Garden Apron - Repurposing Old Blue Jeans

About a month ago my dear daughter asked me for some advice on making a garden apron from some old jeans she had cut up.  She wanted to gift the apron and she had cut the piece with the back pockets for the apron.  I told her I would use quilting cotton to make a lining with a pocket on the inside, bind the two pieces together and make a nice long tie threaded through the belt loops and securely fastened.

We made her garden apron using the piece of the pants she had cut and raiding my quilting cotton stash.  It turned out really cute and when I left her house that day I knew I wanted to make one for me. 

I had to go to Goodwill and buy a pair of jeans for this project.  I bought a big pair of men's jeans because I wanted my apron to be a nice size.  The jeans I found had some lovely embroidered omega symbols on the pockets and I couldn't resist the colors.  The back pockets originally had buttons or rivets but they had been ripped out, so instead of replacing the buttons, I layered two buttons on the flap and glued them on so it looks like the pockets button but the pockets will be easy to get in and out of.  I lined it with some fabric I had leftover, added a colorful pocket and made my binding and tie from fabric my daughter bought me to replace the fabric she used on her garden apron.

Here is my garden apron all done.  It took me about 3 and a half hours to make.  The jeans cost me $7.00.  This was a fun project and I love the result.

I'm making a purse from the legs of the jeans.  I have it cut out and all I have to do is sew it up.  I'll show that next time.  

Still haven't done much in the way of quilting my hexie quilt.  I'll probably start working on that over the holiday weekend.

Grandmother's Flower Garden Top Is Finished

Okay, I finished the seventh row this week, added the borders and sandwiched the top for quilting.  Here is a picture of the top with the gray borders.  Not a very good picture showing the colors.   It's currently draped over my cutting table waiting patiently as I do my version of hand quilting.  Once it's finished, I will take a picture outside in good light to show the colors properly.

Row 6 is done! Quick review of small tool.

I finished row 6 on my quilt top.  I have one more row to go.  Then I will applique this top to a grey border fabric.  I bought the border fabric almost 2 years ago so it's been very patiently waiting to be used.  Here is a picture of the 6 rows.  I'll be using the grey fabric for the backing fabric as well.

My quick review is of the cute flower threaders I bought last year.  I have been using the same threader for the last two rows of the quilt and it has held up very well.  The wire is sturdy but its not too big to fit in a small needle eye.  I bought the threaders from Amazon.  The link is here:   Flower threaders for sewing needles

I'm Hand Sewing Hexagons Again. Another Row Is Done.

   I picked up this quilt top a couple of weeks ago determined to finish it so I can move on because  I'm unable to start another quilt until I finish the one I'm working on and even though I'm not in deep love with my hand sewn hexagon quilt top, I do want to finish it. All the flowers are ready to be added, I'm just adding the green path to the flowers and sewing them to the quilt.  Now I have to add 8 full flowers and 2 halves to it to make it done.

    So I finished row 5 and I started row 6 last night.  Here's a picture the 5 rows.

Quilt Ladder Finished

I finished staining my quilt ladder this week.  I put the quilts on it this morning.  It will be set up in the living room.  I'm very happy with how this one turned out.  It was easier to make the second time.

I pulled out my hexagon quilt project that has been in the works for over 2 years.  I decided to make up all the flowers I need for the next three rows.  I'm working on the last flower of row 7 then I will start adding the green path to the flowers and add each flower with the green path attached one by one.  I have a total of fourteen full flowers and 2 half flowers to add to the quilt to get it finished.  I will post a picture after I get row 5 added to the quilt.