3 Easy and Adorable Ways to Patch Pants

lace flower patches on jeans

Running, jumping, dancing, playing, falling down and getting back up again. It’s all part of the magic of childhood, and it’s all pretty darn hard on your kids’ clothes. Patch up those holes or cover any stubborn stains with three ideas that are totally not square.

1. Embroidered Lace Patch

lace flower patch

Jean knee rips, meet your match!

What You Need

  • Lace or embroidered patches
  • Invisible thread
  • Hand sewing needle
  • pinning jeans around rip

    1. Have your child try on the jeans, especially if they stretch, and measure the size of the hole when formed to her leg.

    pinning lace patches on hole

    2. Find or buy lace patches large enough to cover the hole. Or, mix and match several smaller ones to cover the surface area. Pin patches over the rip.

    lace flower patches on jeans

    3. Stitch the patch edges to the outside of the jeans. Then, stitch any overlapping patches together where the edges meet.

    2. Leather Cat Patch

    leather cat patch

    Sometimes you need a little extra reinforcement, especially at heavy-wear spots like elbows and knees. One simple and stylish solution: use leather. (This material is better, however, for garments that don’t need to stretch.)

    What You Need

  • Leather or vegan leather scraps
  • Matching thread
  • Leather needle
  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • striped pants with stain

    1. Turn the garment inside out and un-pick the seam near the stain or hole. This will allow you to stitch the patch with your sewing machine. Leave it open at least 4″ above and below the area you will patch.

    2. Cut out the patch shapes. And be creative: You can even cut out multiple separate shapes for fun ad-ons like these cat ears. (Just be sure to make your additional shapes large enough that a portion of it can be sewn underneath or over your main patch when stitching the edge.)

    gluing leather patch

    3. Lay the patch in place on the right side of the garment. Adhere all the pieces in place temporarily with basting spray or a school glue stick. Do not use pins, as they will leave permanent holes in your patch.

    stitch leather patch

    4. Edgestitch around the patch using a leather needle and your sewing machine. Then stitch the garment back together along the seam.

    3. Colorful Scrap Patches With Decorative Stitches

    scrap fabric patches

    This more-traditional patch ups the cuteness-factor with colorful fabrics and whimsical stitching.

    What You Need

  • Pre-washed scraps of fabric
  • Embroidery floss
  • Hand sewing needle
  • Scissors
  • 1. Cut one or several scraps of fabric large enough to patch the hole or cover a stain. If the garment is stretchy, try it on to make sure the scraps will still cover the area when the clothing is stretched. Pin the scraps to your fabric as desired, or temporarily glue them on with basting spray or a water-soluble glue stick.

    sewing scrap fabric patches

    Use simple embroidery stitches to attach the patch to the garment. Choose a contrasting thread color to make the stitches pop! Try running stitches, X or plus sign shapes to add more interest to the design. Have some fun with it!

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