What is my favorite part of writing articles for Green Talk? Hands down. The readers. I especially love hearing from y’all (as my southern friends would say) when you have created a business giving our stuff a second life. Apparently recycling your blue jeans is a very hot topic on GT given the amount of readers who read both of my blue jean recycling posts. (You can read the blue jean recycling laundry list here, and information about when GAP accepted old blue jeans for new ones. Hopefully, this will be an annual event.)
Now, my loyal readers know there are lots of crafty ideas about using your own blue jeans to make purses, skirts, book covers, and the like. But what about a second life denim jean rug? How cool is that? In fact, Beth Hedin of Summer and winter weaving thinks so too since she weaves unique rugs out of collected blue jeans.
Beth uses a technique where the rugs have a summer (lighter look) on one side and a winter look (darker) on the other side. (Hence the name of her company.) Check out how how she weaves the rugs. It’s fascinating. See below a close up of the rug weave.
So how many jeans take to make one rug? (Gosh, it sounds like one of those lawyer jokes. How many lawyers does it take to screw in a light bulb?) Beth states, “each adult pair of jeans makes about 1′ of rug (for the 34″ wide rugs).”
Want to create a sentimental gift of those old worn out jeans that you loved to wear? Beth can make a rug for you so your toes benefit for all those years of making those jeans soft as butter. Don’t have jeans to give Beth? No problem. See below some of Beth’s designs:
This rug is four feet long and costs $45. (Note, it comes in a smaller size as well.)
The above rug is five feet long and costs $70.00. For more rugs see here.
Perhaps you just need a place to send your old jeans. Contact Beth to see if she can use them. (Although Beth told me people can send the jeans to her, just be on the safe side and contact her. She just might be knee deep in demin and may need a breather.)
While you are on her site, check out her newspaper plastic bag rug pictured above.
Thanks Beth for the heads up about your wonderful denim venture! Everything deserves a second life. Even once loved jeans.
Bill@Corona Flip Flops says
May 15, 2010 at 2:18 pmi like the checkerboard design, it is great to find a use for worn out jeans.
Melvin Witehead says
January 10, 2011 at 5:51 pmI make Denim Jewelry from old worn blue jeans and sold them at art and craft shows around the city in Atlanta Ga..