SASHIKO STITCHING: THE PRETTIEST WAY TO PATCH YOUR PANTS

DIYS /
August 2020

So, you ripped or rubbed a hole in your denim. Now what? Do you a) throw them away, b) exile them to the farthest, darkest corner of your closet, or c) rejoice?

Real denimheads have always known that when it comes to jeans, imperfection is opportunity. Blemishes are beautiful. You just might have to know how to sew a little bit. And that’s where we come in.

Our tailor Dyuna Morgan is back with a lesson on Japanese sashiko stitching, and to teach you how to patch your holes into something better. Because when jeans get old, they’re just getting started.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Your holey garment
Needle
Thread
Scissors
Chalk
Patch fabric
Pins

STEP 1

Draw a grid around your garment’s hole. The grid can be square lines, or a design like a starburst.

STEP 2

Cut a patch to cover the hole, and pin it to the backside of your garment.

STEP 3

Start your stitch on one end of the design. Stitch from the backside of the fabric, along your line.

STEP 4

Stitch through to the backside of your garment, where you’ll then catch the loop with your needle. Pull snugly to secure.

STEP 5

Continue along your pattern, keeping the stitches the same length. Dyuna is keeping a 2:1 ratio—the stitches on the frontside are about twice as long as on the backside.

TIP: Retrace your stitching route, rather than jumping from one part of the design to the other with your needle. Retracing keeps long, loose threads on the back of your garment from catching on anything.