Much like jeans, a lot of people enjoy wearing pants on a regular basis, whatever the weather.
As a result, wear and tear is inevitable. We’ve all been in that position before. Noticing a significant tear or hole in the knee of our pants, or even a pocket that’s tearing away from the pants.
In this guide we’re going to take an in-depth look into all the ways we can patch pants, and then tackle specific ways to deal with Carhartt pants.
So how do you patch Carhartt pants? There are a number of methods available to us when it comes to patching pants and restoring them to their former state. It’s important to know various methods since you never know what type of tear you might be faced with, so you need to be well-versed in several ways of patching.
DIY Carhartt Patch Kit
To create your own Carhartt patch kit, you’ll need the following supplies:
- Iron-on patch, double-sided fusible webbing, and an iron, OR
- Heavy-gauge sewing needle and sew-on patch
If you can sew, this certainly helps. Regarding the repair of garments, whatever they may be, sewing always comes in handy.
Even if you decide to use an iron to seal the patch, you can go over it with stitches to really secure it and make sure it won’t come off in the wash. However, sewing isn’t essential, so we’ll explore methods that don’t require this skill as well.
We’re going to start with the most simple solution for patching pants, and that is using an iron-on patch.
Method 1: Iron-On Patch Kit
In order to fix your pants using an iron-on patch, you’re going to want to have some fabric matching the color of your pants, some double-sided fusible webbing, an iron, and a flat surface. A needle and thread could also be handy here if you’re looking for a more permanent fix.
For this fix, you’re essentially going to iron on a patch of the fabric of your choice. This one works best with the knee area of the trousers, though it can also be useful for holes in other areas. One more thing before we go through the process, this fix allows for a personal touch to be added should you so desire.
If you’re tired of wearing the same pants with no flair or pop of color, then this can be an opportunity to mix it up and add some character. All you need to do is use a patch of the fabric of your choice, be it a pattern or a color, and use that instead of one that matches your pants perfectly.
With that said, let’s crack on with it.
Before you do anything, make sure you clean up the affected area with a pair of scissors. Cut away any loose ends or threads. Once you have cut your fabric to an inch or so wider and longer than the hole, do the same with your fusible wedding and stick the two together.
Then place our newly formed fusible patch down on a flat surface – ideally an ironing board – with the fabric part facing up. Hold your iron over the patch for just a couple of seconds. This will melt the glue and make sure the patch and webbing become one.
Now iron your trousers while it’s still hot, just so you don’t have any issues with wrinkles when you are working on them. Take your fusible patch and peel the paper on the back off. Lay it over the hole or tear on your pants, with the fabric face up, and go over it with your iron for a few moments.
Here’s where you stop if you have no sewing experience, or you are only looking for a temporary solution.
At this point, your pants are all patched up and ready to go. Yet, sewing can guarantee that the patch remains in place for the long-term, so let’s continue. You can either use a simple needle and thread or a sewing machine for this part. Although the needle and thread route is arguably easier in this case.
Whatever you choose, you’re going to want to use a basic stitch like a running stitch to secure the patch in place. However, if you are using a sewing machine, there’s an extra step involved.
To get to the affected area, you will have to remove the seam of your pants. You can do this easily enough by flipping the pants inside out and using a seam ripper to pry open the seam which is right next to the tear. Then, you can get as close as you need to be with your sewing machine. After you’ve finished, just go back over the area and sew the seam shut.
It’s as simple as that. Now we’re going to go into some other sewing solutions that you can use to patch up your pants in no time.
Method 2: Sewing Patch Kit
If you’re confident with a thread and needle or a sewing machine, then there are a lot more options available to you for patching your pants. Depending on the size and type of tear or hole there are a number of things you can do to fix them up.
Repairing a tear in the seam
This is the simplest of issues to fix, and won’t require much time or effort at all. A tear in the stitches of the existing steam is easy to work your sewing magic on. First, what you’ll need to do is thread your needle, making sure to tie off the ends into a knot.
Then, flip your pants inside out and locate the affected seam. Stitch the hole or tear up going from one side to the other. You can always repeat this stitch if you think that it’s likely to tear open again in the future. Finally, just snip off the remaining loose thread and you should be good to go.
Mending a rip in the fabric
If you find that you have a tear or hole in the fabric of your pants, then this can be a little more complicated.
If it’s big enough, or over the knee area of the pants, then maybe the patch method (described above) is the way to go. If not, or if you just want to sew and not worry about making patches, then this is the method to use.
Like always, flip the pants inside out, bring the sides of the tear in towards each other, and sew directly along this area. This should do the trick, but the issue is that if the rip is somewhere that’s easily torn, it could happen again in the future.
So if you want a more permanent fix, you can do the patch method the other way around. That is to say, sew the tear together using a seam, and then apply your iron-on patch over the affected area.
Replacing a missing button
With pants you often find that there are buttons in several places, especially on the back pocket. These buttons can easily catch on your surroundings, and before you know it, you’re missing a button on your pants.
Don’t worry though, there’s a straightforward fix for this common problem. Provided you have a replacement button handy, then all you’ll need is a thread (matching the color of your pants) and needle.
Prepare your thread the same way you normally would, then you’ll sew upwards from just under where the button normally resides. As you’re sewing, go through two buttonholes several times, creating a number of stitches. As you’re doing this, make sure you leave some space so the button isn’t locked tightly in place.
Finally, to make sure the connection is strong, wrap the remaining thread around the threads that have gone through the button on the side attached to the fabric.
How to Patch Carhartt Pants
Carhartt pants are designed for work, meaning the material is more robust and rigid perhaps than other pants you might wear. They are also known for their high quality, so this probably means that you’re looking to hold onto them as long as possible, which will involve some patching sooner or later.
The great thing about patching Carhartt pants though is that 90% of the time, the wearer won’t care too much about how they look after patching.
That isn’t to say that you should rush the job, in fact, I encourage you to go slowly, but you won’t have to worry too much about doing a perfect job, which is always a relief.
One of the first differences you will come across when looking to repair your Carhartt pants is of course the fabric. When you go to patch the Carhartt pants, you’re going to have to find some Carhartt fabric to use to fix the affected area.
This is important not only for the aesthetic of the pants, but to make sure they maintain their sturdy quality and keep that durability that you look for in work pants.
So this is where we start the patching process for Carhartt pants. Cut a patch from the right fabric to be an inch or so wider and longer than the affected area.
To be sure that the patch you’re making will be the right fit, lay it over the tear and mark the fabric. You can do this easily enough with a good pair of scissors. Then stitch the patch into patch as you usually would, going back over with a second or even third stitch to prevent fraying in the future.
There’s also another way for doing this with Carhartt pants which you might consider easier. The first step will be the same, as you cut out your Carhartt fabric patch to go over the affected area with something to spare.
But this time, instead of stitching with a thread and needle, we’re going to place pins in the patch to secure it in place temporarily. Once we’ve done this, we can sew around the patch using our sewing machine, and complete the job with relative ease.
Then all that remains to do is remove the pins from the patch. While these methods seem over-simplistic for fixing a heavy-duty pair of Carhartt pants, there are some important things to keep in mind as you go about patching them up.
Use a heavy gauge needle
For normal patching jobs, for lightweight clothes such as regular pants or shirts, you’re best off going with a standard gauge needle. However, when it comes to heavy-duty material like denim, for example, you’re going to need a heavy-duty needle to do the job.
That’s why for Carhartt pants I strongly recommend you find a heavy-gauge needle to use. This needle should also be as sharp as possible to have the best chance of piercing the thick material, and making life as easy as possible for you as you sew.
I would suggest opting for a needle with a gauge in the range of 16-19. You probably know people, or even yourself, who have tried to sew Carhartt pants to no avail using a normal needle. Even to the extent that the needle has bent or broken.
Of course, this is the last thing you want, so it’s really important you use the right needle.
Go slowly
Especially if you’re using a sewing machine, remember to go slowly as you sew.
I can’t stress this point enough since if you attempt to go too quickly you can end up with a less-than-ideal end result. You might even be forced to go slower due to the heavy-duty fabric of the Carhartt pants. But if not, make sure you make a deliberate effort to take your time and do as thorough a job as you possibly can.
Related Questions
How should you take care of your Carhartt pants?
Now that we know how to patch up our Carhartt pants in case they suffer some wear and tear in the workplace, let’s take a look at some tips to keep them in good condition.
Carhartt pants, as we’ve already established, are more durable and robust than other pants. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t susceptible to wear and tear over time. Depending on the type of Carhartt pants you own, there are some general guidelines you should try to follow to keep them looking their best.
If you own duck, denim or canvas pants, then first and foremost, make sure you never use bleach on them. As for how to wash them, you’re going to want to use a cold cycle in the washing machine, and medium heat for drying them in the tumble dryer.
Regarding how you can break in your Carhartt pants, there are a number of things you can try. Typically, to make the pants softer and more comfortable to wear, it is recommended that you wash them several times. This advice is given by the company itself on their website, so I would say that makes it fairly reliable.
What isn’t recommended is following the advice of some people who would have you believe that the best thing for them is to put them through the ringer.
No, it’s not necessary to expose them to sharp materials, throw them from the window or tow them with your truck. This will only increase the chance you have of making holes and tears, which will mean you will need to follow this guide in order to patch them back up.
As a last piece of advice on breaking in the infamously tough pants, go to work in them – whatever that means for you – and put them to the test in the environment they’re going to be exposed to on a regular basis.
