Denim Rug

For those of you who don't know, I've done a lot of moving in the past year.  Around October, I knew that my biggest move -- the one across the country -- was upcoming, and I had a lot of denim jeans that I was trying to save as fabric. Knowing that they would be easier to pack if I cut them now, and needing a little break, I decided to take on a quick project: a Denim Rug.

I got the idea and directions from this link on Intractables.

First, I followed the instructions here

to get the most out of my jeans.

Then, I placed all the waistbands on the floor, organized them how I wanted, and began to sew.  In between each waist band, I had a think piece of seaming.  I also used several thick cuffs instead of waist bands and edged the entire project in the seaming.  Full details are in the project link.

This went very well.  It was easy to make and the sewing was quick.  I did break my needle a couple of times in the thicker parts, and I would only do this with a machine that can sew denim.  I also find that the edges of the seaming fray a little bit.  Over all, I really like it, though!

Wardrobe Walls!

I live in a renovated horse stall.  Yep, that's right, a horse stall.  A married couple bought the barn behind their house and turned it into a place for poor college students and married couples.  The bottom consists of six horse stalls and a kitchen, bathroom, etc, and each stall is occupied by a different collegiate.  The loft has become an apartment for the newly married and newly impoverished.

But since it's a horse stall, it doesn't have a closet, and upon moving in I inherited a nice wardrobe from the lady who lived here before me.  The only problem?  The left door won't shut.  I tried hooking it to the other door, but then they both hung open a few inches.  I also tacked my mirror to the inside of one of the doors, but when I opened the doors to look in it, they blocked all the light.  Besides, when they were open, they pulled the Wardrobe dangerously close to toppling forward and they interfered with opening the door to my room!

That lasted me for about six months, and then I decided to do something about those darn doors.  So, new project one is my wardrobe doors!  I decided to just take them off!

First, I took a good look at the bindings that were holding the doors to the wardrobe.  It was easy: three small brackets on each door.  I decided to only unscrew the side that was attached to the wardrobe and keep the brackets on the doors in storage in case I ever needed to use them again.  I also chose to unscrew the top bracket last so that it didn't fall over backwards while I was unscrewing the bottom one and risk breaking something (or itself).  So, in order to keep the bottom steady while I worked, I plugged a thick binder under each door before starting.

It was pretty easy, in the long run.  I took my mirror off the inside door, my whiteboard off the outside, and then detached the doors.  Afterwards, I re-hung both accessories and put the doors into our vast storage room.

I LOVE my room now that it's done!  I can open the room door much more and the room feels so much bigger now that the giant wood planks aren't boxing it in; it's easier to keep my room clean when it's easier to put things away.  I'm so glad I did it.  Besides, I now have a bunch of wood to practice my wood-burning on!

Maybe I'll make some curtains for the wardrobe at some point, but not just yet.

And on to project set two!