My dad gave me these ripped jeans he’s had from at least 2005. In pants years, this means they’re ANCIENT. I wore them for a while as is because they’re super comfy and always look great on me!
But the time came for me to mend them to extend their life… Pants Life Support if you will…
I’m making a couple other pairs of pants that are too short into cut offs, and so I used pieces of the leftover legs to mend these ones.
The technique that makes cool patterns is called sashiko, a Japanese form of mending and embroidery that came about due to extreme poverty during the Edo period. Fabric was expensive and this was a beautiful way to mend what you already had to save money and preserve precious clothing and blankets. Some garments have survived for decades or even a hundred years, with many patches and panels of stitching.