We all know how easy it is to rip or tear our pants from wearing them day in and day out.
That’s why it is so important to know how to patch them up when necessary, whether from the outside or the inside.
Since there is a lot of information already out there regarding patching up your pants or jeans from the outside, we’re going to take an in-depth look at patching them from the inside.
So how do you patch pants from the inside? Your best bet is to use an iron-on fabric patch that matches the color of your pants. Alternatively, you can sew on a fabric patch if you prefer and you have the competency with knitting.
So let’s dive straight in and see some of the best ways to patch pants from the inside.
The Sewing Route v Iron-on Patches
Sewing
As I just mentioned, sewing is one of the options available to you when it comes to patching up your pants from the inside.
The benefits of sewing and using sew-on patches are numerous.
To start, if you value comfort – which I imagine you do – then sew-on patches are the way to go.
Unlike iron-on patches, which can feel a bit rigid and unyielding at times, sew-on patches are much more flexible and will fold better with the fabric.
This means that you will barely feel a difference when wearing your newly-patched up pants.
This also makes sew-on patches the best option for areas of the pants that have to adapt to the movement, like the knee for example. An area which also happens to be prone to wear and tear due to that same movement.
Secondly, sewing is a more permanent solution. If you opt to use an iron-patch, you should know that there is a risk of sticky residue and it is a more temporary fix.
However, it is worth bearing in mind that iron-on patches can be secured into place more permanently with the use of a thread and needle.
So if you like the idea of having the best of both worlds, then maybe you should go for the easier option of ironing on a fabric patch, and then add permanence to it by sewing it afterward.
Iron-on patches
Moving on to iron-on patches, let’s see in what cases it’s better to opt for this easier method of patching up a pair of torn or ripped pants.
An iron-on patch is a patch of fabric that has an adhesive side and some plastic film. As you can imagine, when you place the patch adhesive-down on your pants and apply heat to it with an iron, you are melting the glue and hence sealing the two together.
First and foremost, ironing on a patch is the easier way to patch up your pants. So that already makes it an appealing option.
Second, what’s great about an iron-on patch is that no sewing skills are required whatsoever. That’s great news for those of us who haven’t put in the hours on the sewing machine perfecting our knitting skills.
Most fixes involving fabric will include some method of sewing, so to have a non-sewing alternative which is almost as effective, is a great thing.
The reason I say almost as effective is because iron-on patches are more of a temporary solution than a permanent one.
For this reason, they can be considered as more emergency solutions. For those times when you have ripped your pants and need to fix them ASAP with minimal fuss.
What tends to weaken the bond the glue has with the fabric is heat. So after a while of walking around, this patch will inevitably start to lose its seal to your pants, so you potentially encounter an awkward situation.
Plus, constant machine washing of the pants can often have a similar undesired effect of weakening the glue.
However, as a quick fix, iron-patches are lifesavers. Plus, as we’ll see later on, if you want to make an iron-on patch a more permanent fix, you can do so with some basic sewing.
As for the process, you’ll need an iron, an ironing board, something resistant to heat like a tea towel and your iron-on patch.
Holding the patch over the affected area of your pants on the inside, place your tea towel directly on top of it to prevent any damage to the iron.
Hold the iron down on the tea towel (which is over the patch) with high heat.
Keep it held down for approximately a minute. Though read the instructions on the fabric patch first, as it often depends on the manufacturer.
How To Patch Pants From The Inside – 4 Easy Steps
Now that we’ve assessed and evaluated the pros and cons of sewing vs using iron-on patches, it’s time to take a look at the method we’re going to use to patch up our damaged pants.
Let’s move on to find out how to use sewing to patch up our pants from the inside.
Let’s start with the materials you’re going to need:
- iron-on or sew-on patch (as you prefer),
- a needle and thread or sewing machine (again, a matter of preference),
- then a seam ripper,
- some scissors and an iron.
1. Prep the pants
Grab your ironing board and iron for this first part, as you’re going to need them.
Carefully laying your damaged pants over the ironing board (inside-out), you’re going to go over the affected area slowly.
You might wonder why we need to do this, and the reason is simple: it will smooth out the area, and ensure we are working without any wrinkles in the fabric.
Then, if you haven’t already, clean up your pants. Yes, it’s important that they are clean before you attempt to stitch them up, we don’t want to spread dirt around during the sewing process.
Now comes the big decision, do you go with sew-on patches or iron-on patches? If you have both to hand, I would recommend the iron-on patches, since we can iron them on with the iron that’s already out, then sew them for extra security.
2. Get rid of the seam
With the pants laid out on the ironing board inside-out, you will notice that it’s difficult to access the affected area with your sewing machine. To combat this problem, we’re going to remove some of the seams of the pants to more easily reach the tear or hole.
We can do this with our seam ripper. If you’ve never used a seam ripper before, it’s really quite easy to get the hang of. Just treat it like it is a pair of scissors, but instead of squeezing the handles and snipping the seam, you’re just going to push the middle of the seam ripper into the seam until it pops open.
Now that you’ve done this, you’ll notice that there is a large hole next to the damaged area of your pants. This is great, as it gives us plenty of wiggle room with the sewing machine (should we choose to use that over a needle and thread).
Of course, if you’re using an iron-patch, this process is an awful lot simpler. You won’t need to remove the seam from the inside of your pants as you can apply the patch directly to the affected area, then seal it with the heat of your iron.
Then again, if you want to be really sure that your patch will stay put for the foreseeable future, it’s worth removing the seam so that you can sew the patch after ironing it on.
3. Patch up your pants
Now, it’s time for the main event, the patching process itself.
If you haven’t already, take your scissors and cut your fabric patch down to the appropriate size for the tear in your pants. The appropriate size will be half an inch over in both length and width. This allows for mistakes and easier sewing.
Take your patch, cut to the right size, and place it over the tear on the inside of your pants.
Why do we put it on the inside? I’m sure you’ve already figured it out. Placing it on the inside makes it less visible and so you don’t have to worry about changing the look of your pants.
Now, take your iron and hold it over the patch for the initial sealing. This should take a minute, give or take, though you should always double-check with the instructions given with the fabric patch.
You don’t want to iron the adhesive side of your patch as this can cause damage to the iron.
If it’s absolutely necessary to iron over this sticky side though, if you have a hole instead of a tear for example, then you should stick something in between the iron and the patch to prevent any potential damage.
You can be done at this point of course, but as I’ve already mentioned, it’s always worth going over an ironed-on patch with some stitches. If you don’t do this, you’ll run the risk of having a less-than permanent fix to your pants.
4. Secure the patch
Now that most of the work is done, it’s time to finish the job and secure the patch in place more permanently.
The way you do this is with some stitch work. You’re going to want to sew one row of stitches that goes around the whole patch. Follow this up with a zig-zag stitch, and then you can almost guarantee longer life for your patch.
Sewing the patch on will also make it less likely to suffer from fraying, which will help it feel natural and part of the pants.
While we still have our sewing equipment out, we’re going to stitch the seam back up on the pants. This can be tricky if you’re not experienced working with seams, so only attempt this if you are confident in your ability. If not, stick to the iron-on patch.
All that’s left to do now is one last run over with the iron to make them look nice and neat, and you’ve essentially got a brand new pair of pants for your wardrobe!
Alternative Method: A New Patch
While your first instinct when your pants are ripped or torn will probably be to fix them up to look exactly how they were before, there is another option.
If you want to use the unfortunate circumstances of having torn pants as an opportunity to give them a fresh look, then I have just the fix for you.
This fix is focused on patching up the knee parts of pants since that is the number one area we tend to tear or make holes in. There’s a good chance that if you try to fix up your pants, even if you do a great job, that the stitching will be visible and the fix will be obvious to others.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but why not use that as an opportunity to add a touch of personality and character to your pants?
Called visible mending by some, this technique leaves you to let your imagination run wild.
If there’s some fabric that you really like the look of or a color that you think would really compliment the color of your pants, then get some and read on to see how you can attach them. You can even choose a shape other than that of the tear too if you so desire. A lightning bolt, an elephant, or a hat, it’s totally up to you!
So let’s get to the method, and see how you can both patch up and customize your pants at the same time.
Fusible patches are by far and away the best type of fabric to use for this kind of job. Don’t worry if you don’t have one, you can make your own with your favorite piece of fabric and some fusible webbing.
All you need to do is iron the fabric patch onto the fusible webbing until they are sealed together by the melting glue.
Now, time to get your patch onto your pants:
- Place your patch over the affected area of your pants,
- hold the iron over it for between thirty seconds and a minute.
- You can stop here and enjoy your new stylish pants patch job, and give it a test run of sorts, since just ironing it will be a temporary fix.
If you want to make it more permanent, that’s right, you guessed it: sewing.
Get your sewing materials together, including your sewing machine or a thread and needle, and get to work.
If you don’t fancy removing the seam of the pants, use the manual way for this fix. Using a sewing machine will be more hassle for you, so a thread and needle might be the best way to go.
Use a basic running stitch to go over the edges of the whole patch, and you will effectively seal it in place over the long-term.
Now that you’ve been equipped with various ways to patch up your pants from the inside, you can walk around safely in the knowledge that a tear or hole in them isn’t going to ruin your day!
Check out this video from Creating with misp for a visual tutorial.
