I make a lot of jean quilts and double sew the seams. I make the blocks 8 1/2 inch squares, cutting them with a rotor cutter. I use a orange friskars craft scissors with a spring to cut the jeans apart. My hand never hurts. I also cut smaller blocks from the jeans so I don't have much waste after cutting the big blocks. I also put the quilt on my quilt frame and tie the quilt with double pearl cotton. Pearl cotton is much stronger than yarn. My husband built my quilt frame from a pattern we bought off the internet. It has 3 rollers, one for flannel, one for batting and one for the jean quilt. And I sew a 1/4 inch seams. The pockets I take all the thread out of them and sew them with colored thread using a stretch stitch so the thread shows up. I also make purses with the pockets using the slide seams of the jeans for the straps. Then I sew buttons on the purse, like lady bugs, beach stuff, ect. Good luck.