Lay the garment flat on your work surface. Iron if needed. Measure the hole or tear, adding ½ to 1 inch to all sides. Be generous: It’s better to make a patch that’s too big than too small. This will allow you to cover the hole as well as the damaged, frayed, or weakened areas around it, and to sew your patch into strong fabric. Cut the patch from your scrap fabric according to the measurements from Step 1. Use pinking shears if you want to help prevent the patch edges from fraying.
Continue sewing the running stitches until the patch is secured. Tie off the thread on the garment’s underside, leaving a ½-inch tail on your thread to prevent unraveling. Using your washable fabric pen/pencil and a ruler, draw a straight line ¼ inch from the edge of the patch on all sides. This will help you to create a tidy, even line when stitching.
Thread a needle, knot the thread at one end, and insert the needle from the underside of the garment. Using a whipstitch , secure all edges of the patch to the garment. Use a low-contrast thread if you like. If your hands get tired, use a thimble to push the needle and needle-nose pliers to pull the needle as you stitch.
Continue until the patch is secured, tie off the thread on the garment’s underside, again leaving a ½-inch tail on your thread to prevent unraveling. Congratulations. You’ve given your jeans more patina, and even a bit of grace.by Katrina Rodabaugh. Copyright © 2021 Katrina Rodabaugh. Excerpted by permission from Abrams Books. All rights reservedFrom Our Shop
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