Denim Yarn Tutorial part 1

I love to crochet but I rarely repeat a project. I’m constantly trying new yarns and new stitches. I think I have crafting ADD.

Anyway, I recently saw a picture in one of the hundreds of crochet books at the library of a rug made out of old blue jeans, and I thought, “Hey! I can do that.” So instead of doing the smart thing and checking out the book, I went home and started experimenting.  I came up with 2 methods for creating yarn from an old pair of blue jeans. (Disclaimer: In no way do I think I’m original with these methods. There are probably even better tutorials out there. This is just what I came up with while playing with my rotary cutter and favorite fabric scissors.)

Method 1: (based on making paper rope in elementary school)

Step 1

Step 2

1. Get a clean pair of old jeans that you don’t want anymore and cut the legs off at the crotch. I used my rotary cutter that my marvelous mom gave me for my birthday.
2. Cut the hem off of one side of one leg and lay it out flat on your cutting surface.
3. Determine the width of yarn you want. I used about 1 inch, but I wasn’t a perfectionist about it so the yarn varied from about half inch to an inch and a half in width. This was perfect for making a rug, but you might want something thinner if you were going to crochet a scarf or something else wearable.
4. Grab your rotary cutter and starting at the bottom on the right side cut an inch wide (or however wide you determine) strip up. Stop about an inch from the top of the jeans leg. DO NOT cut all the way through the leg.
5. Move to the left about an inch. Start at the top and cut down the leg stopping about an inch from the bottom.
6. Continue to zigzag your cuts all the way to the end of the jeans leg. (NOTE: you could also start on the left side and move right. It’s all about your preference.) 

Steps 4-6

At the end you’ll have a long piece of denim yarn with some lovely slubs (bulky places). Repeat steps 2-6 for the other leg for another piece of yarn.  You can sew the two together but I tend to just join them while crocheting.

I understand that some people like to wash the yarn before working with it to make it all frayed and such, but I’m not patient enough for that.  I just wound it up and went right to work.

And tomorrow…Method 2. 

Hope you enjoy your denim yarn as much I did!