Difference between revisions of "Fix Ripped Jeans"
m (importing article from wikihow) |
m (Update ref tag) |
||
| Line 3: | Line 3: | ||
==Steps== | ==Steps== | ||
===Fixing a Tear=== | ===Fixing a Tear=== | ||
| − | #Cut off the frayed edges. Before you get to properly repairing your jeans, you'll first need to cut the excess threads, or frayed edges caused by the tear. Take some scissors and try to cut reasonably close; you want to get rid of any protrusions, but you also don't want to lose any material you can otherwise save. <ref>http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/11/how-to-mend-your-jeans</ref> | + | #Cut off the frayed edges. Before you get to properly repairing your jeans, you'll first need to cut the excess threads, or frayed edges caused by the tear. Take some scissors and try to cut reasonably close; you want to get rid of any protrusions, but you also don't want to lose any material you can otherwise save. <ref name="rf1">http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/aug/11/how-to-mend-your-jeans</ref> |
#Sew up the tear. Provided you haven't lost much material, you can usually mend smaller rips without using any patches. First, turn your jeans inside out; that way, when you sew, the new seams won't be as visible. Take a sewing needle and thread, and stitch back and forth until the rip is mended. Try to make the stitches as close as possible. | #Sew up the tear. Provided you haven't lost much material, you can usually mend smaller rips without using any patches. First, turn your jeans inside out; that way, when you sew, the new seams won't be as visible. Take a sewing needle and thread, and stitch back and forth until the rip is mended. Try to make the stitches as close as possible. | ||
#*If it's available, try to use thread that's the same as the seam as the rest of the jeans. In many cases, this will be a white or black thread. If the rip is in a conspicuous place far away from natural seams, it's recommended you choose a colour that best fits your jeans' regular colour (usually blue or black). | #*If it's available, try to use thread that's the same as the seam as the rest of the jeans. In many cases, this will be a white or black thread. If the rip is in a conspicuous place far away from natural seams, it's recommended you choose a colour that best fits your jeans' regular colour (usually blue or black). | ||
| − | #Cut all excess thread and remaining protruding material. Once you get the rip sewn up, you can proceed to cut the extra bits off. Be sure to cut the sewing thread as close to the jean material as you can. If there are any frayed edges you didn't catch the first time around, give them a cut now. <ref>http://www.manmadediy.com/users/dan_e_t/posts/2651-the-diy-tailor-an-easy-way-to-fix-holes-in-your-jeans-and-other-garments</ref> | + | #Cut all excess thread and remaining protruding material. Once you get the rip sewn up, you can proceed to cut the extra bits off. Be sure to cut the sewing thread as close to the jean material as you can. If there are any frayed edges you didn't catch the first time around, give them a cut now. <ref name="rf2">http://www.manmadediy.com/users/dan_e_t/posts/2651-the-diy-tailor-an-easy-way-to-fix-holes-in-your-jeans-and-other-garments</ref> |
#Give your jeans a once-over with a clothes iron. Now that you've made the repair, you'll want to seal the jeans with an iron press. This will smooth out any creases and give your pants a fresh feeling of newness. | #Give your jeans a once-over with a clothes iron. Now that you've made the repair, you'll want to seal the jeans with an iron press. This will smooth out any creases and give your pants a fresh feeling of newness. | ||
===Mending a Torn Seam=== | ===Mending a Torn Seam=== | ||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
#Assess the damage and prepare thread. In the vast majority of cases, you'll find a torn seam is a few centimetres at most. Unless the tear is miniscule or much more significant, it is generally good form to cut a length of thread that's around the length of your arm. Seam stitches tend to be very tightly woven, and the thread will disappear faster than you might think. If you even up with excess at the end of mending, you ca always cut the extra thread off at the end. | #Assess the damage and prepare thread. In the vast majority of cases, you'll find a torn seam is a few centimetres at most. Unless the tear is miniscule or much more significant, it is generally good form to cut a length of thread that's around the length of your arm. Seam stitches tend to be very tightly woven, and the thread will disappear faster than you might think. If you even up with excess at the end of mending, you ca always cut the extra thread off at the end. | ||
#*Make sure to choose a thread that resembles the existing stitching as closely as possible. This doesn't always match up with the colour of the jeans themselves-- some denim brands tend to prefer golden thread. Choosing a close colour will make the repairs look harder to recognize. | #*Make sure to choose a thread that resembles the existing stitching as closely as possible. This doesn't always match up with the colour of the jeans themselves-- some denim brands tend to prefer golden thread. Choosing a close colour will make the repairs look harder to recognize. | ||
| − | #Closely sew the thread across the torn seam. <ref>http://www.marthastewart.com/274965/how-to-patch-a-hole-mend-a-seam-and-fix/@center/277000/homekeeping-solutions</ref> Hold the fabric and the broken seam together and slowly stitch them back together. It is highly recommended that you try to follow the pre-existing stitch pattern. The closer you're able to get to replicating that pattern, the harder it will be for anyone to detect there was a repair in the first place. | + | #Closely sew the thread across the torn seam. <ref name="rf3">http://www.marthastewart.com/274965/how-to-patch-a-hole-mend-a-seam-and-fix/@center/277000/homekeeping-solutions</ref> Hold the fabric and the broken seam together and slowly stitch them back together. It is highly recommended that you try to follow the pre-existing stitch pattern. The closer you're able to get to replicating that pattern, the harder it will be for anyone to detect there was a repair in the first place. |
#*You'll need a stronger needle to penetrate the thicker seam fabric. | #*You'll need a stronger needle to penetrate the thicker seam fabric. | ||
#Cut off any excess thread at the end. Once you've sewn shut the extent of the tear, you should take some scissors and cut off any excess thread as close as you can. | #Cut off any excess thread at the end. Once you've sewn shut the extent of the tear, you should take some scissors and cut off any excess thread as close as you can. | ||
#Iron the seam. It's always good measure to iron out the seam once you're done with the sewing. This will smooth out any creases in the thread and help seal in your repairs. | #Iron the seam. It's always good measure to iron out the seam once you're done with the sewing. This will smooth out any creases in the thread and help seal in your repairs. | ||
===Patching a Hole=== | ===Patching a Hole=== | ||
| − | #Get a patch that suits the style of your jeans and size of the hole. When it comes to bigger holes that cannot be mended with a single seam, your best bet is to look into getting a patch-- an extra piece of fabric you can integrate into your jeans to cover the hole. You can find patches at a local arts and crafts or clothing specialty outlet. Buy a patch that matches the colour of your jeans as closely as possible. You'll want to get a patch that's slightly bigger than the hole you're covering; that way, you'll have some extra room to make errors. <ref>http://jillcataldo.com/mending_my_familys_clothes/</ref> | + | #Get a patch that suits the style of your jeans and size of the hole. When it comes to bigger holes that cannot be mended with a single seam, your best bet is to look into getting a patch-- an extra piece of fabric you can integrate into your jeans to cover the hole. You can find patches at a local arts and crafts or clothing specialty outlet. Buy a patch that matches the colour of your jeans as closely as possible. You'll want to get a patch that's slightly bigger than the hole you're covering; that way, you'll have some extra room to make errors. <ref name="rf4">http://jillcataldo.com/mending_my_familys_clothes/</ref> |
| − | #*While denim patches are the safest bet if you're looking to really repair your jeans, you can take the damage as an opportunity to stylize your jeans with brightly coloured or flannel patches. Adding a patch that will clearly stand out from the rest of the clothing will give it a down-to-earth flair. While denim (or 'masked' alterations) are best sewn in on the inside of the jeans, patching different fabrics to the outside of your jeans will make them more prominent and eye-catching. <ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKwOKHT_AxI</ref> | + | #*While denim patches are the safest bet if you're looking to really repair your jeans, you can take the damage as an opportunity to stylize your jeans with brightly coloured or flannel patches. Adding a patch that will clearly stand out from the rest of the clothing will give it a down-to-earth flair. While denim (or 'masked' alterations) are best sewn in on the inside of the jeans, patching different fabrics to the outside of your jeans will make them more prominent and eye-catching. <ref name="rf5">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKwOKHT_AxI</ref> |
#*If you're feeling thrifty, you can harvest your own patches from jeans you don't use anymore. | #*If you're feeling thrifty, you can harvest your own patches from jeans you don't use anymore. | ||
| − | #Cut frayed edges. If you have a bigger hole that will require a patch, you should still cut off the frayed edges. Even if it sounds like you are consciously losing material, the frayed edges won't be any help in mending it, so it's best to get rid of them, leaving a clean hole. Take some scissors and cut excess threads around the hole. By the end, there shouldn't be any threads significantly sticking out. <ref | + | #Cut frayed edges. If you have a bigger hole that will require a patch, you should still cut off the frayed edges. Even if it sounds like you are consciously losing material, the frayed edges won't be any help in mending it, so it's best to get rid of them, leaving a clean hole. Take some scissors and cut excess threads around the hole. By the end, there shouldn't be any threads significantly sticking out. <ref name="rf2" /> |
#Turn your pants inside out. With patches in particular, it's recommended you turn your jeans inside out while you're patching them. That way, the most visible seams won't be externally visible. It'll also give you a bit of extra room to make sewing mistakes. | #Turn your pants inside out. With patches in particular, it's recommended you turn your jeans inside out while you're patching them. That way, the most visible seams won't be externally visible. It'll also give you a bit of extra room to make sewing mistakes. | ||
#*It's typically better to sew a denim patch in from the inside. This will make the patch look less evident, as well as cover up the most visible stitch lines. | #*It's typically better to sew a denim patch in from the inside. This will make the patch look less evident, as well as cover up the most visible stitch lines. | ||
| Line 28: | Line 28: | ||
{{Video:Fix Ripped Jeans|}} | {{Video:Fix Ripped Jeans|}} | ||
== Tips == | == Tips == | ||
| − | *Stitch on an ironing board. This will give you a safe surface to work on without risk of damaging the fabric; this is especially true if you're ironing the cloth afterwards. <ref | + | *Stitch on an ironing board. This will give you a safe surface to work on without risk of damaging the fabric; this is especially true if you're ironing the cloth afterwards. <ref name="rf2" /> |
| − | *Specialized denim repair kits are available for around $10. You can buy these at a tailor or specialty clothes outlet. <ref | + | *Specialized denim repair kits are available for around $10. You can buy these at a tailor or specialty clothes outlet. <ref name="rf1" /> |
| − | *Frequently worn jeans will wear out faster. <ref>http://www.nudiejeans.com/repair/</ref> | + | *Frequently worn jeans will wear out faster. <ref name="rf6">http://www.nudiejeans.com/repair/</ref> |
== Warnings == | == Warnings == | ||
