This week’s Tuesday Tip is refashioning clothing to last longer. I confess, I’m not a seamstress in any sense of the definition, but I can sew on a patch or two.
Tip # 4: Sew a patch, save money by making your jeans last longer!
How a simple patch can save money
- I’ll admit that I’m one of the lucky gals whose jean size hasn’t altered much in 10 years. Partly due to not having had any kids yet ;). So squeezing into 10-year-old jeans is something I do regularly. But, I’ve noticed small holes or tears near the pockets of my jeans (perhaps too much stretching in the rear section?) Instead of ditching my well-worn jeans, I’ve started patching the small holes with decorative, hand-sewn patches.
- Patches cost about $2 – $5 for a package that includes 2-4 patches. Compared to a new pair of jeans, hovering around $35, I can save $30 by hand-patching the pocket corners.
- Sewing is also less time consuming than shopping for a new pair of jeans. My time spent patching a small tear with a flower or dragonfly patch, is a relaxing 15 to 30 minutes I spend in my living room. In comparison, shopping for new jeans sucks 2-3 hours out of my life roaming around a store, not my idea of fun. (You’ll notice that I really despise clothes shopping!)
Reusing your clothes leads to less waste
- Reusing jeans is like recycling. Less energy is spent dressing up my older pair with patches than purchasing a new pair of denim.
- Less denim is wasted. Again, the more life I can squeeze out of my comfortably worn jeans, the less denim is tossed in the trash.
Do you repair or patch your jeans? How about your shirts? What sewing patterns do you use to save money?
3 Comments
I like to patch clothes here and there, too. My favorite pair of jeans ripped in the knee, though, which is a terrible place for a patch (it’d be REALLY big and silly-looking). Instead, I washed the jeans a few times with full loads of dirty clothes, and the rip became “hip” — nice and fringe-y. Some people pay $200 for jeans like these! The best part is that I didn’t have to give up my favorite comfy jeans.
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@Rainy Day Saver – I’ve noticed that ripped knees are back in style (I think they were also popular in the early ’90’s)! 😉
My 4 year old wears through the knees of jeans pretty quickly, and I discovered that if I sew a patch over the inside of the knee before he ever wears them, it takes a lot longer for the denim to wear through. I haven’t tried it on grown up jeans but I would guess the same principle would apply – add another layer to avoid wearing it out as quickly.
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