Michele Made Me

Series 2: Part 3 – AND THEN THERE WERE TREE

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Welcome to Series 2 – Part 3 of AND THEN THERE WERE TREE!!! This is the FINAL episode in this little trio of denim tree crafts. To see Part 1, go out on this limb, and for Part 2 branch out right here. Tee hee.
Today we are making a tree pencil case. For the body of the pencil case, I made a lined-zippered pouch. There are several very good online tutorials that show how to make such a pouch. A good one is this tutorial @ Skip To My Lou!
As is most often the case, my part in this craft is purely superficial and ornamental. But I am OK with that!
To start, I drew up a little tree sketch and made myself a tree template, roughly 3 inches tall.
Now this craft uses the same basic concept as the last two in the series. However for this one, instead of using the jean seams to make the denim disc building blocks (see tutorial here), I actually cut into the pant legs to make tiny little 1/4 inch strips like this.
And with the gluin’ and the rollin’, I made little denim beads instead of large discs … Look! It’s like the denim discs made little babies or something! Aren’t they cute?

Now these denim beads serve as leaves. I needed a trunk NOW or my tree was, well, a shrub.

I decided to use the remaining 1/4 inch denim strips to make my trunk as well. So I took one of the strips, and put some glue on the last few inches.

I folded it over on itself and placed it on the tree template to see how tall my trunk needed to be.
Added some more glue…
Folded the strip onto itself again…
Molded it to the template…
Added a bead for fun…
Added more glue… You see what’s happening here?

In the fullness of time with the gluin’ and the addin’ and the moldin’, I got me-self something that looks like a little trunk with nifty bark.

Now I put those little denim beads on top and lo! IT IS A TREE! A little 3 inch bonsai.
I let this tree and another (I made two) dry overnight with all the glue and everything.
The next day, I cut out the pieces for my pencil cases. I used zippers from the jeans. For the outer shell of the pencil cases, I used denim of course, and a little burlap!
For each pencil case:
  • I attached the tree to one of the outer shell pieces before assembling the pencil case. I sewed on the tree pieces using a needle and thread and a simple running stitch.
  • I then proceeded with the pouch assembly as in the Skip To My Lou tutorial.
  • Afterwards, I coated the trees with a layer of varnish so the denim won’t fray.
  • I added a “customized” zipper-pull.

And that, as they say, was that.

Oh and here are the little pencil cases now!

Have a fantastic day!
P.S. I am a linker.

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Comments

  2. Amy says

    Very nice Michele! This is my favorite of the series. This technique really did yield a great bark look. I am trying to think of a tree pun for you but I am coming up blank…

  3. Ariane says

    Wow!!!! Love the tree. The trunk is so cool. My favorite pouch is the burlap and denim one with the tree. It looks awesome!!!

  4. Melissa says

    You are amazing. I was at GW today and wanted so badly to buy jeans just so I could cut them up and get to the seams!! 🙂

  10. Eve says

    Gorgeous! It's actually absolutely stunning! I can imagine an entire wall canvas of a forest with all these denim trees openning up to a path leading to a setting sun. And I can image the price tag at the top that say 1 million dollars, and Michele smiling in the background holding up a check 😀

  17. Susan says

    Oh wow, how cool is that. Thank you so much for the tutorial. It was fabulous to learn how to go about making this wonderful craft. I've never seen it before. I have some ideas for some other things to make using the same instructions you have provided us.

    I really love how the tree came out. It's really beautiful.

    I hope you have a wonderful day,
    Susan
    http://simplepleasuressimpletreasures.blogspot.com/

  27. allison @ itstoilegood.blogspot.com says

    this is such a brilliant idea for old denim scraps! I love the 3D effect and the texture of the tree! Its going on the Must Try Project list! Thanks for the kind comment on my Wanna Be lamp! Promise I didn't mess with electricity – I would never put myself in that kind of peril. Just screw it in like a light bulb – my kind of project!!

  29. KJ@letsgoflyakite says

    Michele, I just saw your project featured at Craft Gossip, that's so great! All of your rolled denim ideas are gorgeous. I have already introduce your site to my office craft club and we plan to make your little rolled denim christmas trees!

  35. Cris Chiosini says

    Hello, Michele.
    I could not tell how much I liked this tutorial.
    Your tree is very cute!
    I had enjoyed the post with the mirror, and now it is also beautiful.
    Congratulations and thanks for sharing.
    Kisses.

  41. Celeste says

    i know you already know that your project is nothing short of amazing. i'm in love with it. i have made a tote out of thrift-store jeans, found a nice pair of handles for it but was otherwise lost as to how to embellish it after making several other jeans-bags and appliqueing all of them. it was time for something different. so i'm going to borrow your idea and make a similar tree for my bag. with lots of thanks to you!

  42. shalom says

    WOW! That is really cool. Love it. I am so in to trees these days and have been wanting to do a tree thinga majigy. This looks like the one. Running to rummage through those stack of kids jeans. I am sure I saw a holey one in there somewhere. Found you through Creative Jewish Mother. She has linked you up a couple of times. Glad I checked it out. You have done some amazing plastic bottle flowers too. I saw them for the first time in Israel a couple of years ago but nothing like yours! You crafty little thing you!