denim
needle!) because home based sewing machines
are sturdy and designed to sew through all
kinds of fabric.
However, there comes a time when I need to
sew through multiple, stacked layers of denim. It’s inevitable.
11 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
Relax the Foot Pedal…
The good news is that something as simple as
slowing down really helps! If you have a thick
enough stack of denim in front of you, just walk
the needle through the fabric. As long as you’re
not hitting a rivet, zipper, or pin, you WILL be
able to sew through the fabric.
I would also mention that I got a tip from Nancy Zieman’s website
regarding sewing over flat-felled seams, here’s what she suggests when
sewing over bulky denim seams:
To successfully hem jeans, fold up the hem and flatten the flat-
felled area with a hammer
before stitching. A perfect cure for the denim-bump blues. 7
Here’s an additional thought, PAD the end of the
hammer with batting to prevent it from damaging the fabric. Hold the
batting in place with a rubber band. Really pound away at any thick
seams BEFORE sewing to get them as flat as possible.
This tip came from Madge Ziegler (6/12/12: Top Tip Tuesday: Facebook.com/MadgeZieglerQuilts)
and she swears it makes a huge difference in getting over those bumpy
denim seams that break needles and stall machines! Thanks Nancy and
Madge!
Piece-o-cake. Well, maybe not THAT easy but it can be done. I see it
in my classes all the time.
Caveat (Warning or Caution)…
*I should add here that there is a point, of course, where a traditional sewing machine simply will not be able to sew through denim. If going slow, smacking thick seams with a hammer and using a denim needle
12 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
isn’t working for you, you may want to consider a semi-industrial or a true industrial sewing machine.
Every once in a while I run into someone who is sewing on a very small, lightweight, inexpensive machine (often but not necessarily purchased at a discount store). In such cases it IS possible that the motor in such machines will not have enough “oomph” to continuously sew over denim without overheating or jamming up.
Denim Fact: The largest consumers of denim in the U.S. are: Levi Strauss, VF
Corporation, Wal-Mart, Gap and JC Penny!5
7. If you need to ease, use HEAT.
Denim stretches regardless of whether you’re working
with a cotton/poly blend, lycra or 100% cotton. This
especially tends to be the case if you are working with
former blue jeans (versus denim off the bolt)! Yes, you
CAN buy it off the bolt if you’d like!
As you piece together quilts and other projects you will
often need to match seams, points, etc. At times, you will
find that as you pressed and sewed, one piece of denim
became longer than the other. Don’t Panic!
Your Iron is Your Friend…
Adding heat via your iron softens the denim and makes it easier to
“ease” two pieces of denim together. Do NOT stretch the denim further
by pulling as you iron! The goal is to just add a bit of heat allowing you
to bring two pieces of fabric together where they should match!
13 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
8. Gloves will lighten your load!
Once you’re beyond working with individual blocks and you’ve begun
some serious piecing, you will begin to notice how heavy the steadily
growing denim piece becomes.
Before long, you can develop some serious neck, shoulder and arm pain
just from moving those big, thick pieces around underneath the machine.
I have found that using quilting gloves (i.e.
Machingers or Quiltaroos) helps immensely!
The tips of the fingers are dipped in a
resistant plastic which grips the quilt as you
move it around. The gloves keep the weight
in your hands and take a lot of the pressure
off of your arms and shoulders!
Denim Fact: Until 1960, "waist overalls" was the traditional term used for denim pants. By the late 1950s, teenage wearers were calling
them jeans, so Levi Strauss officially began using the name, too.6
9. Use a Walking Foot
A walking foot works by feeding both pieces of fabric under the presser
foot and moving them forward at the same time.
When working with a bulky fabric that likes to stretch- a walking foot
really comes in handy! In cases where you need to match intersecting
seams or points/curves, a walking foot will lessen the likelihood that one
piece of fabric will shift or slide in front of the other. If you see puckers
or pleats, try a walking foot.
14 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
I highly recommend a walking foot in my denim patterns and have great
success in matching seams and minimizing tucks compared to using a
traditional foot.
10. Increase the Seam Length
When working with a bulky fabric like denim, you’ll get better results
with a slightly larger than normal stitch length. For the most part, I use
a “normal” stitch length of 2.5 mm even with denim when I’m just sewing
together a couple of pieces.
However, when I’m sewing through multiple layers I’ll set my stitch
length to 3.0-3.5 mm. I find this makes for a smoother stitch and
lessens the chance of breaking a needle or thread!
I especially like to lengthen my stitch length when I’m top stitching,
which makes for a smooth, attractive finish.
Denim Fact: The orange thread traditionally used to sew Levi Strauss blue
jeans was intentionally selected to match the copper rivets that doubled the durability of the jeans.6
15 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
BONUS Section: Where can I get MORE jeans?
When I run out of my families’ jeans, where can I find more?
Here are some things I do regularly to replenish my supply
of denim!
Craig’s list (craigslist.com). I place an ad stating that I
am looking for 100% cotton jeans, sized adult and I
include how much I am willing to pay for them. I find it
saves gas if you can meet them at a local spot in town
versus going to their home, PLUS it’s safer!
I have paid $3.00 for adult pants and $2.00 for Capri’s.
I don’t take shorts; there’s just not enough denim to
make it worthwhile and I typically don’t want dresses
or shirts because the denim is usually pretty thin.
Recently I have lowered my prices, paying no more
than $1.00-$2.00 a pair.
Work. When I was working in an office, I was
surprised at how many people had boxes of jeans
stored in their home that they were more than happy
to donate to my cause. Also, since these same
people often donate their old jeans to thrift stores, by
giving them to me they saved themselves a trip to the
donation center!
Thrift stores. The price of jeans at thrift stores
varies considerably. I have found Saver’s to be a
terrific source and on Mondays all tags of a certain
16 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
color are 99 cents!!
Almost all thrift stores have days where certain items
are marked down you just need to check them out in
advance. I almost never pay full price for a pair of
jeans in a thrift store.
I also have heard (but not tried this myself yet) that if
you talk to the store they will often give you the jeans
they can’t sell. These jeans are often stained or
ripped to the point of being unsellable. If anyone’s
tried this, let me know!! I’d love to know if it really
works! ([email protected]).
Yard sales. By far the cheapest source (other than
free) is a yard sale. Unfortunately, this is limited to
summertime in my area. The nice thing about yard
sales is that most people don’t seem to want more
than 50 cents-$1.00 for their jeans. Sometimes I can
get a really good deal if I offer to take a stack; after
all, most of us have yard sales to get rid of stuff! If
you can find community yard sales, these are usually
like gold!
Sometimes I come across yard sales where the sellers
seem to think their jeans were woven with strands of
gold. They want $3-$5 (and sometimes more) for a
USED pair of off the rack, JC Penney jeans! Yikes! I
pass on these “deals”! I wonder how many pairs they
are left with at the end of the day!
17 Heather Banks, Inventive Denim, 2012, www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
If you have any of your own tips to share, please email me at: [email protected].
I would LOVE to give you credit for your idea!! Thank you for reading this E-Book!
To see my denim patterns, please visit my blog at: www.apassionatequilter.blogspot.com
or my Etsy store at: www.etsy.com/shop/apassionatequilter.
References: 1 http://www.beembee.com/2010/10-interesting-facts-about-jeans
2 http://fashion.about.com/cs/jeans/a/allaboutjeans.htm 3 http://www.magforwomen.com/did-you-know-these-facts-about-denim/ 4 http://zsuzsybee.hubpages.com/hub/Sewing-Machine-Needles-An-Illustrated-Guide-to-the-many-Types-of-Sewing-Machine-Needles 5 http://olahinc.com/denim_survival_guide/facts-about-denim/ 6 http://levistrauss.com 7 http://www.babylock.com/inside-scoop/nancy-zieman-tips/