O Great LiveJournal Brain!

[sarahmichelef]

I am looking for something productive to do with a pile (probably about 10 pairs) of jeans that are too trashed to donate to the Goodwill.  They have holes either in the back pockets or in the knees (or both).  I'd like to turn them into something useful, or pass them off to someone who can/will (in which instance I will probably try to do so locally).  (I'm already planning to save one or two to make dresses for TRex.)

Comments

[brewergnome.livejournal.com]

I've seen some lovely couch/futon blankets made from them.

[peregrinning.livejournal.com]

I have a wonderfully comfortable quilt made of Blue Jean Squares, using different fade levels to create patterns. My sisters and I each received one from our Grandma Ruth, and we even got to choose the pattern of the backing fabric (all are red: mine's plaid, one sister has paisley, and one has little white stars).

I don't know if there are any quilting societies in your area, or churches that sew quilts to donate.

[peregrinning.livejournal.com]

Cutting 'em off at the knee and sewing up the cuff makes a good stake bag, or pole bag, for camping trips. I'm sure such bags would have other uses as well.

[rufinia.livejournal.com]

You could make paper. WHen t-rex is a little older, that would be an excellent project.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

1) Patch a few pairs for when you're doing scruffy work (and save some of your nicer pants from getting worn out as quickly).

2) Patch them in really artsy/cool/creative ways and make a fashion statement even when you're dressed down.

3) Make one into a handbag -- I see them being sold in stores, so that one's actually trendy...

4) Cut them into long skinny strips and make placemats, or a throw rug. Usually done by cutting the strips about 2" wide so that the raw edges can be turned in on themselves.

[relentlesstoil.livejournal.com]

I was gonna say braided rug / potholder, like helwen.
Shredded jeans also make great insulation! But that's kinda going above and beyond the DIY call of duty.

[nalyirri.livejournal.com]

Can't you cut them right above the knee, open the inner leg seams, and make a skirt? I think the ones I've seen - in stores, with that fake-homemade look, overlap the inner top-thigh sections and add an extra triangle between the lower-thigh sections...

[elliesam.livejournal.com]

I was also going to say braided rug. LOVE those. Very durable and washable.

[alphasarah.livejournal.com]

When TRex is a little older, her daddy will have blown through the knees and pockets of another 10 pairs of jeans. ;^)

[alphasarah.livejournal.com]

1) Patch a few pairs for when you're doing scruffy work (and save some of your nicer pants from getting worn out as quickly).
We will be keeping one or 2 pairs for this purpose.

2) Patch them in really artsy/cool/creative ways and make a fashion statement even when you're dressed down.
BTDT in college - I was known for my crazyquilt patched jeans - and these are M's jeans, and he's not likely to wear funky creatively patched jeans. They actually end up requiring quite a bit of maintenance to keep the new holes under control, too.

3) Make one into a handbag -- I see them being sold in stores, so that one's actually trendy...
A possibility, though I don't know if I would actually use said handbag. I did recently recycle a worn-out pair of M's shorts into a purse for TRex.

4) Cut them into long skinny strips and make placemats, or a throw rug. Usually done by cutting the strips about 2" wide so that the raw edges can be turned in on themselves.
This is the kind of thing I've been thinking about, but again it's a factor of time. Must do a bit of research on strip/braided things.

[alphasarah.livejournal.com]

Oooh, good thought. I'm sure we could come up with things to do with them. Or I could slap together some bucket-style bags to use for grocery shopping, too.

[alphasarah.livejournal.com]

This is exactly what I hope someone will do if I give them away, because I don't quilt.

[alphasarah.livejournal.com]

I could... they're M's jeans but might fit me. I'm not sure that I would actually wear such a skirt, is the thing.

[tracytris.livejournal.com]

turn some of them into draft socks.

turn one leg into plastic bag holder (ie: a place to store all your grocery shopping bags for reuse)

pillows

floppy hat for trex

fancy text book covers to give away

cover boxes & decorate for a place to store actual printed out pictures.

[amojojo.livejournal.com]

I've emulated my grandmother by sewing them into cushion covers for knock-around chairs.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

2) Ah, not yours, nevermind then....

I liked Peregrinning's idea for a stake bag, and yours for shopping bags.

On the skirt thing, I'd probably use 3-4 of them, cut them into strips for making a stripey skirt...

Looks like you have quite a few options now :)