Is the hole in your jean’s pocket driving you crazy? This post will teach you several different ways to fix it!
Note, this post does not go over replacing the jean pockets, only mending the exisiting pocket.
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About The Tutorial
There are several different ways to mend holes in the front pocket of a pair of jeans or pants, but they differ depending on where the hole is.
In this post, I will explain SEVERAL different repair methods for your jeans, based on the location of the hole. The materials needed depend on which method you use.
So scroll down and find the one that will work best for you!
Supplies Needed
- Sewing Machine
- Fabric Scissors (This is my favorite brand)
- Pinking Shears
- Hand Sewing Needle
- Iron & Ironing Board
Materials Needed
- Matching Thread
- Fabric Scrap
- Fusible Interfacing (My favorite method to fix the hole)
Hole On The Seam
If the hole in your pocket is on the seam, (for example if the stitching has just come undone) this is the easiest kind of hole to fix!
All you have to do is trim away the threads that are sticking out, flatten, fold, and realign the seam so it is laying the way it should be, and then sew a line where the original stitching was.
Remember to backstitch at the begninning and end, and sew several stiches over the exisiting stitch line so it doesn’t unravel any more.
If you want, you can also zig zag the edge or cut it with pinking shears to combat the fraying.
Hole On The Bottom Edge
If your pocket hole is on the bottom or side edge where there is NO seam, just a fold, then fixing it is slightly different.
You have a few options here. You can:
- Sew a curved line up and over the hole (This will make the bottom of the pocket not flat anymore, which might not matter to you, or it might drive you crazy.)
- Zig zag stitch or hand stitch the hole closed. (This is a better solution, but still makes the bottom of the pocket not perfectly flat)
- Shorten the pocket a bit by sewing a straight line across the entire bottom (This shortens the pocket, but makes it nice and flat.)
I chose to do the last option, here is how I did it:
One side of the pocket is connected to the side seam of the jeans, and the other is unattached. I sewed a tapered line across the bottom of the pocket above where the hole was, starting near the side seam and tapering up to the other side.
After sewing the line, you can trim the fabric and zig-zag or pink the edge to prevent more fraying, or just leave it.
Hole In The Middle
If the hole in your front pocket is in the middle of the pocket away from the edge, the repair gets slightly more complicated.
I’m not going to cover replacing the pocket in this tutorial so there remains two options, patching it or trying to stitch it closed.
Patching The Hole
Patching the hole in your jeans can be a good way to stabilize it, but it can also add bulk.
The best way to patch the hole is to use an iron on patch. The iron on patch will attach itself to all the threads around the hole and hold it closed, while remaining very flat. It is a strong repair.
Regular patches that you can buy at the store are too thick for the fabric on pockets, so I prefer to use a piece of lightweight fusible interfacing.
Cut out a rectangle of the interfacing that is slightly bigger than the hole.
Flatten the pocket very well. You want to close the hole as much as possible and make sure there are no folds around it.
Then, iron the interfacing patch over the hole following the instructions on the interfacing package. (Mine said to lay the bumpy sides down, and iron it for a few seconds, then lifting the iron to check it.)
Here is what it should look like:
I love this method, it ends up with a very soft but stable pocket repair that you barely even notice.
See, here is what it looks like from the inside of the pocket!
A less sturdy option if you don’t have fusible interfacing is to hand sew a little scrap of fabric around the hole.
Cut the scrap wth pinking shears so it doesn’t fray.
Then use a hand sewing needle to sew it to the pocket around the hole. You can also make stitches through the patch to really affix it to the hole.
(I just basted the patch on to give you a visual, but you should really sew it well if you do this method)
Stitching The Hole Closed
Although the interfacing is my favorite method, you can also try to stitch the hole closed if it is a straight rip or tear. (It won’t work if it is really a hole and there is fabric missing from the center.)
First, fold only the layer of the pocket with the hole in it in half along the rip to align both sides of the rip.
Then, with your hand sewing needle, sew over the edge of the rip with the stitches very close together. Tie off the ends well.
When it is done, the stiches will look like this:
Then you need to flatten out the pocket so it isn’t folded on the rip anymore.
That’s it!
Conclusion
There you have it, several mothods to fix different types of holes that occur in the front pockets of your jeans or pants.
I hope this solved your problem, if it didn’t, comment below with the type of hole you have and I will try to help you figure out how to mend it!
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thank you for the article