How to Make Patchy Pants

Embellish your favorite jeans with some colorful patches.

Add an artistic touch to your pants by sewing on some patches. Use leftover fabric scraps that blend in with the original fabric or colorful scraps for contrast. Fabrics such as brocade or velvet add texture. Lace patches add a more delicate look. You can even layer patches to make an abstract design. If you want to make your pants look more homemade, use embroidery thread to do a whipstitch around the patches.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Pattern paper
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Chalk pencil
• Hand sewing needles
• Iron

Instructions

1. Draw some patches the shape and size you want on the pattern paper. Cut them out and pin them to your jeans to see how they look. Make changes to the paper patterns if necessary.

2. Use the chalk pencil to trace the paper patterns onto the wrong side of the fabric. Add a 1/4" seam allowance to each patch. Cut out the patches.

3. Turn the seam allowance to the wrong side of the fabric. Press with the iron.

4. Pin the patch to the pants. Sew the edges of the patch to the pants with a slipstitch. When the entire patch is sewn on, cut the thread and knot it 1/8" from the edge of the patch. Push the knot underneath the patch with the needle.

Tips & Warnings

• For a different and ragged effect, sew on the patches without turning under the edges of the fabric

• Wash your pants by hand or on the gentle cycle of your washing machine wash to preserve your work.

References

• "Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Needlepoint"; Reader's Digest Editors; 1980

Resources

• "Vogue Sewing"; Vogue Editorial Board; 1980