Hello! Your post on Visible Mending just crossed my Dash and I'm very interested in it! I can only really do basic hand sewing (Haven't tried to get fancy) and I ended up buying a pair of pants with manufactured holes in the knees. I don't like them but the pants are comfortable (And were decently expensive) Which might be the best way to mend away these holes with one of those tecniques?
I'm happy to hear my post on visible mending has inspired you!
Mending knee holes in pants:
There are multiple methods you could use to fix holes in the knees of pants, depending on the type of hole.
If it's a simple rip (no missing fabric or damaged edges), you could use a ladder stitch to close the rip. You'll still see a line where the rip sat, but at least it'll be closed. If the look bothers you, you can always add some embroidery to hide the seam. You don't need amazing embroidery skills to do this: there's a lot you can do with a basic straight stitch or running stitch.
If you have a sewing machine and some fusible interfacing handy, you could also try this invisible denim repair method by Goheen Designs.
(Image source) [ID: a diagram showing how to do the ladder stitch. A threaded needle connects eight parallel points on two separate pieces of fabric. Text reads "Ladder Stitch. Squishicutedesigns.com.]
If we're talking actual holes, as in missing or damaged fabric, a ladder stitch won't suffice. You'll need to add extra fabric to replace that's been lost.
Take a look at this tutorial by Wren Bird Arts on how to patch up a hole from the inside of your garment. She explains how to do this both by hand and by machine.
The only stitch you need to know to follow this tutorial by hand is the running stitch, although I would also recommend a blanket stitch or whipstitch to finish off your raw edges. By reinforcing these edges, you'll prevent the fabric from unravelling. This will make your mend last longer.
If you decide to use this method, you'll need to find fabric that matches your pants if you don't want to draw attention to your fix. You could also go the opposite route and use a contrasting fabric or even a bit of lace to make your mend a design element rather than just a fix.
(Image source) [ID: close-up of the crotch of a pair of blue jeans. Each side has a hole that's been mended: one by hand and one by sewing machine, as indicated by text and arrows.]
Sashiko, a type of traditional Japanese embroidery, is another method you could try. Check out this sashiko tutorial by Soluna Collective, or take a look at the links on sashiko in my visible mending post.
(Image source) [ID: close-up of a hole in a pair of blue jeans that's been mended with sashiko: a geometric pattern of crosses sewn with white thread holds a patch of fabric in place.]
If you want to get really creative with patching, you could also make custom patches in any shape or fabric you want. Sew them on with a backstitch and finish off the edges with a whipstitch or blanket stitch.
(Image source) [ID: close-up of a green fabric patch shaped like the Pokémon Oddish sewn onto a blue pants leg with the use of a backstitch and a blanket stitch.]
You also could try darning, which means weaving extra fabric over the hole. Tumblr-user Delicatefury does a great job at explaining how to do this. You'll need an embroidery hoop and embroidery floss (or something similar) for this. Darning can be tricky, so if you've never done it before, practice on fabric scraps first to get the hang of it before you start working on your pants.
(Image source) [ID: six photo's show the progress of a hole in a red piece of knitted fabric being darned with green thread. A needle first sews new warp threads across the hole with yarn, then weaves new weft threads over and under these warp threads.]
There are plenty of ways to fix up holes at the knees of a pair of pants. Have fun with it!
If you're scared of putting that first stitch into your pants, remember that you probably won't really wear them anyway until you've fixed the thing that bothers you about them. So even if you mess up, you won't have lost much. Plus, most mends can be undone or covered up if you don't like the final result, so you can always start over. :)
If you're looking for inspiration, check out Pinterest or take a look at the following fixes:
(Image source) [ID: a patch of colourful darning on a piece of black denim fabric.]
(Image source) [ID: close-up of a hole in a pair of gray jeans that has been patched up and embroidered to look like a night sky with a dark cloud, white stars, and a crescent moon.]
(Image source) [ID: monster patches: holes in the knees of a pair of jeans have been patched up to look like monsters. The hole forms the mouth of the monster, with white felt teeth poking out. Two embroidered white crosses form the eyes of the monster.]
(Image source) [ID: a close-up of a hole in a pair of light blue jeans that has been patched up with a blue floral fabric. Blue flowers have been embroidered around the patch.]
(Image source) [ID: a pair of jeans that has been mended and embroidered at the knees with geometrical patterns in gold thread.]
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