Question via email:
I have a pair of stretch denim jeans made up of 98% cotton and 2% spandex. The holes and wear are in the crotch. Please advise.
My answer:
Hello,
This is a tricky area to patch just so you know this now 😉
Because you only have a small amount of stretch your patch material can be non-stretch. I would cut a patch from a worn-out pair of jeans.
You could put the patch under the worn area/hole and darn from the top.
- Cut a patch larger than the worn area/hole.
- Hold the patch in place with a couple of pins and start sewing from the right side of the jeans.
- If you can get a sewing machine where you need just sew straight stitches back and forth. Then across those lines.
- This post shows the stitches – (I did this for my teenager who was after a “Rock-n-Roll” vibe you can sew the stitches neater and with matching thread) http://www.thedailysew.com/2014/10/mending-frayed-jeans/
You could put the patch on top of the worn area/hole and just sew it down around the edge.
- You need to turn under the edges of the patch so they don’t fray or you could sew it down with a tight zigzag stitch which will cover the edges
- This post shows the denim patch on top of the pants: http://www.thedailysew.com/2017/02/how-to-patch-stretch-jeans-so-they-still-stretch/
You could use a fusible bonding web to make a patch that’s ironed on. I would wash the jeans in cold and hang them dry if you do use this fusible bonding web as hot temperatures (from the washer and dryer) could loosen the patch.
- This is the product I use: https://www.amazon.com/Thermoweb-Heatn-Ultra-Iron-Adhesive-17/dp/B001141DSC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=8QHFEBY430TB&keywords=heat+n+bond&qid=1681852815&sprefix=heat+n+bond%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-3
I hope this helps. Please reply back if you have any other questions about this.
Follow-up question:
If you had stretch patches how would you go about it? See attached pix.
Expanded answer:
Hello,
I think you mean if your patch fabric is also stretch, like the pants. You could put the patch under or over the holes (inside or outside the pants) and proceed as I described earlier.
I prefer the patches under (inside) the worn area because you don’t have to do anything to the raw edges of the patch. When patches are on the outside you have to “seal” the raw edge in a way that will keep it from fraying. But, really, now that I say this, they will fray no matter where you put them.
So I drew out some notes (attached) because I find pictures easier than words 😉
Note that I say to use 2 separate patches. A left and a right. If you did one big patch, sort of like a saddle, it wouldn’t move as well. Jeans are cut tighter to the body than other pants and the center back seam curves to fit over and then under the buttocks. You need that curve.
So, flip the jeans inside out and lay your patch fabric over the area. Then roughly cut or draw with a pencil, the shape you want from the patch fabric. Cut larger and trim as needed to shape it up if you want. You want the patch to be slightly larger than the worn area and you can trim away any excess after sewing the patch down (if it’s on the inside).
In picture 2 I say “no bigger than these” for the size of your hand stitches – a great idea but now that the photo is not the actual size it doesn’t work :-/ You want the stitches to be under 1/4″ long and at least 1/8″ long.
Picture 3 is if you can use a sewing machine to patch it. The wobble stitch. If your machine only has straight stitches you can use that too, just make the stitches a little longer, a 3 to 3.5 length should work.
Let me know if you have any more questions or if anything is unclear.-Mary