DIY jeans repair without a sewing machine

In detail: do-it-yourself jeans repair without a sewing machine from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

Often people get used to their favorite, convenient things and do not want to part with them. Over time, clothes wear out and become unusable. Today I will tell you how to "extend the life" of ordinary jeans and show you how to beautifully mend frayed and torn places.

The best way to repair jeans is with gizmos. In essence, a gizmo is the restoration of fabric with stitches of a sewing machine. I have a great sample of jeans with different rips and for me this is an opportunity to show different versions of the thing on the same trousers, which will be in different places.

To begin with, I select a suitable fabric for the patches that will be attached to the wrong side of the jeans. For light and thin jeans, you can use light or dark dublerin (this is adhesive on a fabric basis) of medium-thin density. For warm and tight jeans, I usually go for denim patches. When choosing a color, you can use the wrong side.

Two identical scuffs found at the bottom of the back patch pockets.

Torn seat at the side of the patch back pocket.

Very frequent chafing in jeans - between the legs.

In total, I get 4 places on which I will sew invisible patches using the stitching method.

For cases 1 and 2, from the selected pieces, I cut out circles a little larger than the rubbing themselves. On the back halves of the pants, I use the wrong side patches and overlock the edges.

For option 3 - I use the front side of the denim patches and cut out one patch that covers the two wipes between the legs and also overlock it.

On the back halves, I rip the patch pockets in the right places. My thing will be stacked under the pockets.

Then you need to fix the patches on the inside of the jeans. For this I use a paper-backed adhesive spider web. Using an iron, I glue it to the desired side of the patches, and then, respectively, to the pants. Here you need not to confuse which patches and which side were selected. For gluing patches, you can use a spider web without a paper backing.

Video (click to play).

Image - DIY jeans repair without a sewing machine

How invisible our patch is mainly depends on the well-chosen thread colors. . As you know, jeans are often of a heterogeneous color - in some places they are darker or lighter, so we select threads for a specific place.

Option 1 (left pocket at the bottom and a gap in the side of the right pocket)

For the piece, I set the stitch size to small. The jeans that I originally repaired (for decoration) were worn by the manufacturer, so on the back halves I make a loose piece with zigzag machine stitches along the inclination of the fabric hem, thereby preserving the design of the trousers.

Option 2 (right pocket, bottom)

For comparison, on the right pocket, I make a loose piece with vertical zigzags (I place the machine lines vertically, not along the rib of the fabric). In my opinion, this option is less noticeable. Very often I use this thing on the knees of jeans (if the gap is not vertical).

Options 1 and 2 are called light fittings, since the gap is not stitched solid. The patch fixes the tear or abrasion and protects against further gusts, but remains visible to decorate the trousers.

Option 3 of the piece (between the legs) - tight. Here machine lines are superimposed very close to each other. This method is used for strength and to bridge the gap.In my case, I sew up existing holes with thick lines, and with a light piece I go through thin places where there are no holes yet, but they will soon be worn out.

General recommendations for darning jeans:

In dense (thick) plastering, machine lines should be made perpendicular to the gap (across) - this will be more reliable.
So that the thing doesn't get too rough and hard on jeans. Stitch tightly only on obvious holes, capturing entire edges. Where they are not there - only a light piece, denser or less often - here at its discretion. The slope of the stitching is the same as that of a dense piece.
After washing, the glued patches will come off, so I initially make sure that they are secured with stitches. Sometimes at this moment, as needed, I add threads of another desired color. On the inside, it looks like this:

We select the threads in the color and sew on the back pockets. The finished photograph of the thing turned out not very successful, but it shows the darned places under the pockets. On the right half under the patch pocket, the repair is almost invisible (photo 1 at the very top of the article).

Darning is a frequent repair on jeans. The more you do it, the more experience you will gain and the better you will get it. Good luck!

For many, jeans are a staple of their wardrobe. but regardless of their cost they wear out over time. The most vulnerable spot for a gap to appear is the space between the legs. But it is not necessary to immediately throw away your favorite jeans, you can increase their lifespan using a special technique of a hidden seam, and shop them by hand.

In order not to have to sew up gaps on your favorite trousers, you should treat the thing with care and take care of it from the first day of purchase. But consider a situation where the jeans are frayed.

For example, on jeans between the legs, not only scuffs appeared, but the seam itself begins to creep. To prevent tissue tearing, follow these steps:

We focus on strengthening the seam, otherwise the trousers may crack at the most inopportune moment. You can reinforce the seam not only with a machine, but also manually using the blind stitch technique. To do this, specialized sewing stores are sold super strong threads for working with denim materials. They have a color corresponding to the classic stitching on jeans.
Then you should mend the worn out sections of the trousers. For this purpose, select threads that match the thickness of the denim as well as its shade. Once the denim is laid out, secure the stitches on the still firm portions of the fabric, and stitch horizontally over the worn part of the trousers. Stick the needle into the edge that has come off and use the vertical stitch to stitch back. These manipulations are necessary so that the tissue does not shrink or twist.
After completing the horizontal row, proceed to the vertical one so that the needle passes between the threads. In fact, it turns out that you are weaving a new fabric to replace the leaky one.

This method is used for a relatively small area of wear, that is, when there is no obvious hole yet, but the wear is already noticeable. In order for the situation not to worsen over time, you should immediately strengthen the denim fabric. For these purposes, you need denim patches, specialized fabric glue, or self-adhesive tape, popularly referred to as "cobweb".

Read also: DIY Lacetti radiator repair

In order not to burden yourself with the frequent purchase of new clothes, take advantage of professional advice. This will help save your budget and significantly delay repair times.

Choose the right size to prevent chafing of your jeans between your legs. Give preference to models with a looser fit. But trousers that sit tight are best avoided.

Practice shows that jeans with a normal or high fit are wiped less between the legs. A good fit at the waist helps to reduce the formation of wrinkles in the crotch area, leading to abrasion of the fabric. When shopping for denim clothes, avoid low-waisted models. They are usually labeled “low-rise” or “ultra low-rise”. It is worth noting that high-waisted trousers are back in trend.

If you sit in jeans all the time at home or at work, try to control your movements. When changing positions, raise yourself slightly above the chair: this will help to reduce the intensity of friction of the tissue.

Additional stress is placed on the thinned area when machine washed, so try to wash your jeans properly. Choose a delicate wash cycle with a lower spin intensity. Previously, the trousers should be turned inside out, as well as zippers and buttons.Try not to use chemical additives when washing (softeners, rinses, stain removers), which reduce the life of the material.

Timely removal of coils formed on the wiped area on the front side will help to delay the thinning of the fabric. This can be done with a shaving razor or a special clipper.

If you can't imagine your life without jeans, get two or three pairs and wear them alternately. The practical denim aficionado buys two inexpensive daily wear and one weekend wear. In this case, things will not require repair much longer.

The most durable DIY way to fix jeans is to strengthen the fabric in the area between your legs. To do this, you need to fasten the pad on the inside, and then sew the jeans on the outside. Glue dublerin on a woven backing is ideal as a reinforcing material.The choice of adhesive lining materials that allow you to quickly repair clothing by hand is huge. They are based on fabrics of various textures: from gauze to thick cotton. In order to sew jeans at home, you need cotton dublerin, which is comparable in density to denim.Any thick cotton fabric can be used instead of an adhesive backing. It is not recommended to take denim for such repairs, as it can cause inconvenience when wearing, especially if the pants are tight.In order to prevent the jeans from rubbing between the legs much longer, it is advisable to implement this method in the first days after their purchase. It is optimal to wait for the first wash and then proceed with the repair. It is possible to save jeans even at the stage of the appearance of the first scuffs and even holes, but the service life of such a thing will be somewhat less.In addition, for repairs you will need:

jeans color;

sewing machine;

needle;

scissors;

crayon.

Iron the legs so that there are no wrinkles on them.

If holes are formed, sew them up carefully by hand.

Turn the jeans inside out.

From the dublerin, cut out a flap of the desired shape and size so that it completely covers the problem area with an overlap of several centimeters along the edges. Cut out the patch.

Secure the doublerin on the inside by ironing it with a hot iron. Iron these areas periodically after washing to prevent the lining from peeling off over time.

If you decide to mend jeans using regular fabric, baste it over the desired area of the leg.

Turn the garment inside out and sew the interlining with a series of stitches parallel to the weave of the denim.

Rotate the jeans 90 degrees and sew a series of perpendicular stitches to cover the entire damaged part.

Repair the second leg in the same way.

Glue dublerin is sold in any sewing store at a price of 100-200 rubles. per meter. To repair one pair of jeans, it will take about 30-50 cm depending on the size. Taking into account the cost of threads, it will cost you about 100 rubles to repair worn pants at home with your own hands. In the atelier, fixing such a defect will cost significantly more, at least 1000 rubles. The benefits are clear.In theory, it is possible to manually repair jeans without a sewing machine. To do this, you need to master the hand-stitch seam technique. The manual flashing process will take much longer. In addition, such a recovery is more noticeable even when performed flawlessly.If you do not have time for a quality repair according to the above plan, then round glue patches will help you quickly fix jeans at home. Just stick them from the inside to the wiped area using an iron. Emergency help will help you avoid tearing the fabric if you need to urgently wear these particular jeans. In contrast to the first option, this restoration is not designed for long-term wear. She can save you if an annoying wear is discovered by chance in an unforeseen situation.Unlike the first method, the radical method will work for those pants that you no longer hope to save. If you have multiple holes and scuffs, you can sew the patch in the color of the denim. If you are the owner of more than one pair of jeans that have rubbed between your legs, try to find a copy that is similar in tone. Cut the required piece out of it and wash it onto the frayed trousers.Only a skilled dressmaker can do such a high-quality repair with his own hands. To do this, you will have to smoothly sew the seam connecting the legs. For tight models, a professional sewing machine may be required, as the seams on them are quite thick.If you do not have sufficient skills, resort to the services of a tailor shop. If you nevertheless decide to do a similar sewing operation at home yourself, in addition to a denim patch, you will need threads of two colors: to match the fabric and for stitching the seam (usually yellow or orange). Was the work result not perfect? Use "refitted" jeans for "off-the-go" socks, for example, in the country.If you do not want to walk in patched pants, do not rush to throw out things worn out in some places. After all, most of them are in good condition. They can be used to make many things you need for your home, for example, oven mitts, slippers or an apron for the kitchen, a denim purse or fashionable clothes for a doll.

Professional cutters blame the phenomenon of specific wiping on the shortcomings of modern cut. It turns out that jeans wedges should be cut along the bias thread. Thus, as the legs move, they stretch slightly, allowing freedom of movement. However, this correct method of cutting involves increasing the amount of fabric trimmings.To reduce the cost of mass production, jeans wedges are cut out in the lobe direction of the thread, which is not subject to stretching. Therefore, the constant load during movement leads to their premature deterioration.Unfortunately, it is difficult for the layman to tell the right cut from the wrong one. The only sensible solution would be to sew jeans to order from an experienced craftsman. In addition, many ateliers offer long-term warranties on their products. So if your tailor-made jeans are frayed between your legs or elsewhere, you can quickly get them repaired for free.When a favorite thing is torn, it seems to us that it may not be possible to find a good replacement for it. However, it is not always necessary to look for a replacement, because you have the opportunity to carry out the restoration of jeans with your own hands, without leaving your home. There are many interesting ideas for this. In addition, even a novice needlewoman can cope with this task.There are a number of methods to fix jeans that you need to know and apply, depending on the dimensions of the frayed and holes in the material. In each case, it is imperative to have special threads used for jeans - they can be purchased at handicraft stores:

Gizmo. This is the easiest way to repair jeans. Most often, this method is used for scuffs, and not for holes.

Sewing on patches is a combined restoration method that includes the previous method with the preliminary use of the desired patch. The craftswomen adapted it for the design of things in the patchwork style.

Important! Both do-it-yourself jeans repair methods use a zigzag seam. It is the strongest and in the arrangement of stitches it can resemble the arrangement of fine threads in yarn. For this reason, it is imperative to have a sewing machine to work with jeans. It is almost impossible to make this seam manually with high quality and correctly.Turn the garment inside out to determine if a scuff needs repair. Usually they appear only where the fabric has become somewhat lighter, pellets have appeared. Often they are observed in the area between the legs, near the pockets, on the knees.Important! If the base yarn has already been broken, the work area must be stitched immediately, otherwise the weft yarn will break through.The process itself is as follows:

The worn area is leveled. The warp thread should be in the longitudinal position, and the weft in the transverse position.

Excess, interfering threads are cut off.

Zigzag seams begin to be made, moving from the top of the scuff to the bottom.

The seams are placed until the scuff is completely covered with a “zigzag”.

Important! When choosing a sewing machine, you need to pay attention to the presence of a reverse mode. It is able to greatly facilitate the stitching process. In the absence of this mode, you will have to turn the jeans over every time you complete a seam.The technology of this workshop on restoration of jeans using patches will differ in some way - it all depends on where the jeans are torn. Pants tend to rip in places subject to friction or stretching.Important! You need to sew on the patch on a sewing machine - this way the work will be done as efficiently as possible. It doesn't matter what model it is, it can be either old, handcrafted, or modern.In addition to the sewing machine, you need to prepare:

A piece of denim in the color you want.

Threads.

Scissors.

Safety pins.

It is necessary to remove the hole between the legs as follows:

Before moving on to the main work, you need to give the hole a suitable look. For this purpose, you need to cut off all the protruding threads, then sweep the edges of the gap with each other - this is necessary so that it does not continue to tear further. This must be done manually. The stitches are made frequent, but at the same time wide.

Important! Don't sew tight. The damaged area must be swept as smoothly and evenly as possible.

Cut the patch to the desired size and shape. It is important that it is slightly larger than the hole itself. The patch will be sewn on from the inside of the jeans - this is necessary so that the repair of jeans with your own hands is almost invisible.

First, you need to fix a piece of patch fabric in the right place using safety pins. This way you do not have to constantly monitor the displacement of the patch during the restoration process.

Turn on the sewing machine, thread the thread, start the piece, as it was written earlier.

At the end of the work, fasten and cut the thread. The hole between the legs has been repaired.

In these places, jeans are most often damaged in children. Buying a new item every time it breaks would be very costly. For this reason, it is easier to fix a damaged item - it will take just a couple of hours.Any patch on the knee will always be visible, even if it is made by the most skilled craftsman. It is for this reason that you are offered a way to restore jeans, where the patch will become a stylish design element.For this purpose you will need:

A piece of denim in a contrasting tone. For example, a patch of bright blue denim will look spectacular on black jeans.

Threads of the desired color.

Safety pins.

Sharp scissors.

You can repair children's jeans on the knees by following the algorithm:

Determine the dimensions of the patch, cut out the desired fragment.

Important! It is necessary that the patch be as wide as the leg, about 15 cm long. In addition, do not forget to leave a hem allowance (0.5-1 cm).

Fold the patch along the edges, sweep.

Sew a swept piece of fabric to the leg. It is best to do this procedure with a sewing machine.

Important! If you sew such a patch on the second leg, the result will look finished and aesthetically pleasing.

In order to make a patch, you need to cut a small piece of jeans a little larger than the hole in the jeans. I cut it off the bottom of my jeans when I hemmed (shortened).

You can take a piece from any old unwanted jeans.

Place the patch on top - it should completely cover the hole.

Now it is very important to pick up the threads to match, because then the patch will not be visible at all.

Turn the jeans over to the wrong side.

Notice how the thread runs on the jeans fabric (vertical white stripes).

It is necessary to sew the hole with several zigzag lines, as if giving the jeans in this place their original appearance, as if the hole is not there.

We do this as shown in the picture below. The shared thread is marked in green. In red - a zigzag made with a straight stitch with a reverse stroke on a typewriter.

Pulling the hole back to its original state, apply a patch from the wrong side.

And from the inside, we sew it a little in the same way as shown in the picture above.

Now we turn the jeans over to the front side. And we will cover our hole. It was convenient for me to do a straight stitch with a reverse movement back on a typewriter, slightly rearranging the foot so as not to sew in the same place. The result is something like this:

When you sew the entire hole once, it may turn out that the frequency of the stitching was not enough, and you can see the white threads from the jeans. (as in the photo below)

In this case, sew the same place again. I want to note that it was the gray threads that went well with the blue jeans, and the quilting is almost invisible.

Turn the jeans over to the wrong side. You need to trim off the extra edges of the patch.

This is how wonderful it turned out to mend the hole with a patch:

Give a second life to your favorite jeans and sew with me! Until next time on the blog!

Even though this post is bigger than usual, we believe it will come in handy for all denim lovers looking to extend the life of their jeans without spending extra money on a new pair.

Many people ask me how I managed to wear one pair of jeans for so long. This was my secret until this time.

Each of us, sooner or later, is faced with this; the mere thought of this catches up fear even on the most unassuming in clothes. You probably already realized that we are talking about the wear of your favorite pair of jeans. However, by following the simple rules of this guide, you can extend the life of your clothes and keep them looking good for years to come.

After reading this guide, you will be able to "reanimate" jeans with your own hands. Prepare for the hardest part of this process to be threading the sewing machine's needle. After you succeed, grab the unwanted scraps of fabric and practice on them before hone your newfound knowledge on your favorite clothes.

Before starting work, you need to familiarize yourself with the basics of fabric production and its structure.

Probably most of us already know several options for repairing denim clothes, such as darning, patching or patching, gluing using special fabric glue, and so on. However, let's remember an old Chinese proverb that says: Give a man a fish and you will saturate him for the whole day. Teach a man to fish and you will feed him for life.

So why buy fish when you can learn how to fish?

Learning how to repair jeans with my own hands saved me tons of time and money.

One of the most common complaints about raw denim is that the garment tears quickly at the seam. This is analogous to a hole in a car's tire: You can keep driving for a while until the tire is completely deflated.

The above comparison is undoubtedly only approximate, but, in general, the hole in denim looks like a hole in the tire of an iron horse. You can walk around in torn jeans, but eventually they will rip completely and have to be thrown away.

The optimal solution for both cases looks like this: if you fix the problem right away, there will be much less problems in the future.

You will argue that jeans should last a long time after you decide to shell out the Nth amount of money for them. However, it should be borne in mind that the seams are the most vulnerable point of the product. So it's no surprise that wearing jeans 7 days a week all year round will wear them out faster than you expect. It should be noted that there is a conditional period of 4 weeks before the seam opens due to a small hole that has just appeared on the jeans.

Based on my observation, warp yarns tend to break faster than weft yarns. My guess is that the warp yarn is more vulnerable to lifting and lowering movements when walking than the weft yarn. In other words, the warp yarn has a higher load. Before we start any further discussion, let's take a look at the 3 stages of holes in clothing.

Step 1: The warp yarns are starting to fray or the warp yarns are torn.

Step 2: The warp yarns have finally broken in one place, and the weft threads are starting to fray, or several weft threads have broken.

Stage 3: The warp and weft threads are completely broken.

The easiest way to extend the life of your favorite jeans is to patch up the rubbing fabric before a hole forms.

The basic skills and abilities of sewing I received from the lessons of labor in school in the 8th and 9th grades, where we were taught the basics of cooking and sewing. After reading this manual, you will know exactly as much as I do. With a little practice, you're an expert at home repairing clothes.