Background

The Recycled Blues Company is a home-based business which produces a limited number of one-of-a-kind handmade quilts of extraordinary texture and detail. Each quilt has been lovingly created by Sue M. Healy from worn blue jean apparel. Throughout the year, she gathers used denim garments that are specially hand-selected at yard sales, bazaars, second-hand shops, and donations from friends and family. Then, every selected article of clothing is soaked, sanitized, washed, and fluffed-dried before cutting. Each article is thoroughly inspected to identify the most desirable portions of the garment before beginning the cutting process. Squares are then traced onto the jeans using a template and the squares are hand-cut with scissors. Every part of the garment is utilized including snaps, labels, buckles, hooks, zippers, pockets, ties, and seams.

The squares are then arranged into a geometric pattern by combining the hues, textures, and geometric details of the squares into quilt blocks to make a one-of-a-kind creation. Each block is arranged and re-arranged until the pattern is aesthetically appealing and visually balanced before it is sewn. Also, working closely with a local embroidery shop, she creates a theme for each quilt by selected a collection of special embroidery patterns. These patterns are stitched onto the denim pieces that she provides. The embroidered quilt-block center creates a special effect to fascinate and interest all that witness them.