Makeshift Appalachian: Repair/Revamp/Recycle Old Ripped Jeans.

Hello Appalachia!

     I went shopping today and got some much needed summer clothes. It's been in the 80s all week! I've been bagging up some old clothes to take them to Goodwill, and I came across a few pairs of jeans that were ripped, but hard to part with. I've got a lot of thighs going on, and that's where the wear-and-tear on my jeans tends to happen most, and being a senior in college, I'm flat broke on my best day. I decided to remedy these holes and give these jeans a new look. I dug up some old fabric and a glue gun, and I made a super unique and adorable patch. If you want to touch up an old pair of your jeans (or maybe some new holey jeans that show more skin than you'd like) without sewing or spending a lot of money, please read on.

You will need:

• Ripped jeans, inside out
• Fabric to cover the hole(s)
• Scissors
• Hot glue gun
• Hot iron

The leftover Halloween plate is optional. 

     Step 1: Turn those jeans inside out and lay them out flat. Iron the area with the hole until there are no wrinkles near the hole.

     Step 2: Cut out a square of fabric big enough to cover the hole. I'm an avid quilter, so I used the leftover backing from making my niece's baby blanket. You can use regular craft store fabric, or even some pieces cut off some old non-salvageable jeans . I left an extra half-inch on all four sides, because you don't want the hot glue too close to the hole or you'll glue your jeans closed. 

     Step 3: Iron the patch, PATTERN SIDE DOWN, and make sure it is also free of any and all wrinkles.

     Step 4: Add a thin line of hot glue (the kind specifically designed to withstand heat) to all four sides. I repeat, don't get too close to the hole to avoid gluing your jeans shut. 

     Step 5: Go over the glued patch with a hot iron just to really spread that glue out and work it into both fabrics so they will dry together, nice and tight. 

     Step 6: Leave the pants flat, and let them cool. Turn them right-side-out, and check out the unique touch on your old ripped jeans! 

     And there you have it! A no-sew patch and a cute little peak of fabric instead of my ghostly white skin! Thanks to my dad for the idea, and thanks to you for reading! 

*Is there an Appalachian DIY project you think I should try? Do you have any projects of your own that you would like to share? I'd love to hear about it on Facebook (MountainBlood WV) or my email (mountainbloodwv@gmail.com).