6 Easy Ways To Fix Up Your Old Jeans with Basic Sewing Skills

by Maria Konou Sep 2, 2022 @ 10:46

Don’t throw away your favorite jeans! Or before you do, let us help you bring back their charm. Holes and rips shouldn’t ruin an otherwise beautiful pair of jeans. In fact, when patching holes, you can even breathe new life into your old jeans by using fun embroidery patterns or brightly colored patches. As long as you have some basic sewing skills, you can easily repair most holes using a patch and a few simple stitches. If you are not sure how to patch the holes in a pair of jeans, know that there is no one right way. You can choose from several methods depending on the type of rip and your desired style of patching. The next time you notice a rip in your favorite pair of jeans, don’t worry. Instead, simply follow this DIY guide for repairing ripped jeans. And even if you don’t have any sewing experience, continue reading to see how you can easily fix up your old jeans!

Let’s see the easiest ways to fix up your old jeans with basic sewing skills

In this article
Creative Ways to Fix Up Old Jeans
#Use a sewing machine
#Patch with an iron
#Try hand stitching
#Use mending stitches “Darling”
#Try hand embroidery
#Applying a patch with Japanese Sashiko embroidery
Related Content
Creative Ways to Fix Up Old Jeans

#Use a sewing machine

(To patch the jeans from the inside)

This method is especially effective for large or small holes in the leg area of a pair of jeans. It is not a completely invisible patching technique, but the seams are relatively undetectable.

Use a pair of scissors to trim the unraveled threads along the edge of the hole.
Turn the jeans backward and take a piece of denim patch that matches the wash of the jeans, and place it face down over the hole.
To hold the patch in place before stitching, apply fusible interfacing (a thin strip that binds the fabric when ironing) or use a tack stitch (a loose temporary stitch designed for removal) around the edge of the patch.
Turn your jeans right side out again, place them under the sewing machine, and thread the machine thread in the color of your jeans.
Using either a zigzag or straight stitch (whichever is best for the denim fabric), cross-stitch the patch to join the joining edges of the hole.
Make sure you sew in the same direction as the fabric of your jeans.
Once finished, cut out any adhesive seams.

This method is especially effective for large or small holes in the leg area of a pair of jeans

#Patch with an iron

While this isn’t the most long-lasting method of repairing jeans, the iron-on patch method is certainly the simplest.

Buy a jeans patch that matches the color of your jeans.
Place the patch over the hole (glue side down) so that the edge of the patch covers at least 6 millimeters of the jeans’ fabric.
Iron the patch on with light pressure until it sticks.
If desired, you can sew the edges of the patch with zigzag stitching to make the repair more permanent.

The iron-on patch method is certainly the simplest and easiest one

#Try hand stitching

(for a straight tear)

Maybe you have had your jeans rip, almost as if in a straight line. Hand sewing is the simplest way to repair a straight rip, where no real fabric is lost.

First, apply fabric patching tape under the damaged area using heat from an iron.
Then, using thread that matches the torn jeans, sew up the ends of the tear with an overcast stitch.
Remove the excess fabric from the repair tape on the inside of the jeans.

Hand sewing is the simplest way to repair a straight rip

#Use mending stitches “Darling”

Darling is a patchless technique where holes are repaired using only a needle and thread. Darling resembles weaving and is suitable for small holes that do not run along the seam.

To repair jeans by darning, start on the underside of the hole.
Sew rows of vertical straight stitches over the entire hole, moving back and forth in parallel lines as close together as possible.
After covering the hole with vertical stitches, weave the thread horizontally into rows of stitches that are perpendicular to the first stitches. This will form a weaving pattern that will fill the entire hole.
Sewing with a sewing machine is the fastest option, but you can also sew by hand.

There are many sewing techniques where you use only a needle and thread

#Try hand embroidery

Place a fabric patch behind the hole and hand embroider over it to secure it to the jeans. Since you can embroider whatever design you want, this method is a great way to embellish old jeans with beautiful decorations.

This method is a great way to fix up your old jeans with beautiful decorations

#Applying a patch with Japanese Sashiko embroidery

The Sashiko embroidery is a decorative stitch traditionally used in Japanese culture to patch boro-type textiles.

To repair jeans using Sashiko embroidery, start by choosing a piece of fabric to use as a patch, making sure it covers the edge of the hole. Since the idea of Sashiko is to make a unique design, don’t be afraid to use a patch of fabric with a non-traditional color or pattern.
Use fabric glue to temporarily secure the patch over the hole.
If you want to clearly show off your unique Sashiko stitching, choose a color of embroidery or Sashiko thread that stands out from the color of your jeans.
Then thread at least four strands on a long embroidery needle.
Begin the patching process by embroidering a line of straight stitches parallel to the edge of one side of the patching fabric.
Continue adding parallel stitches until you have filled the entire patch.

The Sashiko embroidery is a decorative stitch traditionally used in Japanese culture