Common repairs

Patch Jeans With an Outside Patch

Cover a worn spot or hole with a fabric patch stitched on the outside of the jeans. Machine topstitching is stronger. Hand sewing is easier on a knee or in a narrow leg where the machine will not reach.

Confident Beginner45 minHand or machine

What you will learn

Cutting and shaping a patch
Turning raw edges under
Stitching a patch securely

Materials and tools

Denim scrap or ready-made patch, 1 in (25 mm) bigger than the hole on all sides
Topstitch thread or heavy-duty polyester
Hand needle (sharps size 5) or jeans needle 90/14 or 100/16
Fusible web or fabric glue stick
Pins
Iron
Thimble

Before you start

Assess the damage. Press your finger against the hole. If the fabric around it is thin and soft, the patch must reach past it by at least 1 in (25 mm).
Choose the patch fabric. A patch of a similar weight wears evenly. A very thick patch on thin denim will tear the jeans around its edge.
Check where it is. A patch at the knee will bend, so stitch it firmly. On stretch denim use a patch with a little stretch.
Trim loose threads from the hole. Cut the patch with rounded corners, because square corners lift and fray first.

Step by step

Press the jeans flat. Trim loose threads from the hole without cutting away more fabric.
Cut the patch. Make it 1 in (25 mm) wider than the worn area on each side. Round the corners.
Fold the edges of the patch under 1/4 in (6 mm) to the wrong side and press. For a frayed raw edge look, skip this step and zigzag the edge instead.
Place the patch over the hole on the outside. Pin or fix it with a glue stick or fusible web. If you fuse, check the care label and test the iron on a hidden area first. Make sure the grain of the patch runs the same direction as the jeans.
For machine: stitch around the patch 1/8 in (3 mm) from the edge with topstitch thread. Open the leg at the inner seam if necessary, or use the free arm.
For hand: sew a ladder or whipstitch around the folded edge, using doubled thread, with stitches about 1/8 in (3 mm) long.
Sew a second row 1/4 in (6 mm) inside the first for strength. Add a diagonal row through the middle of a large patch.
Trim loose threads and press from the wrong side.

Tips for a neat result

Place the patch on the inside for a hidden repair; see rep-denim-hole.
Use a jeans needle size 100/16 for thick seams.
Match topstitching colour to the jeans or use a contrasting thread as a feature.

Common mistakes and fixes

The patch edges curl up.

Corners are square or the edges are not stitched firmly. Round the corners and add a second row.

The jeans tear around the patch.

The patch is too stiff or too small. Use a lighter patch and reach further into good fabric.

The needle breaks at the seam.

Too many layers. Use a heavy needle and turn the handwheel slowly.

Safety and fabric care

Wear a thimble when hand sewing denim. Unplug the machine before changing needles.

Check your result

The patch lies flat with firmly stitched edges.
No raw hole edges show.
The jeans bend at the knee without pulling.

Stop it happening againAdd a patch inside the knee or seat before holes appear. Avoid rough surfaces and rotate pairs of jeans.

When to use a professionalTake it to a repair service if the area is large, such as a whole seat or both knees, or if you want an invisible mend.

Projects that use this

Sew a Patch onto a GarmentBeginner45 min Applying Patches and Patch ReinforcementsConfident Beginner35 min Mend a Hole in Denim From the InsideIntermediate45 min Reinforce Areas Prone to WearConfident Beginner35 min