Three denim patches sewn into the shape of various butterflies and moths sit on a white dresser with a vase of flowers beside them.

recycled denim patches (new collections)

You may remember seeing my DIY recycled denim patches that I shared in June. Well, I’m very happy to share that the patches have been quite a hit in my Etsy shop 🎉

Although I can always imagine the exact kind of person who will enjoy each new project that I make, I never know what projects will actually get found by those specific people, and therefore get the attention they need to be successful.

But apparently recycled denim patches are a highly-searched-for item.

(who knew?)

I sew each patch freely, so each one is truly one of a kind ✨

I’ve sold dozens of patches, and I’ve had to restock the listings multiple times. I even thrifted some new denim so that I could have more shades to mix and match.

(and yes, I’m already thinking about how I’ll be making these into ornaments for Christmas gifts)

But even more surprising than the attention they’ve been getting on Etsy, is the attention that they’ve gotten on Pinterest.

this was pretty crazy to see in my little Etsy shop!

As many of you may know, I often joke about wanting to be a Pinterest girl™ (aka an inspiration to all my fellow creative people out there), so this is especially exciting for me.

I always make sure to pin the photos that I post on my blog onto various Pinterest boards, and one random denim patch pin apparently reached the right crowd, and has been continually bringing people all across the world to my blog (and shop), which is insane!

In the last 7 days, I’ve had views from 28 separate countries; all thanks to these silly little bug patches 🐞

this pin turned out to be the first popular pin that I’ve ever created

And my creativity didn’t end with the bugs; I’ve taken the time to introduced some new denim patch designs to my shop.

The first one being this collection of songbirds, which I’m planning to expand, as I think it’d be cute to have a black-capped chickadee and a cardinal.

I kept one of the Carolina wrens for myself, although I’m still trying to decide what to sew it on to!

The second newly-added collection is dragonflies, which turned out to be one of my favorite designs so far. I also kept one of these mini patches and sewed it onto a baseball hat!

my free-handed designs keep improving — look at the lines on my wings!

The third and final (for now) is this collection of chickens. As y’all know, I’ve always been a chicken lover, so it seemed only right to add these to the shop.

I kept some of them 100% denim, but I also decided to add lace to others, which I thought was super cute.

tiny round hens for my fellow chicken-lovers 🐔♥

I’m so happy with how this project has turned out (and taken off), and I’ve sewn plenty of patches onto my own clothes!

Although these aren’t like many of the modern patches that can be quickly ironed right onto your clothes, they can easily be sewn onto your clothes (or bags!) either by hand, or with a sewing machine (I’ve done both). So if you don’t know how to use a needle and thread, this is the perfect time to learn! 🧵

I love how simple they are, and yet they’re the perfect little accessory to add a touch of ✨whimsy✨ to any outfit.

some every-day items that I’ve added a bit of whimsy to

Although the USPS is killing small businesses with their new shipping rates, I’ve tried to keep my prices very manageable, and offer free USA shipping on orders over $35.

All of these patches are available for purchase in my Etsy shop, and I’m continually restocking and adding new patches into the listings, so if one of your favorites is sold out, check back in, because a new favorite might be just around the corner! 🧵

the large bees and whale are available in this listing, the large moths are available here, the corduroy snails are available here, and the mini bees and butterflies are available here!