How To Patch Work Jeans
Spencer, who works as an electrician, likes to wear Carhartt-brand pants for work. Carhartt pants are very high quality and will last for years if you don’t mind a few patches. Spencer keeps four or five pairs of work pants. Since he started working six years ago we have only replaced two pairs.
Mending denim is falsely stereotyped as being difficult. It is actually very simple. Remember to sew very slowly. Also change to a sharp, heavy gauge needle.
Begin by turning the pants inside out. This patch is sewn on the wrong side of the fabric so it is your bobbin thread that should match the pants.
Cut out a patch larger than the hole.
Pin the patch in place over the hole.
Sew around the patch with a satin stitch.
Turn and sew to the corner.
This basic patch can hold belt loops in place, hold down a pocket corner,
And patch a crotch seam.
When a pair of pants is truly worn through I save what I can for future patches and repairs. Spencer hooks tools on his back pocket so they are usually in pretty bad shape. I save the left pockets to replace the right ones when they wear out. The knees of pants are stretched and scuffed from crawling in tight spaces so I save the back of the pants for patch fabric. I have also replaced zippers.
Spencer wears free t-shirts and gets a new pair of work boots about every two years. I have some pretty cheap outfits, but none compare to this kind of cost-per-wear.
Hi there. Thanks for this info. I am wondering – do you use fabric from old Carhartt jeans to patch? I am looking for something to patch two holes in the rear end, on either side of the seam – and wondering what to use that won’t be irritating to sit on, on the sewing edge. Any suggestions? My friend travels a lot in his truck and also bends over a lot in his work, so a seamless edge – as much as possible – is desired.
Have you ever used the iron-on patches? I am thinking they might be ok if I used one on each side of the jeans. Thanks for your advice! JT
I do use old Carhartt jeans or denim to patch. I trim the patches to make smooth edges on the inside. I remember something about whole-knee patches from the Tightwad Gazette? I don’t think that would solve the rear end problem, though.
I used an iron-on patch on some carhartts of mine…the patch fell off almost immediately after wearing them. I would not recommend it especially for work, us guys need something more durable. I was thinking about sew on patches using old carhartts, I think this would work well.
Do you open the leg seam to apply the knee patch?