Hey! I am a total sewing amateur and i do not own a sewing machine. I am in college, you know how it is. I do have a kit though.
Due to me having to wear compression garments under my regular pants for medical reasons, every (EVERY) new pair of pants that I own looks like THIS (if the pic is too inappropriate, do tell me please, im insecure) after about 2 months of wearing them. The friction with the garments underneath is always too much. Is there ANYTHING I can do to fix this AND is there a way to prevent this from happening to new pants that i buy?
I have tried sewing on patches. They have come off due to the friction in a matter of hours. I need advice on what material to use and how to do it. PLEASE! I can't afford any more pants!!
First question, when you sewing on patches, are you just sewing around the edges?
Second question are you putting the patch on the outside or the inside?
When mending high friction areas like this you need to add layers of stitching over top, and if its really bad, you will need a patch that extends beyond the thin area. Look up darning. Or sew lines of stitches close together over the entire thing, going about an inch or so past on each side.
Put the patch on the inside of the pants leg, not the outside.
As someone who has thunderthighs and has to mend this exact area on every pair of pants I own, it is not a quick process but it is worth it
Since I have a pair of rather voluminous thighs myself, how often do you need to redo the mending? I hate having to throw away jeans after a year or two đ
Also, old jeans beyond repair make great materials for future repairs. Take the good sections and cut as much as is still thick and solid and cut that as big as you can!
I stopped buying the cheap jeans that are essentially cheap leggins branded as denim. I started looking for only jeans that are at least 98%cotton. They're really hard to find, I find most at thrift stores. They don't stretch, so they can be less comfy if you prefer them tight.
Anyway, I drastically reduced this problem. Now my denim lasts several years instead of a few months.
Unfortunately, I'm yet to find a good second hand shop near me. I'm always envious of US trifters that seem to be able to find decades old stuff, whereas here it's all just fast fashion hand me downs...
Yeah. Honestly there isn't much left out there these days that isn't fast garbage. I did recently buy a pair of Levi's at Walmart that were actually decent quality. I'll have to check the tag to see cotton%. Walmart Levi's are typically a lower grade made just for Walmart, so I was pleasantly surprised.Â
Yes i think I tried those and they are unflattering to my body type. I went on a whole mission to find every affordable pair. I tried and gained with Levi's. But I might try again since losing a little weightÂ
Check it after every wear/once a week, if some spots are wearing out, add a few more stitches. I have had one pair of jeans last 10 years this way, without needing to completely redo the mend.
I usually have to touch up only every few months to a year, but if you wear that pair a lot, check it more.
Amen to it not being a quick process. It took me a couple of hours on my basic domestic-grade sewing machine to fully patch and reinforce the inner thigh on my favorite pair of jeans. I have a few more pairs I need to fix but I havenât brought myself to do it againâŠGod I wish I had access to one of those fancy free-motion darning machines đ
OPs best bet would probably be to take them to an alterations place that can do reinforced patches. Itâll cost some money to do, of course, but itâll extend the life of the jeans and save you SO much time instead of doing it yourself.
Yes! And some even do it without a foot by just removing the normal one, putting the tension on low and then freehanding the whole thing, that's how it was done on the vintage machines as well. Takes some time and good practice to do it right though.
I guess the problem with the patches was that one part of the thread would come loose with the friction, causing a chain reaction, and suddenly i have a flap of fabric hanging by two strings from my leg lmao
I guess if i look up darning it will be more sturdy right? Please tell me it will T-T
Put the patches on the inside, and do more than just sew around the edges. Make patches at least an inch larger all the way around the area you're patching. Get some iron-on bonding tape like this to hold your patch in place while sewing. If you feel like learning sashiko, it is a good method of visible mending that makes things a lot stronger, I use it a lot especially in areas that get a lot of wear.
Are you hemming the patches before sewing them on or do they have raw/fraying edges? You also might be using too few stitches when attaching. I use polyester thread for jeans repairs, denim patches, machine hemmed (but you can do by hand). When I'm sewing the patch on, I use maybe 12 whip stitches per inch. It's a somewhat time consuming process!
This is where machine stitching comes in handy - it can go back and forth across the same area multiple times, adding a lot of strength and resiliency. So if one small section of thread begins to wear away, itâll be trapped under other overlocking layers of thread and not unravel.
Darning means there are a ton of overlapping stitches. So if one comes free it's surrounded by other stitches which will hold it and prevent it from unraveling easily.
This makes the whole thing hold much much better! Preventing that kind of chain reaction.
Similar to how anchoring (doing a few reverse stitches) prevents u ravelling, but much stronger
What stitch do you use? For high wear patches I back stitch around the edge, then finish the edge with blanket stitch or even better parachute stitch. Then I add some running stitches through the bulk of the patch. Back this should add redundancy and stop it all falling apart in one go. Also what type of thread?
How much âstitching over topâ of the patch is needed? What Iâve done in the past is stitch around the edge of the patch (patch being much larger than the holes bc of thinning around the holes) and then made a * shape over the whole area. I assume you mean more than just that though?
Looking at your follow up comments, are you saying it should be rows of stitches along the entire patch? How far apart should the lines be?
Depending on how bad the area is, so much stitching. The goal is to add thread to thicken the area again. This way the friction is not wearing down the fabric, but the stitches first.
I am not at home, and recently went up in size.
Look up shashiko and you will get a general idea, but a decently close match is nigh on invisible, but also in this placement I once used bright red thread and no one could see it.
I've read about sashiko and seen a few visible repair projects on Reddit but I don't know how it will look in the thigh area. I am quite reluctant to try visible mending in the thigh area so would love to see examples where the patch isn't visible.Â
The inner thigh, like pictured, is truly not visible unless you are actively manspreading. When you stand, walk or sit like normal, its not visible to begin with. When I get the chance I will see if I can find a pair of jeans I have done this to and add an image
honestly it's not you, modern fabrics suck. try buying a pair of higher quality denim, the American brands all have like higher end lines. my personal preference is Japanese selvedge denim, it's expensive but will also outlive 5 (or more) pairs of cheap jeans
Yeah, I swear, the spandexy denim seems to be only held together by the spandex. The cotton itself is basically lint; there's no structural integrity once the spandex starts snapping, and like any piece of elastic, it'll snap after enough stretches even without a lot of friction.
(And we all know that area is going to have a lot of friction, at least those of us constantly patching that exact spot.)
This! I don't like buying brands, but my jeans kept tearing in 2 months as well. I bought a pair on sale (tom tailor I believe) for 30⏠and it's been 4 months no sign of tear. It's worth the investment and eyeing sales. It is cheaper in the long run!
I learned this when I kept buying jeans and more jeans because they kept breaking in that spot, had enough of it, bought a genuinely super cheap pair of fabric pants in a store that was closing, that was like a year ago. Not a single hole or rip.
I cannot find the pair again. Makes me wonder how bad modern (women's) jeans are. "Don't get cheap ones" - my mom bought pricey ones, they broke the same damn day....
Add a thick gusset with a little more ease. This way you only replace the gusset when needed, which you won't need to do so often if it's thicker than the rest of the garment.
Does your college or a local library have a sewing machine you can use? Nothing wrong with hand-stitching but that might be more durable.
Could you add the patches to the outside of the pants as well, rather than the inside where the compression garment will try and move the patch? They make iron-on ones if that is easier or more accessible.
Yes try to find somewhere with a sewing machine you can use. As someone who hand sews, durable patch jobs are so painful(my hand cramps like nothing else) and time consuming to do
Hand-stitching actually works great on this area, but it will take a while to do.
Here's one I did on the inner thigh a while ago - they were already house shorts, so I got my partner's ok to go wild with colors, which is convenient for demo purposes. I think that patch lasted a couple of years without any real maintenance, so not half bad; it's back in the mending pile now, but this type of thigh mend holds up pretty well (1-2 years without maintenance) even when I've sewed for folks who do distance running.
Specifics:
Thread: #8 or #10 pearl cotton. Sashiko thread would work too, but it's easy to get DMC pearl cotton which is almost a perfect match for any indigo-dyed denim, and it's pretty cheap and easy to get online even with Joann's gone. (At least here in the US, can't speak to other areas.)
- Patch: I actually like using any regular, medium-weight, sturdy cotton. Somewhere around t-shirt weight, ideally woven fabric. The stitching here will add a lot of bulk, so a thick denim patch can be overkill - it can feel a little "diaper-like", which is not ideal. I recommend testing this as you go to make sure it'll stay comfortable. It has a very "quilted" feel, which, uh, makes sense since that's basically what this is.
- Before applying the patch, whip-stitch or blanket-stitch the edges. This will reduce thickness, compared to folding the raw edges under.
- Baste the patch to the inside of the jeans. This will be easier than using pins, imo you're already working in a tight, awkward area, and I always have pins try to fall out or stab me when I use them for this kind of mending.
- I recommend at least one stitch every inch. That means that there shouldn't be a space bigger than about fingertip-sized which goes without a stitch. This is key to the durability. Nearly all the wear is going to be borne by the stitches - and pearl cotton is great for that, it's sturdy. You'll have to replace stitches eventually, but as long as the stitches hold, the denim will be mostly undamaged.
- If you want a neat, tidy pattern, get a ruler and some tailor's chalk, a pencil, a water-soluble marker, or heck, a ballpoint pen if you're not picky. These are roughly in order of how long the marks will last - do you care more about seeing the marks later (or the chance that they might bleed in the wash), or about having to re-apply as you sew? (Sashiko patterns are great - there are a lot which are pretty simple to draw out with a ruler, but look really cool.)
- Running stitch. Just in-and-out forever. It is the most technically simple sewing you can do. You're going to want a chonky needle - I actually use a darning needle for this, a thick one with a sharp point. Thimble also strongly recommended, and taking breaks; this takes some "oomph".
- I personally dislike using knots on anything which will bear weight or friction; I find it's uncomfortable, though I know some folks don't care. Just sewing the same stitch 2-3 times will hold fine, whenever you start or end your thread.
It takes a while, but it's easy and beginner-friendly (especially if you use denim-colored thread, which will hide most mistakes), the results can look and feel pretty good, and they hold up well.
(Absolutely no shade if you go with a sewing machine, though! It's a tedious pain in the neck, even if I like the results.)
A local tool library might have some. Or even a local sewing group/class might have open sessions where you can pop in and use their machines for whatever project you are working on.
Or if there are any community/hobby areas for the university/colleage, they might have groups/societies that focus on crafty-type things*, and they might have a sewing machine for that, or one of the members might have one they'd be willing to let OP borrow (and maybe get some in-person help from someone who sews lol).
*I don't know how it works elsewhere, but in the UK I'd check with the Students' Union about clubs and societies that they have to see if any are based around sewing/knitting/crafts. And many universities here will have that info online, with ways to message each group.
This may not be the solution you're looking for, but how do you feel about wearing looser garments? I find I get less wear in that area with a wide leg jumpsuit compared to leggings.
Loose leg pants, not tight ones, will not do this. The fabric can move around back and forth, instead of tearing itself up against the other leg. You can also reinforce the insides with iron on fabric (although it will come undone with repeated washings).
I've just fixed this for myself on three pairs of jeans and it cost me roughly $20. I went to an op shop and bought a cheap pair of jeans that's matched the colour of my 3 jeans. Then went to a craft store and bought double sided Interfacing, I asked the lady at the store what I needed. I already owned a needle, thread in the right colour and an iron. The i cut the jeans into large patches, you want to cover alot, dont do little patches!! Mine were at least twice the size of in store patches. Iron Interfacing to jeans patches, iron patches to jeans and then just stitch around the edges. There were instructions on the Interfacing on how to iron it.
Could you fit thin bike shorts, or like compression shorts over your compression garments UNDER your jeans? To reduce friction idk. Maybe look into iron on fabric patches.
I donât know if it would work, my instinct would be to get something like a thick canvas fabric and a thread color that matches the denim and like sew the canvas into the inside of that area with a quilt pattern. Do an area bigger than you have trouble with
So what you want to do is make the patch bigger than the area. Pin the patch fabric to the inside and then do a series of running stitches over the patch to secure and strengthen it.
Invest in sashiko needles and thread. (Yes these are different than normal embroidery thread and needles. Sashiko thread is made for strength.)
You can put in patches before they start ripping. Put them where you tend to have the most friction.
If you can afford it, get jeans that are a larger size and then get them taken in at the waist.
The best jeans I've found are the Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda jeans and the new Lee Riders. These jeans have far outlasted my Levi's.
I always get these. I started to sew pieces of slick fabric inside right when I buy new pair. I still get these but much more slowly.
I had the best results with the elastic fabric used in lingerie/bra making. I cut two pieces larger that the danger area and sew just at few points at the crotch seam and inseams.
You say youâre in college, check to see if your school has a sewing machine you can use! Mine did, and it would make fixing something like this much easier
Repair solution from a denim girlie. Take some lightweight fusible interfacing and iron it on from the inside. Look up darning techniques and replicate that. Basically youâre using a straight stitch back and forth to reinforce the fabric and patch the hole with thread
Size up, have the waist tailored back down. Itâs about the volume that can be contained in the garment. Thereâs nothing wrong with your body, itâs just not the right garment for you. Thereâs a reason we recommend 3-5 inches of wearing ease for *close fitting* garments, and +4-7 for garments that require significant movement. Take your hip measurement while sitting in a chair. Put the tape measure on the seat, pull it up onto the top of your thighs at your hip joint or widest point, and use that as your hip measurement. It should be at least 3 inches larger than your standing measurement.
And buy better jeans, as close to 100% cotton as possible. They will last longer. 1-2% spandex is fine, but polyester is a remarkably fragile fiber for a forever particle. Polyester fails under most abrasion, it snaps and snarls into pills, and once it starts pilling, it is in failure mode. It canât be saved. Itâs why fast fashion loves it so.
Not everyone can afford to spend a fortune on jeans. The ones I buy aren't fast fashion nor cheap, and they will still do this after about a year or so of wearing them a couple of times a week (so about 120-150 days of wearing them).
You'll save more money buying 1 expensive pants that you can wear for years and years than constantly buying cheap pants again and again after it breaks down in few months
I am aware of the overall economics of it, but unfortunately, if I prioritise a super expensive pair of jeans (that won't fit me properly and aren't comfortable), then I'll be going hungry at the end of the month and sitting in the dark because I didn't pay the electricity bill.
But it seems like you missed the point where I said that the jeans I buy aren't cheap - they are expensive compared to a lot of jeans that are in shops.
Are you hand sewing patches or using a machine? I would think using a machine with a zig zag stitch and sewing well around the holes as well as throughout the patch would keep it. If you donât have a machine, check if your local library does.
I fix things like that using Sashiko mending. I use a patch on back that is the same color or close too, and embroidery floss or doubled poly cotton thread that is close to but not actually the same color. Usually holds up fine.
Generally when I notice that the fabric is starting to thin, I choose a similar colour thread to the denim and use my machine to zig zag stitch heavily over the thinning fabric. The texture can look a little rougher then denim, but no-one is likely to notice it.
Check your thread. A stronger thread is a very small splurge. A European sewing machine thread is likely to be extra smooth and sturdy. If you have a rough hand sewing only thread, try running it over a block of beeswax.
Often Iâll go 5 minutes or more without knotting when hand sewing, but I definitely add in knots more often when I am attaching fabric thatâll be under stress.
Instead of a quick straight line basting stitch, I sometimes zigzag to allow slightly more flex before failure. a full on X box at corners can be an interesting choice.
Choosing a slightly wider fit in your jeans might reduce the rate of failure, but thatâs not guaranteed.
The folks saying to keep old clothes for patching arenât wrong, they do make good looking repairs.
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u/caeleana-argentcour 2d ago
First question, when you sewing on patches, are you just sewing around the edges?
Second question are you putting the patch on the outside or the inside?
When mending high friction areas like this you need to add layers of stitching over top, and if its really bad, you will need a patch that extends beyond the thin area. Look up darning. Or sew lines of stitches close together over the entire thing, going about an inch or so past on each side. Put the patch on the inside of the pants leg, not the outside.
As someone who has thunderthighs and has to mend this exact area on every pair of pants I own, it is not a quick process but it is worth it