Blue Jean Trivet

For this round of Iron Craft we were challenged to make something out of blue jeans.

I am no stranger to working with blue jeans.

I've made multiple different types of jean purses. I've made jean skirts, jean rugs and jean flowers. I've patched jeans and edited jeans.

This project I wanted to do something new.

I happen to have some jean material that is flame resistant. Really, I tested it once. Lit some frayed pieces on fire with a lighter once, it quickly fizzled out.

I decided to use these jeans to make a trivet for hot pans.

I cut eight pieces of jean fabric that measured four inches wide by eight inches long. I sewed these over into cylinders, turned them right sides out and ironed.

Then I weaved the pieces together and sewed around the outside.

I had considered finishing off the edges but found that I wasn't a fan of any of the options. So I'm leaving it as is. 

Each spot has four layers of flame resistant jean material so it should be capable of withstanding a hot pan or dish.

Recycled Butterflies

This round of Iron Craft called for recycling in honor of Earth Day.

Take something that we would normally throw away and use it in a craft.

I made butterflies.

Can you guess what I recycled to make these?

Go ahead, try.

Okay, I'll tell you.

A two litter soda bottle!

After hubby finished off a bottle of A&W I cleaned out the bottle and let it dry.

Then I used an exacto knife to cut out a piece from the side.

I used the natural curve of the bottle to make it look like the wings are flapping.

I outlined the butterfly with puff paint and also used it to make the markings on the butterflies.

Then I used stain glass paint to fill everything in.

For hanging I used a compass (like you use to draw circles) and poked holes into the plastic with the pointed end.

Then ran jewelry wire through both holes and tied so they can hang from suction cup hooks.

Nearly free stain glass butterflies fluttering in your window!