technique 5

mending and patching jeans

with designer style
sweet pea patches
by Nancy Minsky

for more jean ideas see Nancy’s book:

Denim Revolution: Dozens of Ways to
Turn Denim Cast-Offs into Fashion Must-Haves

http://jeanrepair.blogspot.com
sweet pea patches
a technique to sweetly patch jeans with printed cotton florals

the sewing materials

Printed cotton floral fabrics for patches and lining
Sewing thread – match thread to a medium shade of your denim
note: choose a shade that blends with the worn area you will be mending. Jeans vary broadly in
colors and shades, and well matched thread is important for the look.
general sewing materials including: embroidery scissors; seam ripper, shears; straight pins; iron and
ironing board; sewing machine; tape measure; denim sewing machine needle; hand sewing needle.

step-by-step tutorial
Wash and press jeans.

With a seam ripper, open the side seam, from a couple inches above the hem to a couple inches below
the pocket. In this way, you will be able to easily maneuver and sew the patches.

note: When you have

big holes on the knees,
generally the
surrounding area is also
very worn. Mend the
whole area to make your
mending durable.

In the photo on the left,

four areas are marked to
patch. Three holes that
are shredding with white
weft threads about to
burst into full fledged
holes - will be mended in
the “cat and mouse”
technique. For all details
follow the “cat and
mouse” tutorial.

The big hole, is the one

that will be patched with
the printed cotton floral
“sweet pea” method.
Cut the printed cotton patch about 2” larger than the hole.

Pin the patch under your hole. Baste and remove pins. Machine stitch ½” from the edge all around the
perimeter.

For the lining, cut a piece of

medium weight, cotton floral
(left) the full length of the leg
area you will be patching.

note: when mending make the

inside as charming and
durable as the outside.

Pin the lining in place. Baste

and remove pins. Machine
stitch ½” from the edge, all
around the perimeter.

Stitch back and

forth, an inch
or two beyond
the patch. The
patch needs to
be stitched
securely to
withstand lots
of wear and
washings.

Back stitch,
and knot
securely all
thread ends.

Clip any loose

threads.

Sew sides
seams closed.

Finished.
 some various patch inspirations: Here are images of patches I have used
on all kinds of jeans, pin cushions and aprons using cotton printed fabrics. I hope they will inspire your
own variations.

Even though this

swatch (left) was
made into a pin
cushion it can
inspire a way to
create a denim
patch. For
example, cut a
flower shaped
denim patch, and
add some flower
appliqués, that
have been cut
from printed
cotton.
Embroidery floss
adds texture to
the flowers and
outlines the
denim patch.

The denim
patch (left) has
been decorated
with a
sprinkling of
strawberries
cut from
printed cotton
fabric and
flowers cut
from printed
cotton
corduroy. Pink
and red
embroidery
floss stitched in
back stitch
securely
 anchors the
patches.
A knee has
been patched
with another
tattered
scrap of
denim. It’s
decorated
with printed
cotton
flowers.
Ribbons
cover the side
seams and a
bouquet of
embroidery
floss colors
have been
used for the
stitching.

A sunburst of stitching tacks the

patch (left) in place, and another
bit of colored cotton printed
fabric is stitched into the
patchwork. An original texture
of pattern has been created.
The entire patch is backed/lined
with printed floral fabric.
Patches can be cut in a variety of whimsical shapes, such as hearts, flowers or stars. A pair of eyes or a
flower, embroidered on a patch will delight a child.