Patching Clothes - Art Every Day Month - Day 11

One of my most comfortable pairs of jeans has a tear in it...a rather large tear. Rather than tossing them out, I thought I'd patch them after seeing this pin on Pinterest that led to Design Mom.

The patch shown on Design Mom was on the knee, so it could be a fun, patterned fabric that draws attention to the patch.

When patching clothes that have a tear or hole in a place that isn't on the legs, a less conspicuous color that blends in is preferred.

Going through the fabric I have on hand, I chose a blue fabric that I liked. I chose a very soft fabric since the jeans have become worn from wearing over the years.

The first step was to cut a piece of Heat n’ Bond the same size as my fabric patch.

 I left a hole in the center that will align with the hole in the jeans.

Next, I placed it behind the hole in the jeans and ironed as directed.

Last, using two strands of embroidery floss, I made some stars and Xs that matched the fabric and decorative thread around the pockets. The purpose of these stitches are two-fold: decoration and keeping the patch in place. I made sure that there were no big knots in the floss which would be uncomfortable.

Repairing jeans - clothes of any type, for that matter - is economically-sound, eco-friendly, and the right thing to do....rather than simply tossing clothes into the trash and having them end up in a landfill.

Granted, some things eventually go beyond the point of being repairable. However, as one person commented on Design Mom's blog, "If we all took a few minutes to mend the clothes and other items we own instead of throwing them away, we would probably have a much better economy, environment, and sense of appreciation." I couldn't agree more.