Rips in Jeans, how to stop them growing?

Sal

My jeans developed a tear last week, just on the knee. It has grown over the week. The jeans are well worn and soft, but still with plenty of wear in them. Aesthetically I don't mind them developing rips, but I know these can grow and get loose threads which catch on things.

Is there something I can do to stop the rip developing? I know I could patch on top, or under and I may go down that track?

What do you do?

10 years ago

General

8 replies

Latest reply was from Staysfit

Chiara

Active Member

I would darn which ever direction the rip is growing in (so if it is expanding vertically, then darn top and bottom; if it is expanding horizontally, then darn either side). You might find you need to use a small square of a similar coloured fabric underneath the darning stitch (on the wrong side, so you won't see it) to stabilise the darning. If you have a sewing machine, or know someone with a sewing machine, this is fairly easy to do.

10 years ago

Aziraphale

Veteran

I patch from underneath, mainly because I don't like the feel of actual holes (the lopsided draughtiness that results from a hole in only one knee bugs me!) and I don't like the look of patches on top. So my distressed denim always ends up being more of the "mended rip" look than the "totally shredded" look.

If you want to keep the actual hole, I agree with Chiara about darning the ends of the rip to prevent further rippage. I'd also recommend putting your jeans on carefully, because accidentally sticking your foot through the hole is the fastest way to make your jeans look abruptly much more distressed!

10 years ago

Sal

Veteran

Thanks Chiara and Aziraphale.

I will try your approach Chiara, I do have a machine although I am a very basic user.

Aziraphale, I also can find the knee breeze a problem

I am guessing the predistressed jeans have holes in new denim or maybe are darned at each end? I also have ripped previous holes so badly by putting a leg through, that the jeans have been virtually unwearable, or turned into shorts....

10 years ago

Chiara

Active Member

Oh yes, foot through the hole, I've done that!

10 years ago

chadya

Veteran

wash gently?

or iron on patches?
that's all I've got

10 years ago

Olivegreen

Active Member

I have been taking printed bandannas and patching them under the hole. Little bit of print and color show through. Husband likes this on his worn denim shirts. As do I.
Also have taken the same print and put a little accent piece like a jewel in a strategic place on the same shirt or pant. Looks intentional.

10 years ago

Greyscale

Veteran

Any ideas for rips in tight skinnies? I have a pair of Gap pre-distressed tight skinnies that fit me perfectly, but I don't like the look of ripped black fabric stretched tight over my pale skin (anything looser would be fine).

I can't sew on a patch the normal way because it won't stretch. If I use a stretchy fabric and a zigzag stitch, it might be ok, but I'm not sure.

10 years ago

Staysfit

Veteran

These are great ideas, now if we can come up with ideas to keep them from ripping in the first place?! Mine always rip at the bottom, right below where the zipper is attached. There is a redundancy of material and seam reinforcement there but they rip anyway. It's a bad location because it's pretty much crotch level. I wish mine would rip at the knees first.

10 years ago

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