Upcycling

I agonised a bit about what to call this post but I've decided on a practical statement even though there is an abundance of sentimentality, love and creativity rolled into the object of this post.

Are you mystified already?

So have you heard of upcycling? Upcycling, according to Wikipedia, is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value. If you Google 'upcycling' you will find the most exciting and inspiring things. Well, I was excited and inspired! Particularly by Jean Shin, a woman after my own heART!!!

Some of you might know that I have been collecting holey-knee-ed jeans, the topic of a layout once, for years now. Occasionally I have broken into the stash and made something - like this handbag.

Well, last year some time I started cutting out squares and rectangles on the bias with a view to making a patchwork blanket. Also some time last year I started being inspired by Jude Hill and her beautiful hand-stitched quilts.

On various occasions I took my washing basket full of holey-knee-ed jeans with me to spend my time purposefully rather than just spending it and continued cutting out denim squares and rectangles.

Finally I decided to make something. A sample, a tester, an inaugural patchworking as a trial run for the eventual blanket. And what better purpose for the 'something' than a present for a very special friend whose birthday happens to fall on the same day as my mother.

I'm a deadline person but starting this 'something' one week before said birthday was a little... what's the word?... pushing it, anyway. Ambitious! That's the word. Thanks DH.

Okay, so without further ado, here are a few (read, lots) of photos of the finished 'something', the identity of which was ascertained in 16/20 questions, and which was finished just before my father's birthday (not that that means anything at all!!!)


I started with the 'Today'


and finished with the tag.




Half way through the stitching I decided that I was silly. Why had I written the letters so small? Why did I use such thick thread? I persevered.

Yes, I did plait those threads myself. I do not take credit for the idea - I saw it on Jude's blog and just had to do it.




And here's the back of the cushion.

The end