Denim coasters for gifts

This past week I went looking for a few ideas of small gifts to make for the upcoming Christmas season.  I found several that I will pursue and this is the first one.  It is denim coasters created from denim scraps from worn out jeans.  I found this tutorial at Just Jude which was very helpful in getting the structure of the coasters made.  I really wanted square ones and found several on line with fringed edges so I decided to go in that direction.  I really like the mixture of the different "blue" denims and decided to add a touch of yellow for hope & joy considering that this upcoming season is not likely to be comparable to anything we have had in the past.  

 

I started by collecting a supply of denim pieces from my stash.  It was fun to remember where they all came from. I trimmed strips from my pieces.  After sewing a few I decided I liked to have my stitching lines across the grain so I will  keep that in mind when cutting my next strips.  I cut 4" squares from older denim which I used as a base for my QAYG stitching.  I started with a small piece in the middle and stitched it in place.  Next, I stitched a different strip to one side and folded it back and stitched it down.  I used the half width of my presser foot as a guide. On hindsight, I expect a quarter inch foot would have been better. 

I continued adding strips (some pieced) around all the edges until I had surpassed the edges of my base.  Next, I cut a 4.5" backing piece from newer denim (on lower right in above photo), placed it on the back of my QAYG piece and stitched it in place leaving a 1/4" margin all the way around.  I did go around several times to solidify the coaster and ensure it would be sturdy enough to be washed when necessary. Next, I trimmed the front even with my backing.  The next task is to ravel the edges with a seam ripper or an equivalent tool until the edges are fluffy.  It does take some time but not much attention.  Often threads need to be cut because the fabric was a bit off the grain but those simply need to be cut to the right length to blend into the edge.  I will be making a few more before moving on to the next project!!  Therese