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How To Patch Jeans

I have five boys born within a span of 10 years.  My first three boys were born within less than three years.  So I have had to wash alot of jeans.  At one point, I have hung 30+ jeans on the clothesline.  That is a lot of jeans. 

We have mostly lived with a little acreage, so our boys have had room to roam.  That means I did not have to worry about my boys wearing nice clothes all the time.  So I could patch their jeans when the holes come through.

I have tried different methods.  Iron -on patches, sewing neat squares on the knees, etc.  This method that I am going to show you is one I have been doing for years.  It  is not hard and it does last until the fabric around wears out.  It may not look like my mother's patches, but it works for me. Follow these steps and it should work for you too.

First, cut all the frayed threads around the hole.  Do not worry about making it square or anything like that. 

Next, cut a patch from an old pair of jeans that is big enough to fit over the hole with lots to spare.
Fit the patch inside the leg and pin it, making sure that the hole is completely covered.  Pin it well, so it doesn't shift.

Then, set your sewing machine to a large zig-zag stitch.  Fit the leg onto your open arm of your machine.  And start to sew.  Sew back and forward until it is firmly sewn.  Continue in this manner until you are around the hole. 

Be careful of the pins.  You may remove them one at a time just before you sew over it.  I have broken alot of needles because of this. Having a size 16 needle helps also.

 After you have completed your sewing, turn it wrong side out and trim all the extra patch. 

If some of the fabric is thin, you may sew around the patch to hold it tight and get a little more wear before you have to patch again.

                           Turn right side out again and TADA!  You no longer have holey jeans!!

I hope this works for you.  Any questions, just ask.