Upcycling Jeans with Ute Jensen [Pt 2]

A charming turtle basket made out of an old pair of jeans!

Happy Valentine's Day and welcome to part two of my adventure in jeans upcycling, courtesy of the unique creativity of Ute Jensen. Back in November, I posted about the first project that I made with one of her patterns, a whale shaped pencil pouch.

Today I present to you a charming turtle shaped basket made out of a pair of old jeans.

In my first post, I mentioned how potentially challenging it is to handle a heavyweight denim. Not everyone making these projects will have to deal with the same fabric weight, however, so while I had the same issues with this turtle, your mileage might vary if you decide to attempt this.

Definitely a satisfying project, despite challenges...

While I have no real desire to make this again, I totally appreciate that this is one of the more functional uses to which you can put an old pair of jeans. The basket that results is quite roomy and – as you can probably assume – it's durable beyond belief. Not to mention that it's cute as heck!

No matter what whining I may do in the ensuing paragraphs, I highly recommend this project. Particularly if (like me) you have it in mind for a gift, it is well worth your time and effort.

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I mentioned in part one how the designer's creativity extends beyond merely using old jeans as the material of choice, and even beyond the creation of a recognizable "creature" in the process. I repeat, while several people might be able to use old denim to sew a turtle shaped basket, the attention to detail here – in terms of using what already exists on a pair of jeans – is remarkable.

The designer's use of specific parts of a pair of jeans is quite ingenious...

For instance, take a look at the head of this turtle. An existing inside seam from a leg – positioned so that it is centered along the back of the head – adds visual interest, while making use of fabric around seams that might otherwise be trimmed away and discarded.

In the photo below, the interior pockets are all cut from (in my case, anyway) back pockets that I had left over from previously taking apart jeans for the boat tote. (Other locations where these pocket pieces would be harvested from is along the bottom of the pant legs.)

The lining side of the body, interfaced with remnants of an old fleece blanket...

By the way, the only interior pocket that's required is one for the turtle's head. Of the other five, the maker can decide whether or not to include them. In my mind, more pockets is always better when it's an organizer. Deciding to go full bore with all six pockets (as well as an additional coin pocket that was sewn on top of the pocket for the head piece), however, does amp up the trickiness due to the thickness factor.

In this area, I must give kudos to my vintage Kenmore (which is coming up 49 years old – in my possession – this April). It sailed quite smoothly over most of these bulky seams.

This is the outside of the body...

For the turtle body exterior, I followed the designer's suggestion to center the template over an outside leg seam. The result is that each of the six segments is embellished by a double stitched seam down the middle. (Again, this is making use of fabric close to edges of seams that otherwise might not get used at all.)

To make this a complete recycling project, I reused remnants of a fleece blanket as interfacing. Opted to sew it in for the side panels, but used glue on the bottom piece and it held up to my rough "man-handling." The piece of cord for the mouth came from my scraps pile and I used two buttons for the eyes – coloured in the middle with a Sharpie – instead of Kam snaps and felt.

Turned upside down, it is indeed a turtle!

The worst part of the man handling was turning the body part right side out. (Turning the arms and legs right side out was no picnic either, but I had expected that given my experience with the whale tail from the first project.) It took a long time and at one point, I was afraid that the raw edges were going to fray away from all my pulling and yanking. Not fun at all!

One final part that I want to highlight is the attachment of the head. Recall that at least one interior pocket is required; its function is to accommodate the neck and head. As you can obviously see, this piece is stuffed with polyfil – not a whole lot at the base of the neck, but it's not nothing – so the sewing at this final juncture is to push this thick assembly underneath the presser foot and secure it to the body by stitching through many layers. I had to physically lift the presser foot up as far as it would go – as well as lower the feed dogs – but I did manage to get everything underneath and ultimately use my sewing machine to do this... yay for my Kenmore again! (I cannot see the alternative of hand sewing this part to be any easier, to be honest.) 

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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For the sewers among us, this basket would be ideal for keeping notions close at hand. For the photo shoot, I crammed in some of my favourite "finds" of 2025: Barefoot Venus body care products.

No end of uses for a basket this big...

We received a Barefoot Venus gift box filled with lotions, creams, bath salts and body wash for Christmas 2023 and both hubby and I loved them. I knew they were on the pricier side of such things, however, and originally did not anticipate making any other purchase after we had used up our box.

Months later, after repeated attempts to undermine our country's identity and economy by forces across the border, I was actively on the hunt for Canadian products. When I finally got around to looking up the company's history, I was surprised to discover that Barefoot Venus actually originated in my home city and is currently comfortably ensconced in the Okanagan Valley. 

Several orders later, I am a customer for life. Ironically, few of my readers are actually Canadian, but to those very few, if you're looking for a homegrown business to support, I highly recommend Barefoot Venus. (And no, they are not paying me to say this.) You are guaranteed to fall in love with how well they work and perhaps unexpectedly — with how they smell! I'm not usually one to care about fragrance but something about these scents is quite enticing and addicting. In the photo above, you can see various samples of their product line, including a (coconut) lip balm, a (vanilla) perfume oil, an (apricot brandy) argan oil, a (gingerbread) hand repair cream, a (peppermint) foot balm, and my fave fragrance: a lemon freckle hand lotion.

And if you're actually reading this on Valentine's Day, maybe go on over to their website and treat yourself to something special at a discount.

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

"Warren" Revisited (And Tips for Sewing With Minky)

I make a second "Warren"...

Almost five years to the day after my original post about Warren the Charity Bear appeared on this blog, I was finishing off another one for a new baby in the extended family.

For some reason, I had a fat quarter of my Luminescent Ocean Dreams fabric in minky in my stash. Since it worked so well the first time, it was an easy decision to go with it again. (It was an odd circumstance that I had this, as I've always purchased Spoonflower fabric with a purpose in mind. They run enough sales events for me to wait for a discounted price, whenever I've needed something for a specific project. I don't know what this fat quarter was originally bought for, but now it's a moot point.)

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As a bit of background for those who are unaware, Warren the Charity Bear is a free pattern that has been around for over a decade, created by Wendi at Shiny Happy World. Crafters have likely made hundreds of thousands of different Warrens over that time, gifting them to many, many appreciative kids (and perhaps kids at heart).

Full size Warren template, as well as some smaller versions...

Designed as a simple pattern for an "easy sew" (more about how easy it may actually be later), Warren appeals to gifters and recipients alike, since he will almost always be unique (unless you are the sort to make the exact same model – deliberately – each time) and because he's so eminently huggable and squishable. The pattern comes with basic elements in various shapes that allow you to differentiate your creations, so part of the fun is in deciding how you want your particular bear to turn out.

What makes this project so ultimately accessible to everyone is that you can use old clothing to make it. There's no need to go out and buy fabric if you have old sweats, t-shirts, or fleece blankets lying around that are no longer in their best shape. As for the sewing, I still have more to say later, but people have been known to hand sew their Warren bears, so a sewing machine or the skills to use one are not required. (If you choose to hand sew, perhaps you can attempt a bear family by also printing out the pattern in reduced sizes and making a couple of smaller ones.)

This Warren has white ear tips...

Even though I used the same fabric as my first Warren, there are some differences between the two. First, when cutting the pattern, I made effective use of Spoonflower's traditional white border to give this Warren some white ear tips.

Second, I could not find any red felt in my boxes of "sewing stuff" (even though I am convinced that I must still have at least enough to serve my intended purpose here), so this bear doesn't have a heart patch. 😞

Third, I refrained from adding a tail to his backside. 😏

Finally, instead of hand sewing, I machined stitched the eyes, nose and muzzle to the minky. (Use matching thread, a short stitch and go slowly.)

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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Which brings us to the second topic of this post: how to make sewing with minky less stressful. This furry fabric was not widely available when I started sewing way back when, even though I've heard its history goes back further than we'd guess. In the past couple of decades, however, it's become a favourite with crafters to make plushie toys and blankets. (Apart from Warren, I've actually used it to make a pair of mitts, a headband, and some fingerless gloves.)

But it's a slippery, stretchy, and fluffy – i.e., it will shed all over the place – material that can annoy you to no end when you cut and sew your first project with it. If, like me, your first projects are relatively small things (Warren is still relatively small), you may be able to make do just fine by going slowly and taking your time. But if your project plans involve even a small sized blanket, for instance, you may want to take note of these upcoming tips.

Gifting the bear with a note of "explanation"...

Minky Tip #1: Change to a Ballpoint Needle

I know that most of us don't chuck our needles after "each" project – because a project means different things in different circumstances – so you likely have a used ballpoint needle in your supplies. But if it's high time to break out a new one, so much the better when you're sewing with minky. (If you need to be convinced about this one, take a scrap of minky and try sewing on it with your regular needle. If you're lucky, the fabric won't end up being pushed into the sewing machine feed dogs!) A ballpoint needle will perform so much better and allow you to focus on all the other ways that your minky might end up challenging you.

Minky Tip #2: Stabilize it to Prevent Stretching

This tip is a game changer if you do it from the start; i.e., before you cut. Even if you have a great pair of scissors, cutting minky isn't fun due to its slipperiness and stretchiness. (And of course, the frustration is greater the smaller the piece is.) The secret ingredient for success in this case is something that you might have in your kitchen: Glad Press N Seal. Press this onto the fabric edges, pin the template on top, and say goodbye to the shifting and shedding when you cut!

image courtesy of YouTube (Robyn's Love of Sewing)...

The use of Press N Seal is especially helpful when sewing large pieces, due of the nature of the product (its firm but removable adherence to virtually anything). If you're making a blanket, a strip on both sides along the edges ensures that top and bottom pieces remain joined together – without pins – while you sew right on top of the Press N Seal.

Of course, if you have some lightweight fusible interfacing, you can use that to stabilize minky as well. That would, however, become a permanent part of the back of the fabric (unless you succeed at peeling it off), which will change how it feels, whereas the Press N Seal can be easily removed after sewing.

Minky Tip #3: Use a Walking Foot

I don't have a walking foot for my sewing machine and have not needed one enough times for me to change that, but if you have one, by all means use it for minky. A walking foot's main characteristic is that it has its own set of feed dogs that clamp onto whatever you're sewing – from the top, to mimic the same action that your sewing machine's feed dogs are performing from the bottom – so that it moves along precisely, without shifting or sticking or stretching.

That said, follow tips #1 and 2 and I guarantee you'll have an easier time with your minky project, even if you don't have a walking foot.

And now, back to the topic of actually sewing up a Warren Charity Bear. The curviness of the body, combined with the pronounced protrusions of the ears, arms and legs make this less of an "easy sew" when sewn by machine. I believe those who are beginner sewers will find it easier to sew this bear by hand, because the seam allowance can be better managed if you do it one careful stitch at a time... which, on a sewing machine, would require one to go very slowly.

My advice then, is to learn how to do a backstitch by hand and your Warren will turn out magnificently. If there is a next time, I may give it a try. (Yep, the me who hates hand sewing! 😜)

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

Mattress Topper to Seat Cushion Inserts

Mattress topper turned cushion inserts...

Have you heard or seen one of the many adverts for Dormeo? The Italian designed "octaspring" mattress company has been going hard at marketing its premium topper over the past several years.

When I first saw one of those infomercials, I thought to myself — hey, we have a Dormeo mattress!

The reality was, our octaspring mattress was underneath a two inch "comfort" topper. When hubby and I first purchased the mattress, we found it to be a tad firm – even though we prefer firm – and ultimately decided to put a quilted topper on it.

 

Our old quilted mattress topper..

Several months ago – having been constantly reminded of the awesomeness of Dormeo – I thought that it was high time (ten years) to ditch the old topper and reap the benefits of the mattress itself.

But what to do with a used king size mattress topper?

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Most municipalities don't accept bedding of any type for resale at thrift shops, so that option was out from the start.

When I spread it out onto the floor for a closer examination, I saw how compressed it was where we had lain, much thinner than the outer sections where the original thickness had been preserved. Nevertheless, a thought occurred to me about how I could upcycle at least part of this item.

See this?

Wicker patio set...

This was an inexpensive patio set that was originally purchased for additional seating in hubby's warehouse/man cave. When we purchased a gazebo for our back yard a couple of years ago, it was brought back home for our own use. My backside was pressed to the middle of the little love seat quite often this past outdoor season, resulting in a noticeable dent forming in the middle of the – cheap – foam insert by mid-summer.

When cheap foam gets crushed, it stays crushed; there's really no saving it. The underlying material in the mattress topper could, however, be fluffed to some extent to restore some of the original volume. I decided to cut up the topper to make replacement inserts for the three chairs.

Marking up the topper and cutting the required pieces...

Of course, the first step is to remove the existing inserts and measure them. I then took those measurements and drew lines on the topper to mark my required cuts. I determined that each insert would be best made by stacking two layers of the topper together.

Two layers of the old mattress topper stacked together...

This particular topper was designed like a fitted sheet, with a full wrap-around skirt section along the sides. That part was made out of an elastic, meshy material that would come in handy to "bind" the two halves together.

Ready for "binding"...

The project stalled for a bit as I pondered how best to finish it off. Obviously, I couldn't just take it to my sewing machine and have at 'er.

Despite knowing that it's ultimately a hand sewing job, there are still considerations to be made as to how to minimize the amount of hand sewing required. The finished insert needs to be an easily handled piece that can survive being pushed in and pulled out of a cover. The simplest way to achieve that would be sufficient for me.  

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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My solution ended up being a combination of double-sided tape and generous stitching. The double-sided tape held the binding material down against the topper pieces so that I could get by with just using a long basting stitch as reinforcement.

Closeup of a bound corner...

All of this ultimately took me a few months to complete as I ran out of wide width double-sided tape early on and couldn't find any at my local dollar stores. I finally got lucky in Penticton, of all places, when we were there doing our annual tour of the Okanagan in September. During the search, I learned that not all double-sided tapes are equal. Some are definitely not suited for fabric.

Checking for fit...

Once I was able to carry on, I knew that because I measured and cut carefully, there was no way that the end result wouldn't fit. Still, it's a sigh of relief when everything zips up smoothly at the end and the project is deemed a success.

I still have a section of that topper left and have thought that it could be used to make pet beds. However, we don't have any pets so it's not a project for me.

However... do you remember these?

Tote bags to seat cushions...

I originally filled these up with old towels that would otherwise be destined for the refuse bin, but pieces of an old mattress topper can certainly be used as stuffing as well.

By the way, it just occurred to me that this is the second bedding related upcycling project that I've blogged about over the past year. Last February, I posted about reusing the mesh from a vellux blanket to make reusable produce bags. Quite pleased to have saved some things from our landfill.

'Til next... 🇨🇦🍁

My Favourite Upcycled/Repurposed Projects

My fave upcycled or repurposed projects... 

A while back, I was looking at my list of labels on the sidebar and realized that the "repurposing & upcycling" tag is one of the larger ones on the list. (The larger font size is determined by the number of posts that are tagged as such.)

I did a count of the number of posts that are so categorized and was amazed to come up with over seventy-five of them. There are degrees of relevance, of course; but as early as December 2013 – i.e., just a month into my blogging – I was already writing about making use of what we have to make something else.

It's not surprising, because when I returned to sewing after decades away, I had little else apart from my sewing machine and some basic notions. There was no fabric stash and I had almost no knowledge of where to get fabric.

Without access to "real" fabric, it quickly occurred to me to use other textiles in lieu of... bedsheets and pillowcases, drapery panels, and tea towels were among my earliest sources of material for sewing projects.

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Today's post is a return to the archives to highlight projects that were made either by repurposing unwanted things or using their raw materials as fabric. There have been many, but these are my faves.

Denim Wreath

Hubby gave me a whole bunch of damaged jeans to make a boat tote, but what I found most gratifying about that project is what I ended up making out of the denim remnants.

Notice the new additions to the wreath?

This hangs inside our house and hardly a week goes by without me looking at it and thinking, "I love this wreath!" I particularly love that in no way does it remind me of old jeans.

If you remember this project from 2023, you may notice in the above pic that I eventually added a few more pipe cleaners to create some spiral centers for the bows.

 

Shupatto Bag

It seemed that my readers were no more aware of the shupatto bag than I was when I made this back in 2022. It's a Japanese origami inspired design that creates a self-folding shopping bag that – depending on material used – can fit into small spaces for emergencies.

A once beloved skirt becomes a trendy shopping bag...

My version was made out of a 1990s midi skirt that I had been holding onto because of its sentimental value. I know that it's a bit scary to cut into clothes to remake into something else, but if you consider that you're no longer wearing that item of clothing, it's really no big deal to give yourself permission to snip away!

In this case, instead of a skirt hanging at the back of a closet, I now have a stylish bag that is both useful and meaningful.

Sock Hand Warmers

Everyone has socks with holes. If you're not the sort to take up darning, or crafting little sock animals, what do you do?

Part of my indoor "winter wardrobe"...

Well, I turned these two pairs into hand warmers. During the colder months, one pair sits at my computer station and the other is downstairs with my tablet. (I've been wearing these since early October.) They are quite simply one of the handiest things that I've ever made!

Jackets to Duffle

Prior to making the shupatto bag out of an old skirt, I took two jackets and turned them into a duffle. By far the most complex of my repurposing projects, this one is a favourite for good reason. It was a sewing accomplishment and the result is very usable and useful.

My most complex upcycling effort...

I wish I'd had the inspiration to do this earlier, because – and I may have expressed this before – the timing of the project closely coincided with the sale of our vacation property. I only really use a duffle like this for short trips, with the unfortunate result that I've had very little opportunity to use it since it was made.

The Art of Refashioning

To paraphrase the advice that I gave above, if you're not wearing an item of clothing because it's not to your taste, it makes sense to be brave and take your scissors to it, to change it, and make it to your taste. This is what happened to a long duster style vest that I had never worn.

This still hangs on the back of my chair...

Pieces of it were transformed into a neck cowl and lining for mittens, but the main body of it became this super sporty vest. In short, something that was not wanted became a favourite. How can you not like that?

Modified Taylor Unisex Bag

Does the pandemic seem like a long time ago to you? To me, it's a weird combination of "it's just like yesterday" and "it was eons ago" at the same time. (Or perhaps more accurately, it's today because both Mom and I have been masking up when grocery shopping since early November. Trying to protect against the rise of everything during these cold months.)

Mom's pandemic purse...

During the actual height of it, however, she and I pared down our needs and decided to use smaller purses. After I made myself the Crossbody Sling Bag, Mom handed over a bag that hubby and I had brought back from Puerto Vallarta for her years ago and asked if I could turn it into something more usable. This slightly modified Taylor Unisex Bag was the result, and it served her well for a couple of years.

About six months ago, I swapped my Crossbody Sling Bag 2.0 for my Eggsy backpack, but Mom retired her Taylor two years ago. It remains, however, an excellent example of remaking something to suit one's needs.

CD Coasters

A blast from the 2017 past, these CD mug rugs are still on my dining table; I use them twice a day. (And yes, for all those who have asked, they have been washed. I do them with the dishes and just let them air dry.)

A great way to recycle unwanted CDs...

With a bunch of CDs that couldn't be recycled via our city's waste management system, I looked high and low for a way to reuse them. This was my first project; I subsequently made baskets out of others.

Note that this project is also an ideal opportunity to recycle kitchen textiles like tea towels or table cloths that are no longer in favour. 

Tote Bags to Seat Cushions

This project became an even bigger favourite with me this year. At the start of spring, I took a Christmas themed cushion and shoved it inside one of these remade tote bags.

These have yet another use!

I figured it would be a perfect way to have a weather proof pillow for the love seat on our back deck. There it stayed all summer, with the poly vinyl material providing excellent coverage against the outdoor elements. (And it was also a handy way to use an otherwise out of season item at a different time of year.)

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Check out crafty classes at Creativebug! [affiliate link]

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MyTie

Last but definitely not least, a list like this has to include my little "turn a tie into a purse" project. In terms of repurposing something, how much more transformational does it get?

My most memorable upcycling achievement...

This year marks the eleventh anniversary of this project/pattern release. It remains my best selling PDF, and the design I'm most proud of having created.

As the years go by, I've become more committed to using what I (already) have to make what I want. It feels good not only to reduce waste, but to turn unwanted things into unique and beautiful items. I hope this post – as much as it's been a clip show post 😜 – gives you inspiration to attempt the same.

On another note, as I don't anticipate making another "appearance" here until January, all the best of the season to whoever's still reading!

'Til 2026... 🇨🇦🍁