What Do You Get When You Cross an Embroiderer with a Hole in Your Jeans?

You get a pretty new pair of pants!

I've seen many versions of this idea on Pinterest and - despite my strong aversion to mending - have been waiting very patiently for someone in my house to rip their jeans so I could give this a try. 

And by someone I mean not my husband.  I don't think he'd appreciate this sort of ... "fashionable solution" to a hole in his pants.  Just 'cause I can get him to eat from a lacy pink placemat doesn't mean he'll wear my embroidery!  Haha!

To do this mending job:

• make a "patch" by fusing lightweight interfacing to the wrong side of a piece of fabric (I used regular quilting cotton) and trim it with pinking shears
• pin the patch behind the hole with the right side of the fabric showing through
• freestyle random cross and star stitches - with 3 plies of floss - around the tear

Quick, easy, and totally fun.

And my daughter loves it (although she wishes the hole was bigger so she could see more of the pretty patch underneath ... I'm thinking the washing machine will take care of that).

I gave her carte blanche for fabric & color choices and she went for a subtle amethyst Japanese print.  I'm sure she'll pick something brighter next time ... she's already asked if I can fix all her future jean holes this way.

I've also mended leggings with machine applique ... (posted here).

No one is more surprised than me to discover that mending can be fun.

Comments

[anna]

Kristyne, this is a darling idea. You are so fun girl. Check you blog everyday. You always make me smile. Thanks for the sunshine!

[Cindy]

That's a great solution! So pretty.

[Hildy]

I think there'll be a lot more holes to be mending in the near future. Looks beautiful! Hildy

[Bari Jo]

Sweet! I love this... and I have a pair of holey jeans I can't live with out... I have to do this for myself! woo hoo.... maybe a bit of my flower sugar... with a cute rose in the middle.... gasp if I can bear to cut it.... I am still saving it for a very special quilt ;o)

[Sue]

worth having a hole in your jeans - just lovely

[Michelle T]

I mended a hole in my daughters leggings just like you showed in July 2012. I've gotten so many comments on how cute the floral hearts are on the knees. Thanks for the great ideas!

[sheila]

back when i was in high school (could it have actually been the early 70's) we got new clothes once a year. patching with embroidery embellishment was how we mended jeans. i was one of the lucky ones who had learned from my grandmother. we also added trim, etc to the unrolled hems as everything was too short even when you were 5'6" and also we inserted a triangle of fabric into the opened side seam to create the bell bottoms which our parents would not spend "good money" to buy. so fun to see it all so popular again!

[Bonnie Nyquist]

How clever! Love it. Those girls of yours are so liucky!

[vintage grey]

Aww, so cute! Love the grey hearts!! xo Heather

[Sakae Yoshihara]

Hello Kristyne.
Nice to meet you.
Your blog and your works are so beautiful!!
I will consider visiting your blog to pleasure、from Japan! :D
Sakae

[Sheri Salatin]

I love this!! I'm going to have to try this on my daughter's pants :)

[tanya hughes]

Hello Kristyne
Your gorgeous book arrived today - my birthday - in fact my 40th birthday! it is the nicest present ever - thank you so much and you signed it!!!!
I love it!
Have a great day!
love Tanya Hughes
xxx

[Sonia Petitpoint]

Fun and really lovely !

[Bear Creek Quilting Company]

I love mending with patches of fun fabric. My little nieces think it is the coolest thing because I let them pick the fabric. Thank you for sharing.

[Harmonie Morrison]

Cute! I remember my mom used to mend my holey jeans and pants with cute little patches, store bought & homemade. As another commenter said we only got clothes once a year so when things got short she would add bands of ribbon or lace to the bottom to add length. To think that the "we can't afford to buy more, make it work" look is now the in & trendy thing. We were ahead of our time!