How to Upcycle Old Jeans to Make Unique Patchwork Seat Pads

7 Materials
$10
1 Day
Easy

My family's old jeans are recycled into projects around the home. I love all the different shades of blue that denim comes in. I have even compiled an amazing A to Z of things to make out of old jeans (even for the letter X).


I had some dining chairs where the seat pads were a bit grubby and boring so I wanted to make some new covers for them. Instead of just covering the seat pads in denim, I decided to use a hexagon patchwork.


The hexagons really showed off the lovely different shades of denim that the jeans came in.


This sewing project is a lot easier than it seems and I did do it all by hand you don't need a sewing machine for this. However, it isn't a quick project, it's one to do slowly whilst binge-watching box sets on Netflix.

That's the chair before, they are good chairs but the seat pads were a bit grubby and boring for me.

The first thing I did was gather all my old jeans for upcycling. This project is great for using up scraps. (Having 3 teenage boys in the house there is no shortage of old jeans.)

The hexagon patchwork method I used is called English Paper Piecing. If you haven't heard of English Paper Piecing it's a lot easier than it sounds. There are some links to good youtube videos on my blog that explain it well.


You will need lots of paper hexagon templates which are easily purchased here in different sizes (I used 3" Hexagons).

Using double sided sticky tape, stick a paper hexagon to the wrong side of the denim. Then using a rotary cutter and board cut around the paper hexagon allowing for a 1/2" seam.

The next thing to do is to tack down the seam of the hexagon around the paper hexagon. I actually do this without sewing through the paper.

Once you have a big pile of denim hexagon patches you can start sewing them together.

To sew the patches together I use a small running stitch along the edge sewing to edges together at a time. I just carry on in a random pattern until I had a piece of patchwork big enough to cover my chair.

Once you are happy with your patchwork design. You simply remove the paper hexagons.

No, I didn't run out of denim. I decided to add a bit of quirkiness to each chair by adding in 3 random patterned fabric patches onto each seat pad

I unscrewed my seat pad from the chair and then removed the old cover.

The denim patchwork was then attached to the seat pad with a staple gun.

I love how my dining chairs have turned out. They look so much better than before, I love all the different shades of denim. I also enjoyed making them it was nice having something to sew whilst watching the TV in the evening.


I love upcycling in denim especially for the home. M most popular thing to make out of small pieces of denim are my fabulous feathers.

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Claire at Pillarboxblue
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  • Pinkflmgo626 Pinkflmgo626 on May 19, 2018

    Those are really cute! And unique. Are you saying here that you hand-stitched all those together? I’m thinking I might want to use a wide zigzag on the sewing machine. Had you considered that?

  • Robin Ann Quinn Robin Ann Quinn on Jan 30, 2021

    According to the picture, it appears that one of the hexagons was sewn through to hold the 1/2" seam allowance. How would you then remove the paper when needed?

  • Diane Schule Diane Schule on Jan 30, 2021

    You said you "tack down the seam of the hexagon around the paper hexagon. I actually do this without sewing through the paper." I don't understand this step. Exactly what are you stitching to what here, without catching the paper?

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