Upcycled jeans: Quiet Art Book

In my last post, I blogged about making a quiet art book for Adam to take to church.  I decided to give the project another try and make one for Sadie using a pair of old jeans.  I loved it so much, I remade the one for Adam using jeans.  (I have 2 big boxes of old jeans in my basement waiting for me to make a quilt or other project.)  Here's how I did it...

1.  Cut all the pockets and belt loops off the jeans.  Then iron the jeans and cut the pieces for the outside of the art book.  I cut:

• 3 pieces measuring 6 1/2 x 9
• 1 piece measuring 3 1/2 x 9

2.  Using a half yard of fabric, I cut the pieces for the inside of the art book.  I cut:

• 3 pieces measuring 6 1/2 x 9 (main pieces)
• 1 piece measuring 3 1/2 x 9 (crayon flap)
• 2 pieces measuring 3 1/4 x 9 (crayon pocket)
• 2 pieces measuring 8 x 6 1/2 (notebook pocket)
• 2 pieces measuring 5 1/2 x 6 1/2 (pencil pocket)

3.  I proceeded to follow the tutorial on http://www.u-createcrafts.com/search/label/toys-quiet%20books with a few exceptions.  I did not use interfacing.  The jeans I used gave enough stability that interfacing wasn't necessary.  Plus, it made the project faster.  I used 1/4 inch seams for everything instead of 1/2 inch seams.  In my previous attempt, I found the 1/2 inch seams to be too tight for everything to fit inside nicely.  Then, instead of the elastic/button closure, I tried two other methods.  With Sadie's I sewed a ribbon in to tie it shut, and with Adam's I sewed some velcro to a piece of the jean.  Last, but not least, I did not use the chalkboard fabric.  My kids always make such a mess when they use chalk, and since I made these primarily for church, I eliminated the chalk portion to keep everything and everyone clean.

4.  I used my hot glue gun to attach pockets, belt loops, and other embellishments.  Then, I filled the book with paper, coloring books, crayons, and pencils.

Ta-da!