How to do visible mending on jeans

Hi Creative Mamas! I am so excited to share this DIY Fashion technique, visible mending, and to share my approach to mending which is through the use of fabric mending patches.

If you’ve ever pulled your favorite jeans out of the wardrobe only to notice small holes, large tears, or fraying along the edges of the hole—don’t worry.

Instead of letting them gather dust (or worse, throwing them away), I want to introduce you to one of my favorite slow fashion skills: visible mending.

Visible mending techniques not only repair your jeans but also ads personality, charm, and creativity to your clothes. It’s a way to rebel against fast fashion by making your clothes last for years while telling a unique story through each stitch.

Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about wearing your own clothes that you’ve lovingly restored as well as altering and re sizing your old jeans.

In this post, I’ll share how to repair jeans using a mix of visible mending stitches, embroidery, and patches, plus how to make your mending pieces even more special with fabric you’ve dyed, eco-printed, or manipulated yourself.

I will show you how I create my mending patches by using creative sewing and fabric manipulation techniques such as pin tucks and cross over tucks as well as natural dyeing and eco printing techniques. Let’s get started and with make do and mend ideas!

If you want to learn how to create cross over tucks using fabric scraps sign up for the FREE VIDEO TURIAL HERE! Patterns and templates included!

Why Visible Mending Jeans?

Visible mending isn’t just about fixing a problem. It’s about turning it into an opportunity for expression. Unlike invisible mending, which hides the repair, visible mending says, “Yes, I fixed this—and I made it beautiful!”

By mending your pair of jeans this way, you:

• Will save money and resources.
• Keep old clothes out of landfill.
• Create something uniquely yours.
• Join a movement of textile artists and makers who are reviving traditional sewing skills, such as visible mending embroidery, creative mending.

It’s also a great starting point for exploring sashiko embroidery, basic darn, and creative patching.

What You’ll Need

You only need a few items in your mending toolkit:

• Sewing machine (optional, for attaching patches or reinforcing fabric).
• Tapestry needle or embroidery needle.
• Embroidery thread, perle cotton thread, or even white thread for contrast.
• Fabric scrap for your small patch (handmade or thrifted).
• Scissors for trimming excess threads.
• Chalk or a fabric pen to mark the particular area.

How to mend jeans with fabric patches

Making Your Own Mending Patches

One of the most delightful parts of visible mending is creating your own patches. Instead of using a plain scrap, why not make the patch a little work of art?

Here are some ideas inspired by other DIY Fashion projects you might love:

• Naturally dyed fabrics – Try using pieces from your natural dyeing projects. Naturally dyed patches bring subtle, earthy tones that pair beautifully with denim.
• Eco printed fabric – Create patches from your eco printing on fabric projects for one-of-a-kind botanical designs.
• Fabric manipulation – Add texture by making a patch from your fabric manipulation experiments. Think tucks, pleats, or ruching.
• Embroidery samplers – Use small areas of your hand embroidery samplers as patches and combine it with Sashiko Visible Mending.

These techniques turn your small patch into a feature rather than an afterthought.

Using Naturally Dyed Fabrics and Wool

The photo below illustrates the kind of mending details that you can create with naturally dyed wool. I used my dyed wool to mend the frayed edges of the jeans pocket openings by embroidering with a satin stitch.

The photo below shows the patches that I created by sewing little scraps of my naturally dyed fabrics (cotton, wool and silk)

These patchwork dyed fabric patches look amazing and they create such a pop of color on the jeans!

Fabric Manipulation – Fabric techniques

The photo below shows pin tucks which have been manipulated into cross over tucks and they make great patches too!

I like using them to mend holes in jeans knee areas as in the photo below.

Mending with Patchwork Fabric

Using fabric scraps to create little squares of patchwork fabric is a great way to make us of all those fabric leftovers!!!!! Minimal waste sewing mama!!!!

You can create all sorts of fun designs and also you can use the fabric of favorite blouse which has seen better days but you still love the fabric!

The photo below shows a bell bottom upcycle/mend project that I did while filming The Ultimate Jeans Alterations Course! So much fun!!!

Embroidery samplers

Using creative embroidery stitches is another great way to create designs in your patches. Below you can see a variety of cut outs of denim from old jeans which I transformed into patches and embroidered using Sashiko inspires stitches and designs.

Step-by-Step Visible Mending Tutorial

Here’s my simple method for mending jeans inner thigh, jeans back pocket, or any upper thigh area that needs a little love.

Step 1: Assess the Damage

Lay your jeans flat on the right side. Identify whether you have small holes, larger holes, or actual holes, and check the edges of the hole for fraying. Trim excess threads neatly.

Step 2: Choose Your Patch

Pick a fabric scrap you love. Match it to the size of the damage, leaving at least 1–2 cm seam allowance around the hole. For small tears, you might skip the patch and focus on stitching.

In my mending practice I create my patches as I described above. I ususally have a pile of patches sitting in my sewing room ready to be applied to any upcycling and mending project!

Step 3: Prepare the Jeans

If you’re mending the side of the hole or the upper thigh area, slip a piece of cardboard inside the leg to prevent stitching through both layers.

Step 4: Patched Denim Jeans With Embroidery

For a neat, quick repair, you can use a sewing machine and a straight line stitch to secure the patch from the inside. For a more artisanal touch, hand-stitch the patch to the jeans using running stitch, knitted stitch, or even decorative Sashiko embroidery patterns.

You can use your Sashiko inspired denim patches or:

• Create a Sashiko Stitch Hem
• Create a Sashiko Hemming
• Create a Sashiko Visible Mending
• Create a Visible Hemming Stitch
• Create a Visible Mending Hem

Lots and lots of creative possibilities!

Please note that you can sew the patches onto the jeans by hand or with a sewing machine. You will get different aesthetics, both amazing but different.

Step 5: Add Visible Mending Stitches

Use embroidery thread or perle cotton thread to create rows of small stitches across the patch and surrounding denim. Keep your stitches evenly spaced, or go freeform for a more organic look. Play with color—white thread on dark denim is striking, while bright colors make the mend pop.

Step 6: Personalize Your Repair

Incorporate visible mending embroidery motifs—flowers, geometric shapes, or even words. This is where your creativity shines, turning visible mending denim into wearable art.

Tips for Successful Mending

• For large tears, secure a bigger patch inside the jeans before stitching.
• For basic darn repairs on small holes, weave your stitches across the gap without adding a patch.
• Reinforce high-friction areas like the jeans inner thigh with double layers of fabric.
• Always stitch from the right side so your design remains visible.

Taking Visible Mending Further

Once you get hooked on visible mending, you might find yourself looking at old clothes differently. Instead of tossing them, you’ll start seeing particular areas that could use a creative update. You could even mix mending with upcycling, turning jeans into skirts, bags, or patchwork jackets.

If you want more inspiration for creative jean transformations, check out my post on how to make jeans bigger in the waist and thighs—perfect if you’re also resizing while mending.

Slow Fashion and Self-Expression

By choosing to repair jeans instead of replacing them, you’re not just saving money—you’re joining a growing movement of makers who value craft, sustainability, and individuality. Each mend becomes part of your story.

Visible mending celebrates the life of your favorite jeans and shows that beauty can come from wear and repair. It’s the antidote to fast fashion—and it’s a skill worth passing on.

Ready to Master Your Jeans Mending Skills?

If you’re ready to dive deeper into creative jeans transformations, my Jeans Alterations Course is the perfect place to start. It includes everything from resizing and reshaping to a mending bonus where I walk you through visible mending techniques in detail.

You’ll learn how to combine sashiko embroidery, patchwork, and upcycling to breathe new life into your denim. And you’ll end up with a wardrobe of jeans that fit perfectly and look amazing—because they tell your story.

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