You can call it a placemat or hot pad, just be sure to call it cute. Denim isn’t just for wearing; it also looks great in home interiors.
One pair of blue jeans had enough fabric to make a 12-inch round placemat.
Cut the legs from the top of the jeans. Trim off the hem and side seams. Then tear one-to-two inch wide strips the length of the leg; the wider the strip, the wider the braid. This mat took 12 strips.
Pin three strips together and loop over a drawer knob. Start braiding.
When you get to the end, hand-stitch another strip to the bottom and continue braiding until you get the length you want.
Wind the braid into a circle, using stick pins to hold it in place. Then sew it together with a needle, thread and whip-stitch. That’s it.
Use it as a hot pad to protect your table from pans straight out of the oven. Or, make it bigger and rectangle shaped for a table runner. The possibilities are endless!
