Make a Rug from Old Blue Jeans, Cut Up Credit Cards for Guitar Picks, and More Country Lore

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PHOTO: LOIS E. SLOAN
Lois Sloan's beautiful braided rug features light and dark shades of blue denim.

A Use for Old Blue Jeans

My wife, Lois, is a great example of what you can do if you just put your mind to it. She made a beautiful braided rug out of 92 pairs of old blue jeans! She used just the legs, cut into three-inch-wide strips. As she ironed these, she folded each one twice to become one inch wide. She took three strips for each braid, and whipstitched all the braids into an oval design. The rug will last for many, many years, and it will be perfect for the new dome home we plan to retire to in the mountains of Tennessee.
–Doug Sloan, Swartz Creek, Michigan

Pad Your Mechanic’s Creeper with Foam Insulation

When I’m making repairs underneath my car, I use a piece of foam insulation either right on the ground or to pad my mechanic’s creeper. It gives me more balance, cushions my back, and keeps me warmer in the wintertime.–Pat Juenemann, Clements, Minnesota

Remove Nails from Wood-Stove Ashes

  • Published on Nov 1, 1989
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