How To Fix A Hole In Jeans - Heather Handmade

Learn how to fix a hole in jeans. It’s common for jeans to get holes in the knees, so this is a strong way to close the hole and it’s almost invisible.

I used to work at a tailor shop and we mended holes in jeans all the time. It was a really common fix. You don’t have to pay someone to fix your jeans since it’s easy to do it yourself!

This sewing technique is the way I learned while working, and it is the strongest way to fix a hole. It isn’t completely invisible, but it’s really close depending on the thread you use.

If you don’t mind having a weaker mend and you don’t want the stitching to show, you can also put fabric behind a hole without any visible mending or do a really fun big zigzag contrast stitch for a unique look.

It’s important to have jeans that are the right length, so you can also learn how to hem jeans with the original hem. Or you can learn how to hem jeans.

My kids always put holes in their knees first. If it’s close enough to spring I let them have holes in their jeans, and then eventually cut them into shorts.

Since it’s the middle of winter, my son needed a bunch of holes mended to keep his knees warm in the snow! Learn how to sew on a patch to cover holes or to add an embroidered patch for details.

How to Fix a Hole in Jeans

Supplies

• Jeans with a hole
• Matching all-purpose thread (jeans lean more towards gray so pick a blue gray)
• Scraps of heavy fabric like denim or canvas
• Double sided fusible adhesive*
• Sewing tools
• Sewing machine

Cut a piece of thick fabric the shape of the hole and 1 inch wider on all sides. Make sure the fabric is similar in color. Round off the edges and finish them with a zigzag or a serger.

Open the side seam of the pants right where the hole is with a seam ripper. Don’t open a seam with topstitching.

When I am choosing thread I place a bunch of threads across the area I’m going to mend. Then I half close my eyes and look through my lashes. The thread that “disappears” the most is the thread that I choose.

Cut out a piece of double sided fusible adhesive a little bit smaller than the fabric piece.

Iron them together. Make sure that you iron the double sided fusible adhesive to the RIGHT side of the fabric. The side with the adhesive will be what shows through the hole.

Peel of the paper backing.

Iron it onto the pants centering the patch over the hole.

If you want extra strength leave the white threads on. If you want the mending to be more invisible trim all of the white threads off.

For this example I left the threads on.

Next, from the inside sew 1/8 inch all around the patch. This is what I call a perimeter stitch. Use thread that matches the fabric.

Now from the outside sew forwards and backwards across the hole. I like the follow the diagonal direction of the twill weave so that the stitching blends in better.

The back will look like a bunch of stitching.

Sew the side seam closed and finish the raw edges with a zigzag stitch or a serger.

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If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!