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How To Make A Denim Patchwork Chair

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DIY Hexagon Denim Patchwork For A Chair Seat Pad

Quick crafts are great but I also love a bit of slow crafting, especially if it’s a portable one that can be done in front of Netflix whilst watching a box set.
 
You see, I’m a bit of a fidget and find it hard to sit still in front of the telly unless I’m doing something with my hands. I think I’ve been conditioned to panic if I’m not multitasking.
 
Watching Netflix and crafting is one of my favourite kinds of multitasking. It’s a win win situation, I get to watch my favourite programmes guilt free as I’m creating something at the same time. Handsewing is a perfect craft for this.
 
Blue is my favourite colour hence the name of this blog. That’s one of the reasons I love working with denim, all those gorgeous shades of indigo.
 
What better way than to show off the great variety of indigo blues you get from jeans than with a denim patchwork. So when I bought some extra chairs for my dining room with seat pads that were crying out for a makeover. It had to be denim patchwork cover.
 

Tutorial showing how to recycle your jeans to make some gorgeous denim patchwork hexagons for home upholstery.
 
 
And no I didn’t run out of denim! I consciously decided to break up the denim patchwork with 3 random patches in other coloured fabric.
 
 
This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to see my disclosure policy.
 
 
 
 

What you need for denim patchwork

 
 
 

How to upcycle jeans into hexagon denim patchwork

There are many great guides and videos to English paper piecing patchwork on the internet such as the sewing directory and you tube videos. I will still show you how I did it. For this denim patchwork, everything was hand sewn however if you want to, some bits can be machine sewn.
 

  1. The first thing to do is to cut out your hexagon shapes. Using the double back sticky tape, tape a paper hexagon to the denim. Then using the rotary cutter cut out your hexagon shape leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance. Carry on until you have enough hexagons to cover your seat pad.

    2.  

  2. As well as the denim hexagons I cut out 3 fabric hexagons from my fabric scraps box.

    3.  

  3. Take one denim hexagon and fold over the seam allowance over the edge of the paper. Using a needle and thread hand sew your hexagons in place with a tacking stitch. (I do this without actually going through the paper hexagon). Repeat with all the remaining hexagon denim cut-outs.

    4.  

  4. Next iron all the individual denim hexagons flat.

    5.  

  5. Gather the flat denim hexagons and sew them together one by one. Place two hexagons right sides together and using a running stitch sew them together along the top edge avoiding the paper. Some people like to stitch the hexagons together into a flower pattern or in rows and then join the rows. I however just stitched them randomly together in no particular order.
     
    The reason I did this is I wanted to achieve a random effect with the different tones of denim. I also added my 3 fabric hexagons in randomly.
     

    6. English paper piecing denim patchwork for a seat cover.
     
     

  6. Continue stitching your hexagons together until you have a piece that is large enough to cover your seat pad.

    7.  
    Denim patchwork hexagons using English paper piecing method for a seat cover.
     
     
     

    Covering the seat pad.

  7. Cut off all the loose threads and then turn your patchwork denim fabric over to remove all of the paper hexagons.

    8.  
    English paper pieceing denim before paper removal
     
     

  8. Unscrew the seat pad from the chair and remove the existing cover. This will probably involve removing lots of staples from the underside of the seat.
     
    chair seat pad removal s

    9.  
     

  9. Place the denim patchwork on the top of the seat pad. Then turn it over and whilst pulling the patchwork tight staple it to the frame of the seat pad. I normally start with the four corners and then work my way round. To ensure a snug fit use a lot of staples all around the edge.
     

    10.  
     

  10. Finally, screw the seat pad back onto the chair frame.
     
    denim patchwork seat pad blue s

 
 Denim patchwork chairs made from upcycled old jeans using hand sewn denim hexagons. Full tutorial.

 
So far I have made two patchwork denim seat covers and have another two to go. I love how they have turned out, the hexagon patchwork really highlights the different tones of denim. I also love how the 3 random hexagons of coloured fabric will make every chair slightly different. The hand sewing has made the end result worthwhile.
 
If you don’t have the patience for hand sewing your hexagons together there is a tutorial for machine sewing them on youtube. However, I think the hand stitched hexagons look better.
 
Denim patchwork chair made from upcycled old jeans using hand sewn denim hexagons. Full tutorial.
 
Make a gorgeous denim patchwork chair using old jeans and English Paper Piecing hexagons full tutorial.
 
 
Personally, I can’t decide which chair is my favourite the yellow or the blue. I think though I will look for some fabric scraps with a green in them for the random hexagons on my next chair pad cover.
 
 
If you haven’t tried English Paper piecing ago and are tempted to try it. You may want to try with an easier project such as my Chinese applique patchwork cushion/pillow.
 
Applique patchwork cushion
 
 
Or you may want to check out my other denim upholstery tutorials.
Ikea Hack – Skruvsta Denim Chair Upcycle
Denim DIY Ottoman Crate
Great Denim Pocket Organiser
 
 
You should check out my other hexie patchwork project on Favecrafts.com
 


 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosie (@greenrosielife)

    Another wonderful upcycled project that sees new like breathed into some old chairs. Your crafting skills are inspirational and I hope you will have more great ideas to share on the next #GoingGreenLinky! 💚

    Reply

  3. Leanna

    This is a real great upcycle Clair. Those chairs would be so perfect in a boys room. I usually have something to do when the television is on, usually crochet or needlepoint. This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  5. Sandra L Garth

    While watching tv I fidget also but not in a productive way. Most of the time I’m on my phone playing solitaire. These chairs look very expensive and I’d love to have just a few ounce of your creativity and patience. The three different hexagons on each chair are really striking. Great Job! Thank you for sharing with us at Celebrate Your Story, and I hope you’re having a great weekend.

    Reply

  7. Pam @Threading My Way

    I LOVE your denim hexie chairs, Claire!!! Such a great way to have different coloured denims in the one project. I love hand sewing hexies – I’m making a quilt at the moment. Now I have an idea for a future hexie project once my quilt is finished.

    Reply

  9. Vicky myers

    I love these chairs Claire:) you make the quilting processs look so easy, the odd scrap fabric in amongst transforms the chairs. Perfect fabric for scraps of denim too:)

    Reply

  13. Julie

    I’m exactly the same Claire, I feel totally guilt free watching tv as long as I have a craft on the go too.
    I love your chairs, I have a bin bag full of denim I’ve been saving for years asI had big plans for a quilt, but I’ve kind of gone off that idea so I keep dipping into the bag for smaller projects. It’s such a fun fabric to work with, all those shades, and this really show that off perfectly. Thanks for sharing with us at #HandmadeMonday

    Reply

  21. Lisa // Cucicucicoo: Eco Sewing and Crafting

    Oh my gosh, those chairs are STUNNING!! I also adore the effect of the different shades of denim put together and I’ve seen so many gorgeous projects around, but this one is truly fabulous. I have old chairs which, alas, don’t have this type of removable seat pad, but now I’m thinking that I need to do some sort of hack because I just love these so much! Pinning and sharing! 🙂 Lisa

    Reply

  22. Carolann

    Oh Claire, I just love this! You did such an amazing job on it wow! I love the three different patterned patches too. I would buy those chairs in a flash!

    Reply

  23. Mary

    Claire did you watch all 13 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy while doing those patchwork chairs? And all hand sewn! Respect to Claire!! They came out great and so unique! And what were you watching on Netflix?

    Reply

    • Claire Armstrong

      Thank you Mary, I have watched all 13 seasons of Grey’s but that was another craft. I watched the latest season of Sense8, whilst doing these chairs. I’ve still got another 2 chairs to go so if you have any recommendations I’m looking for another Netflix series.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  3. […] The old chairs of your mom can be really turned up to look new and fancy with some small yet creative and fun changes. Like these old traditional chairs have been made to look totally shabby chic piece of furniture with just added seats from the Old denims. The denims have been cut and weaved to form that cute hexagonal diamanod pattern and then used in the place of seat for that super rocking touch to these old chairs. Check out the full tutorial right on this link pillarboxblue […]

    Reply
  4. It's that Crafty Party!! The DIY Link up #60 · Pleasures of the NorthwestPleasures of the Northwest says:

    […] of the most popular posts was shared by Pillar Bluebox – Check out these amazing patchwork chair seats made from old […]

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