YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s? https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 11 Apr 2026 21:16:28 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php suzieq on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2190330 Tue, 27 Apr 2021 15:56:16 +0000 suzieq 2190330@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ You might could do several large patches, on both legs in various places, to make it look intentional. I had a pair of patchwork jeans in the ‘70s that were like that when they were brand new. Jenni NZ on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189980 Mon, 26 Apr 2021 06:59:23 +0000 Jenni NZ 2189980@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh, just looked it up, they only repair their own jeans. But they have a store in Berlin and a repair shop! Maybe they could help with your next pair? Jenni NZ on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189979 Mon, 26 Apr 2021 06:55:44 +0000 Jenni NZ 2189979@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I would also be happy they actually wore out rather than got ditched for not liking any more. There is a Scandinavian company called Nudie Jeans I think which loves to repair jeans. They might have a store in Germany? Sal on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189975 Mon, 26 Apr 2021 06:34:01 +0000 Sal 2189975@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ My jeans tend to go in the knees first (more when my sons were young) but the seat is second.  I have patched as Firecracker suggested, and it worked but is very obvious.   I would see how thin other areas are and whether it is likely that a mending attempt will buy you one month or one year. Frustrating because they are great jeans but great to wear them out. Sally on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189696 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 04:56:03 +0000 Sally 2189696@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I used to have 501s when I was 17 and I remember wearing a patch on the bottom after a few years of wearing them to death.  I did try to patch them up but it didn't really work.  Good luck.  I hope you find a solution.  Do they even make them anymore?   Like my gap jeans in the late nineties which were also amazing, I sometimes wish I had bought multiple pairs to last a lifetime.   judy on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189694 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 04:42:57 +0000 judy 2189694@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ While I haven't ever used their services, the before and after photos of this jean repair place look very impressive:  <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.indigoproof.com/#intro">https://www.indigoproof.com/#intro</a>   Might be worth a try if they are a very loved pair.   One of my sons went to high school with her.  It's nice to see her success.   JAileen on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189559 Sat, 24 Apr 2021 16:19:45 +0000 JAileen 2189559@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ In high school in the 70s, I wore jeans with all kinds of colorful patches. I used the sewing machine because it’s durable, but hand sewing can be too, just not mine.   Bijou on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189516 Sat, 24 Apr 2021 12:13:35 +0000 Bijou 2189516@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Given the placement of this tear, I would be saying goodbye to these jeans. I did lots of repairs on my sons trousers when he was 5 and 6 years of age, where every pair got ripped on one knee. The fabric really weakens and so it is hard to find fabric strong enough to sew the patch onto. I tended to reinforce the attractive patch with an inside larger patch as well, but it only gave me about an extra month of wear before they were thoroughly trashed. Firecracker (Sharan) on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189470 Sat, 24 Apr 2021 00:33:00 +0000 Firecracker (Sharan) 2189470@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <div>Move the pocket way down? </div><div>(Just kidding.)</div><div> </div><div>To make the mending strong enough, I would layer fabric under the tear, and machine-darn over it (sew back and forth a lot). But that would draw attention to that spot, and if it were me, I'm not sure I'd want to invite the gaze right there, from people who would be behind me and unseen by me--LOL!</div><div> </div> Anonymous on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189464 Sat, 24 Apr 2021 00:10:06 +0000 Anonymous 2189464@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I personally wouldn't try to mend them. When DHs jeans tear, I turn them into "recycled rats" cat toys Eva on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189462 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 23:48:22 +0000 Eva 2189462@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The same thing happened to me once, and the tailor put a patch on the inside of the jeans (covering not just the hole, but also the thinner fabric around it), and stitched all over it with a thread the colour of the jeans in that place. It was barely visible. The tailor let me pick the shade of the thread, and I would recommend picking a slightly lighter shade than the rest of the jeans. Altogether, I was happy with the result, but the mended part was a little stiffer afterwards due to the patch. While looking for an example photo online, I found this website (with before/after photos) where you can send in your jeans, and they give you a quote, fix them and send them back. I have never tried them though, so can not vouch for them. <a href="https://www.jeans-doktor.de/ihr-jeansdoktor/aus-alt-mach-neu/" rel="nofollow">https://www.jeans-doktor.de/ih.....-mach-neu/</a> Sloper on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189459 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 23:15:24 +0000 Sloper 2189459@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I don't think it is too big for a patch.  Use denim or a sturdy fabric like a strong chino or canvas.  If you feel uncomfortable doing it yourself, try a tailor/dressmaker or ask at a denim store for recommendations (or ask people on the street with good denim looks or patched jeans). There are jean menders in the US, but that would be a drag to send it overseas for a mend. Reminds of the Cat Stevens song "Oh Very Young" They will vanish away like your daddy's best jeans Denim Blue fading up to the sky And though you want him to last forever You know he never will (You know he never will) And the patches make the goodbye harder still LaPed on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189434 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:25:08 +0000 LaPed 2189434@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Look into sashiko mending. Japanese method of reinforcing large, high-wear areas. Best to do it on thinning fabric before it tears, but you can do it after the fact too. <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.diynetwork.com/made-and-remade/fix-it/repair-holes-in-pants-with-sashiko-mending">https://www.diynetwork.com/mad.....ko-mending</a>  I've done this on knees before, but I find it turns into a game of whack-a-mole. Once the fabric is starting to give in one place, it's usually happening in other places as well, and then the jeans spend more time in the mending pile than on my body. I've also found I have some mild sensory issues with the feeling of all that stitching rubbing against my knees, and don't reach for jeans much once they've been patched, but that might not be such an issue with backside patches.  Stagiaire Fash on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189429 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:01:42 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2189429@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Jenn, what a great little piece of handwork! Pity it didn’t last. Besides needing a strong mend here, I assume the fabric all around my rip is quite thin, so I’d need to do something about that too. Cat2, right now it’s a small rip, about 1.5”, so not bigger than a patch. But you are correct about the size of the area I’d have to strengthen. cat2 on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189428 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:00:39 +0000 cat2 2189428@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yikes, too big for a patch. I would recycle these, assuming your town has fabric recycling. Jenn on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189427 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:56:19 +0000 Jenn 2189427@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ The kind of mending done to fix this is usually hand sewn. I visibly mended a pair of my jeans that blew out in the thigh last year. I loved how it looked, but it turns out it takes a really sturdy mend to last on any part of the fabric that takes a lot of stress. My skills weren’t up to the task, so I only got about an additional ten or so wears out of them. Stagiaire Fash on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189423 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:43:11 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2189423@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Thanks Rachylou! I don’t have a sewing machine, but if I knew just what I wanted, I know what tailor I’d go to. My son walked into the room as I was taking pic #2, said “I’m not going to ask” in that tone that really means “what the Sam Hill are you doing?” Lol rachylou on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189419 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:34:22 +0000 rachylou 2189419@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Search on ‘mending jeans’ on Pinterest... there are a lot of cool mending vids! Stagiaire Fash on "Oh nos! Bye bye to the 501s?" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/oh-nos-bye-bye-to-the-501s#post-2189418 Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:28:56 +0000 Stagiaire Fash 2189418@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I used to love these jeans, bitd, was happy to be able to wear them again earlier this year, and have enjoyed pulling on my true blues. But there’s a strain in the relationship—in the jeans, actually. This is not an unusual way for pants to wear out, but I’ve never tried to fix any. Is there a way I can save my jeans?