Fix it: Denim jean repair tutorial

We all have that favourite pair of jeans that are the most flattering and so comfy. For me it was these high-waisted black denim jeans that I brought from Topshop three years ago which some might say probably need replacing but I have decided to make them last that little bit longer by repairing them.

As you can tell from the photo below these jeans have seen better days and show a few signs of wear and tear. I didn't want to just quickly patch them up as I wanted the repair to be a bit more subtle than that. This is why I have decided to use black thread and my sewing machine rather then hand-stitching.

You will need:

- Thread (that matches the colour of your jeans)

- Unpicker

- Thin soft-feeling fabric (I used cotton off-cuts from a bag project)

- Sewing machine

Step 1:

Depending on where the worn out areas of your jeans are will determine which seam you need to unpick. For me the area was around the inside leg seam, so I unpicked the outside leg seam stopping short of the waistband. 

Step 2:

Now open the leg up so that you have a flat area to work with. Then use a zigzag stitch to join any torn areas of fabric back together (as shown to the left of this image) before doing further reinforcement. 

Step 3:

Use the repair setting on your sewing machine if you have it or use standard straight stitch to go over any areas that need reinforcing including any torn areas that have already been joined in step 2. Once you have covered the affected areas in one direction go over it again in the opposite direction to crosshatch over the worn out areas. Once this step has been completed it should resemble something like the image below. Trim any loose threads. 

Step 4: (optional)

The area along the seams on my jeans were also showing signs of a lot of wear so I decided to reinforce this area and add an extra design detail at the same time.

Change the stitch setting back to zigzag and then change the stitch spacing so it is really tight so they no longer look like zigzags and give you a solid wide straight line (as shown below)

Step 5:

Now that the repairs and reinforcements have been made it is important to ensure that the jeans are still comfortable to wear. I found that the stitching was a bit scratchy against the skin, so that is why I have decided to include fabric patches on the inside.

Cut the fabric to the size that you need to cover any areas that were reinforced. (I used some fabrics scraps I had left over from another project)

To prevent fraying I overlocked the edges of the patches but you could also use zig-zag stitch.

Position the patched in place then edge stitch them to secure. I used two patches rather than one larger one so I wasn't using an unnecessary amount of fabric and didn't create to much bulk.

Step 6:
Finally stitch the seam that was unpicked earlier and re-do the hem if needed.

I really enjoyed the process of repairing these jeans and giving them a new lease of life, ensuring they remain a staple in my wardrobe that little bit longer. Although I may need to re-dye them black as they are more of a dark grey now.






























I will definitely be mending more of my clothes in the future as and when they need it.

First impressions: Janome 8002DX Overlocker

I have recently purchased my very own Janome 8002DX overlocker to give a professional finish to my garments as I start to develop my business. I chose this model as it was reasonably priced and met all of my overlocking needs. There wasn’t a lot of difference between this model and the Janome 9200D other than the tension dials are on the outside rather than inside (apparently the other model is also easier to thread). I decided this fact didn’t bother me as long as the capabilities were the same.

The DVD intro:

I found the narration rather uninspiring and a bit dry although because of this they were easy to understand so I guess that was the point. It showed me how to thread my machine which was useful as there is nothing quite like a video tutorial to walk you through these tasks. Then they went through all of the different capabilities of my machine. It was at this point that I started to get bamboozled with all of the tension changes, differential feed dials and stitch length dial changes.

First go:

I decided to just go for it. Nothing beats getting to know a new machine like making a few samples. My machine already came pre-threaded so I decided to leave those in place then got my sample-sized piece of calico and ran it through the machine ensuring I left a 5cm chain at the beginning. However it was clear something wasn’t right as my stitches were not meeting the edge of my fabric so I adjusted the cutting width. This seemed to solve the issue, so I decided to make a few more samples such as joining two pieces of fabric and following the whole edge of the fabric. The image above shows before and after the adjustment I made.

Through much of the experimentation I referred to the instruction book more than the DVD as I found the detail in there much more useful in terms of practical advice and trouble-shooting. 

Next up I decided to experiment with the stitch lengths. I went through each setting to see which finish I preferred. For the purpose of finishing the inside of garments I’ve decided I preferred either stitch length 2.5 or 3. I found stitch length 1 was too tight and the finished result too uneven for this purpose, I’m sure as I experiment further I’ll find a use for this one but currently I can’t think of one. If you know of any uses for the this stitch length please let me know. 

Rolled hems: 

I have now decided that I adore rolled hems after trying them on my overlocker. Despite how scary the DVD made it seem it was actually quite easy to set up. I simply followed the instructions and with no trouble at all I achieved a great finish. I can see myself using this function a lot as it gives such a neat finish.

Conclusion:

I am so glad I invested in an overlocker as the finishes I am going to be able to achieve on this machine will add a professional finish and help the garments I make last longer. There is still a lot I need to learn to get the most out of this machine but it is not as scary as I thought. It is simpler to use than I imagined but you do need a bit of patience when it comes to threading it. I look forward to using this in many of my future sewing projects.  

I will write a follow-up post once I have begun to master the machine. Please let me know in the comments if there is anything in particular that you want to know about this over-locker.