How to Patch Jeans

If ripped or hole-ridden denim just isn't your style, use one or more of the following steps to easily mend the damaged area.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Decorative Clothing Patches
• Adhesives
• Ironing Boards
• Irons
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Machine Needles
• Sewing Needles
• Threads
• Scissors

1. Make repairs to denim before the rip, tear or hole becomes too large or the edges become too frayed. Patches can be applied as reinforcement to high-stress areas before worn spots turn into holes.
2. Cut any loose threads from the edges of the rip, tear or hole.
3. Use the zigzag setting on your sewing machine to make a satin stitch along the length of a very clean cut or tear. This option is a good one if appearance is not important. See "How to Sew a Satin Stitch," under Related eHows, for instructions.
4. Position an iron-on denim patch on the underside of the fabric. The patch should be large enough to completely cover the damaged area. Press the patch with an iron to fuse it to the fabric.
5. Look for products that let you fuse your own fabric patch to the damaged area. With these products, a denim patch is cut from similar fabric. The patch is then fused to the fabric via a liquid or powdered substance and an iron.
6. Use liquid and powdered substances for a stronger bond than that provided by an iron-on patch.
7. Use decorative patches to cover very large holes. Hand- or machine sew them into place on the right side of the garment.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for iron-on denim patches in a variety of colors.
• Look for products such as Jean Mender and Bonding Agent 007. These can be used as described in step 5.
• Apply patches and patching liquids and powders as described in the product instructions.