How to Patch Clothes

When a favorite piece of clothing gets a hole, tear or stain, it is often hard to make yourself throw it away. Fortunately it is usually easy to patch clothes. Patching clothes not only extends the life of them, but it can also give new flair to an old piece.

Things You'll Need

• Needle and thread
• Material
• Scissors
• Fusible web
• Iron

Instructions

1. Look at where the tear is located to assess if the clothes are worth repairing. If the tear is on the seam, the clothing is probably starting to dry rot. In this case, patching them does little good because as the rot progresses the tearing continues. If the hole was caused by getting the clothes snagged on something, or a cigarette burn, then go ahead and patch it.

2. Stitch the clothing together using a zig zag stitch if it is small. Stitching doesn't work if there is an actual hole or the tear is too large. After stitching you can add bows, buttons or an extra pocket to cover the stitch or you might want to patch on top of the stitched area.

3. Purchase iron on patches for the easiest and quickest repair. Depending on your preference, you might want to choose a patch as close to the same color as the original material to make it less noticeable, or choose a contrasting color to make the patch stand out.

4. Find a piece of material from another piece of old clothing for a more economical patch solution. Again you need to decide if you want your patch to match your clothes or stand out in a contrasting color. You can also use patterned patches on solid colored clothes for a dramatic decorative look.

5. Use fusible web to attach your patch to the clothes if you want to be able to iron it on. Cut the fusible web out in the same shape as the patch, but make it slightly smaller so the fusing doesn't melt onto your iron. Place the fusible web onto the clothes, over the area that needs to be covered, and then place your patch on top of the fusible web. Iron over top of the patch to melt the fusible web and adhere the patch.

6. Sew the patch onto the clothes if you don't want to buy fusible web. Use a zig zag stitch and go over the sewing line twice to assure that it is attached well.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't like the look of the patch on the clothes, you can make an extra pocket and sew it in place over the patch. You might also want to add buttons, bows or other embellishments to conceal a patch. Another choice is to add more patches to the piece so it looks like an intended design.