The Denim Rug - Take 2

I finally finished the rectangular rug!  I'm pretty happy with how it turned out...but it will probably be a while before I decide to make another one...if ever I make another one.  It's pretty labour-intensive, but worth it in the end.  I just love that it was made of old jeans!

And now...my first "how-to" post...

...ahem...

How to Crochet a Denim Rug

Material: Q hook, nine pairs of old jeans, scissors, needle and thread

1. Gather your jeans.  I originally started with eight pairs, but my dad ended up finding an old pair of my brother's from the early 90's.  (Yes, you read that right.  This is what happens when your parents don't get rid of anything.)  So, I used nine pairs in this rug.

2. Cut out the pant legs.  You will need to remove the pockets and the seams.

3. To make the "yarn," begin by cutting a one-inch strip.  Stop cutting approximately 0.5-inches away from the end, then switch directions.  You want your pant leg to be one long, one-inch strip.

4. Begin rolling the yarn into a ball after the first pant leg has been cut.  To add more yarn, simply sew the ends together.

5. When one pair of jeans has been rolled up, you are now ready to begin crocheting.



6. With a Q hook, ch 40 (or as many ch you need for the size rug you want).  The entire rug is worked up in sc.  Be sure to count your sc periodically to make sure you are on track!  To add more yarn, sew the ends together.

7. Continue working in sc until your rug is the size you want.

halfway!

The finished product:

And there you have it, folks!  An upcycled, crocheted, denim rug!

This one is going to sit at the back door...and I think I'm going to bring the oval one into my classroom in the fall.

PS - These are my new shoes.  Cute, no?





The Denim Rug

I love the idea of upcycling and repurposing.  There is just something so fun about taking something old and making it new.  Last summer, I made this:

It took seven pairs of old jeans - all generously donated by some friends - and a Q hook.  It is the rug we use in the back foyer, but I have been wanting to change it for quite some time.  After I made it, I really wished that I had made it rectangular, instead of oval.  So, in January, I posted a plea for old jeans on Facebook, with plans of making a rectangular rug.  This is what I got:

Yup, eight pairs of old jeans from friends and family.  I was so excited to get started right away, but somehow wasn't able to until, finally, last night.  So far, I have cut up and crocheted two pairs from this stack of jeans and it's looking great!  It should be finished in the next week or two.

Now...what am I going to do with the oval rug???  

Edit: Go to this post for the denim rug tutorial!