Repairing old jeans ?

[mojack]

I have a stack of old jeans that have the knees worn out in them. I hate to throw them out they still have some good use in them. Is there a good way to patch the knees? I have tried the iron on stuff you get at Wal-Mart but it dosen't seem to hold up. New jeans cost too much.

Thanks.

Jack

[caberjim]

Take one pair, cut it up into patches, sew patches onto the other jeans.
Not pretty, but it works.

[AngieM2]

If you decide to patch the knees, it's easier to open the inside leg seam a bit up and down from the knee area, then you can lay the area almost flat to sew around the patch..... then turn leg inside out, and re-sew the inside seam really well.

Angie

[okgoatgal2]

you can always hand sew the patches on....time consuming, tho. or, buy new used jeans at yard sales and such. cut the worn ones off at the knees and use for shorts. save the lower legs to make a quilt out of. it will be warm and heavy. and great for porch, picnic, car, and such.

[Don Armstrong]

Originally Posted by caberjim

Take one pair, cut it up into patches, sew patches onto the other jeans.
Not pretty, but it works.

What do you mean, not pretty? I think well-done patches are - well... neat.

Making cut-offs is a good idea, but the cut-off pieces have a much greater purpose than to become a patchwork quilt. They should become patchwork jeans. You can also do a good job of patching jeans with material from old overalls. The slightly softer material makes a good match for worn denim.

[caberjim]

Originally Posted by Don Armstrong

What do you mean, not pretty? I think well-done patches are - well... neat.

Not the way I do it. Patching jeans falls in the "do it as quickly and painlessly as possible nevermind how it looks" category.

Actually, my wife used her mighty sewing skill and machine to patch my last shredded pair. Wasn't the knees, tho, the inseam had ripped multiple times and my feeble repair stitches kept coming apart to expose my more delicate regions. She took part of a very very old pair and put a new section in the pair I wanted. Can't really wear them to work, but that's not what they are for.

[Quint]

Or just do what someone I know does. He sells used and torn up jeans to hipsters in NYC who want to look like they've been working in their jeans. Or something. I quit trying to figure out hipsters and their trends and motivvations a few years back.

[mrglock27]

my mom cut up all our old jeans into 4x6 inch pieces and made a beautiful quilt. It weighs like 20 pounds. All different colors of blue, it looks neat.

[mrglock27]

another use- my mom cuts off about a foot of the leg of the pants sews it around the edge to make a bag and then she sews an old shoelace to the bag so it can be tied shut. My dad uses the bags to carry his chainsaw chains when he takes them to get sharpened.

[via media]

I patch mine using the iron-on patches from Wal-Mart...except that I turn the "sticky" side out and iron from the back/inside. This probably wouldn't work well if the knees were completely gone, but I catch 'em when the material is getting see-through thin or when there are small holes.

Occasionally, some of the corners of the patch will start to come up, but a quick shot with the iron makes them as good as new. My mother used the same method except that she stitched around the edge of the patch to really hold it in place.

I like it because it's not as noticable as when the patch is applied from the outside.

/VM

[gilberte]

For you shooters out there, take those cut off leg pieces, sew up one end, put a similar size plastic bag inside. Fill with clean, dry sand and sew up the open end. These make great rifle rests when bench shooting.

[seedspreader]

The iron on stuff is great if used the right way. My wife irons on the patch, puts a backing piece on the inside and then sews all around the patch/hole. Holds up great and is nearly indestructible.

[mommymushbrain]

Originally Posted by mrglock27

my mom cut up all our old jeans into 4x6 inch pieces and made a beautiful quilt. It weighs like 20 pounds. All different colors of blue, it looks neat.

Oooh I am so going to do this. I have about 50 pairs of jeans that are totally worn out (mine seem to bust open in the rear end... :haha and our comforter is going to shreds... Perfect!

[Pony]

I use the iron-on patches and sew them on using the darning setting on the sewing machine. If I'm careful, it looks nice enough. If I'm in a hurry, it looks like it!

Back in high school when I had more time than money, I would sew on patches made of old jeans, then embroider designs over the patch. We also used to pick up trim scraps at the fabric store to sew around the bottoms of our jeans to make them longer and/or fancier.

Hmm... Got a couple pair of old jeans in there right now...

Pony!

[Bluecreekrog]

I also have a quilt made from old jeans, mom backed it with a flannel sheet, and its like sleeping in a sauna.