I found that cutting up jeans is really hard on the hands. I recommend getting an electric scissors for rough-cutting the jeans apart. Here is a link to one on Amazon. I don't know if this is the best one out; do a search on Amazon and read the reviews to make sure it is a good one capable of zipping through denim:
http://www.amazon.com/Rockwell-RC260...dp/B003BEAOSK/
It also helps if you can use an Accuquilt Go! or Baby to die-cut the jeans. I did this with a rotary cutter and it was hard on my hands; would not do it that way again.
These are not necessities for jeans quilts, but they really do save your hands from stress and arthritic type damage.