This month I fixed twelve holes. Twelve. That's twelve pieces of clothing that aren't sitting in a landfill. I'm not an expert. I'm just someone who got tired of buying new jeans every year.
Here's what I fixed. What worked. What looks kind of ugly. And what I'm still too scared to try.
The jeans knee rip – big success
My favorite jeans got a hole right over the left knee. Old pair. Soft from years of wear. I almost threw them out three times.
I used a piece of denim from an old pair I already cut up for rags. Stitched it behind the hole with dark blue thread. Then went over the top with white thread in a messy cross pattern.
Does it look perfect? No. The white thread stands out. But that's the point of visible mending. You see the fix. It tells a story.
Would I do it again? Yes. These are my go-to jeans for gardening now. They look cooler with the patch.
The shirt collar hole – kind of messed up
My partner's favorite flannel got a hole right where the collar meets the button. Small. Annoying placement.
I tried to stitch it closed with matching thread. Worked okay. But I pulled too tight and now the collar sits weird. You can see the pinch if you look close.
What I learned: Don't pull so hard. Loose stitches are better than tight ones on spots that move a lot.
He still wears the shirt. Didn't even notice until I pointed it out. So maybe I'm being too hard on myself.
The sweater moth hole – my proudest
Wool sweater. Tiny hole on the front. Moths got it last winter.
I learned sashiko stitching from a YouTube video. Took me three tries to get the pattern right. White thread on charcoal gray wool. Little crosses marching across the hole.
This one actually looks good. Like it came that way. I wore it to dinner and someone asked where I bought it.
That felt amazing.
What I still can't fix
Holes in t-shirt collars. The kind where the fabric just thins out and splits near the seam. I tried twice. Both times looked terrible. The stitching bunched up. The collar felt stiff and wrong.
Also stretchy fabric. My workout leggings got a tiny hole. I fixed it and the patch ripped out the first time I put them on. The thread didn't stretch with the fabric. Dumb mistake.
If anyone knows how to fix leggings, please tell me. I'm stuck.
The supplies that actually work
I tried cheap thread first. Bad idea. It broke halfway through my first patch.
What I use now:
Denim or cork fabric for patches (old jeans are free)
Polyester thread (stronger than cotton)
A curved needle for tight spots (game changer)
Good lighting (I'm not 25 anymore)
Total cost under $20. I've fixed maybe $300 worth of clothes with this stuff.
Ask me anything
Seriously. I've ruined plenty of fixes too. I'll tell you what I did wrong.
The one thing I'm still scared of: Mending a down jacket. The fabric is so thin. The feathers will go everywhere if I mess up. I have one sitting in my closet with a small tear. Been there for three months.
Maybe next month.
