Table of Contents
Watch the video: “Patching Holes in Jeans - Darning - Upcycling - Boro - Sashiko” by Artfully Sew
Holes in your jeans? Let’s turn them into art—and keep the breeze out. In this beginner-friendly guide inspired by Angela of Artfully Sew, you’ll transform scrap fabric into crisp patchwork, press it to perfection, hoop your denim for stability, and hand stitch a durable, visible mend you’ll be proud to wear.
What you’ll learn
- How to cut 1.5-inch strips and transform them into 1.5-inch patchwork squares.
- Why a 1/8-inch stitch around patch edges makes ironing and folding easier.
- How to press, starch, and trim corners so your patch lies flat.
- How to pin and hoop your jeans for comfortable hand stitching.
- When to use a blanket stitch vs. straight stitching for a sturdy finish.
Why Patch Your Jeans? More Than Just a Repair Winter wind has a way of finding every rip and tear—especially if you live somewhere cold, like Wisconsin, where Angela films. Patching doesn’t just fix a drafty knee, it transforms wear into personal style while keeping your favorites in rotation.
Beyond Aesthetics: The Environmental Impact Every repair can be one less garment headed to the landfill. Angela highlights that her patched jeans “used up a lot of my fabrics” and kept a well-loved pair from being tossed. That’s visible mending with purpose.
Personalizing Your Wardrobe Angela reaches for reds—and even dips into purples—to create coordinated patches for both legs, balancing the look. Your patchwork choices can reflect your own color story, too.
A Touch of Warmth (Especially in Wisconsin!) Function matters. Closing up holes helps keep out the chill. Patching is a cozy fix that also reads as design-forward.
Pro tip If you’re adding a large patch to one leg, consider a complement on the other for a balanced silhouette—Angela’s approach in the video.
Gathering Your Tools and Treasured Scraps Raid Your Scrap Bin: The Joy of Red (and Purple!) Angela starts by combing through fabric scraps, selecting favorite reds and later pulling in purples for extra color. Any woven scraps will do; just gather enough for your desired patch size.
Essential Sewing Supplies You’ll see a rotary cutter, ruler, scissors, an iron, pins, a needle, and an embroidery hoop. A sewing machine is helpful for piecing strips and squares; hand stitching comes later for attaching to denim.
The Magic of an Embroidery Hoop Stability is everything when stitching onto jeans. Hooping keeps your fabric taut and your hands relaxed. Commenters noticed, too—several said hooping made hand stitching much easier.
Watch out Place a ruler inside the pant leg before pinning so you don’t accidentally secure both layers together. It saves time and a lot of seam-ripping.
Crafting Your Patch: From Strips to Squares Precision Cutting: 1.5-inch Strips and Squares Angela cuts scraps into 1.5-inch-wide strips, then sews them together and cross-cuts into 1.5-inch squares. Consistent cutting here makes the patchwork align more easily later.
Quick check Are your strips truly 1.5 inches? Slight mis-measurements compound. Measure twice, cut once.
Sewing It All Together: The Patchwork Begins Sew your strips together, then slice into squares. Arrange the squares into a pattern you like—Angela keeps it scrappy and vibrant. Sew the squares into a complete patch.
From the comments Multiple viewers loved how “scrappy and fun” the finish looked—embrace variety. It’s more forgiving than strict pattern matching.
Designing Your Unique Look Angela balances a big red patch on one leg with another patch on the other. You can echo this by using similar tones across both legs or choosing contrasting color families for a bolder statement.
Prepping for Perfection: Ironing, Starching, and Trimming The Power of the Press: Flat Seams are Key Before attaching to your jeans, prep the edges of your patch. Angela starts every seam with a scrap of fabric under the presser foot—this “leader” helps prevent thread tangles or bird nests at the beginning of stitching. Then she sews a 1/8-inch seam around all patch edges and tucks seams to reduce bulk. This narrow stitch becomes a guide for folding and pressing a clean edge.
From the comments New to the term “bird’s nest”? The creator explained it as bobbin thread bunching on the backside at the start of sewing; beginning on a scrap helps prevent it.
Starch for Structure: A Little Goes a Long Way Flip to the backside to press folds cleanly. Angela notes it’s easier to set the fold from the reverse, then adds a light mist of spray starch. Give it a moment to soak in, then press again. You’ll see a crisp line that stays put without bulk.
Watch out With starch, less is more. Too much can make fabric stiff or leave residue. If that happens, use a lightly damp press cloth and re-press.
Trimming for a Flawless Finish Snip a tiny triangle off each corner after pressing. This reduces bulk in the turn and helps the patch lie flat once stitched to denim. Finish with a final press on the right side.
Attaching Your Patch: Hand-Stitching for Durability and Style Pinning with Precision: Avoiding the Backside Blunder Pin the patch where you want it, with a ruler slipped inside the pant leg to avoid catching both layers. Check that your placement balances the rest of the garment—Angela mirrors patches across both legs for harmony.
Hooping It Up: Securing Your Fabric Pop the inner ring of the embroidery hoop inside the pant leg, center it under the patch, then snap on the outer ring and tighten. The goal is a smooth, taut surface that’s comfortable to stitch through. Viewers confirmed hooping made stitching easier and the results more consistent.
Stitching On: Blanket Stitches and Beyond Angela hand stitches the patch in place. She chose a thinner black embroidery thread and outlined the patch with a blanket stitch, then added straight stitches in thinner parts of the jeans. Even spacing matters more than perfection. The video doesn’t show the stitch-in-action, but the method is clearly described. hooping station for embroidery machine
From the comments
- Several beginners asked whether the patch was hand or machine sewn—the creator confirmed it was hand sewn. She also noted machine sewing would have been tricky without opening a side seam.
- Another viewer celebrated the hoop tip, reporting they now wear their repaired jeans constantly.
- Curious about reinforcement? The creator shared that close seams in the patchwork held it securely without extra backing in her project.
Quick check
- Is your hoop snug, with no slack? Re-tighten if you feel puckering.
- Are your blanket stitches catching both the patch edge and the denim? Adjust your angle if stitches slide off the fold.
Troubleshooting: Bird Nests and Bulky Edges If the start of a seam snarls into a “bird’s nest,” use a scrap leader under the presser foot when piecing patches. For bulky folds, re-press from the backside and re-trim corners sparingly. snap hoop monster
The Big Reveal: Showcasing Your Upcycled Denim A Scrappy Success Story Angela’s final jeans are bright, scrappy, and unmistakably personal. They use up small fabric leftovers and—best of all—feel like new again.
Keeping Clothing Out of Landfills This repair keeps a wearable garment in rotation and makes a small dent in textile waste—visible mending with a message.
Your Creative Invitation: What Will You Upcycle Next? Angela closes with a nudge to take the risk and try mending: you don’t have to get it perfect the first time. Grab your scissors, thread a needle, or fire up the machine—just start.
From the comments: Community Highlights
- “Love this method—will have to try.” Enthusiasm from new menders shows how accessible this project is.
- “Weird is awesome.” The playful spirit is contagious and helps fight perfectionism.
- “I don’t like holes either!” Plenty of viewers are team patch.
Safety and Setup Checklist
- Pre-checks: Inspect your jeans for holes and thin areas; thread your machine properly; set your iron for the fabric; gather scraps in your chosen colors.
- Safety: Rotary cutters are sharp—mind fingers; keep pins away from the backside of the leg; iron with care after starching.
FAQ Q: What size strips and squares does this method use? A: Angela cuts 1.5-inch strips and then cross-cuts to 1.5-inch squares for the patchwork blocks.
Q: How do I stop thread tangles at the start? A: Begin on a scrap of fabric to avoid “bird nests” on the backside.
Q: Which stitches secure the patch? A: A blanket stitch around the edge, with straight stitching in thinner denim areas if desired.
Q: Does the patch need reinforcement? A: In this project, the creator said the close seams held the patch securely without extra reinforcement.
Notes on Tools and Alternatives This tutorial uses a handheld embroidery hoop for stability during hand stitching. If you prefer machine embroidery, you may encounter different gear and setup that isn’t covered in the video. Any brand-specific frames or magnetic systems are outside the scope here; this guide focuses on hand-hooped, hand-stitched visible mending. magnetic hoops for embroidery machines
Optional: If You Browse Machine Embroidery Accessories While the video demonstrates hand sewing and a standard hoop only, people who explore machine embroidery often search for a variety of hooping tools. That topic isn’t demonstrated or endorsed in the video; consider this a neutral orientation to common search terms rather than recommendations. mighty hoop
- Many crafters look up “magnetic hoops” for different brands when they want easier clamping; this tutorial does not use them but your workflow might. magnetic hoops for embroidery
- Some explore frame-based systems for stabilizing bulky items; again, not covered here, but relevant if you’re machine-hooping. embroidery hoop machine
Closing Thought Visible mending isn’t about hiding the past—it’s about celebrating a garment’s story. Start small, press well, stitch steadily, and let your patchwork speak for you.