We're still enjoying summer, but soon enough we're going to need layers again. How's your denim doing? Mending is a perfect project you can take on the go, to chip away at in those spare little moments. Or just to keep near the TV for when you just want to sit and relax, and before you know it, that garment is back in action!
Today we're settling the hot debate of whether it's better to grab a needle and thread or drag out your sewing machine when it comes to mending jeans.
Hand-mended jeans are art, every time. The colours and textures are strikingly beautiful. And they're so unique, with each stitch undoubtedly belonging to the hand that stitched it.
But mending jeans by hand is quick, strong, and can be quite subtle if you're still easing into that visible mending look.
A quick story: When I first started sewing, I used the back stitch almost exclusively no matter what - and mistrusted the running stitch, thinking it too weak to actually hold fabric together. And maybe you feel the same way, or had the fleeting thought.
Learning about Kantha quilting and Sashiko stitching totally opened my mind to how awesome running stitch actually is, when used correctly. It's not for seams, but it works great for patching. So I'm super happy to mend by hand with running stitch when the mood strikes, or to kickstart a languishing mend like I did with this pair of jeans here.
But wait, if mending by hand is slower, how did hand stitching get this pair mended faster than machine mending?
My mending pile was getting really out of hand and I don't know why I couldn't bring myself to tackle anything. But taking this straightforward little job to get started during a talk I was attending was the perfect spark to get it done.
Nothing like a social (sewcial?) mending project.
Of course, it took me way longer to complete this than the hour or two of the event, but the momentum was now there, so I was excited to get it all done. Hours before, the fate for these jeans was to languish in a basket somewhere for another six months.
To speed towards completion, I decided to fix up the second side with a combination of machine- and hand-stitching. (It was also for science. Which was stronger? How would either look after ten or twenty wears?)
Fortunately, it's been at least that long since these were finished, so I can show you the side-by-side!
I used embroidery floss for the hand-stitched portions and polyester sewing thread. These are work jeans that, without abandon, see wood- and metalwork in addition to all the standard wear-and-tear of an active lifestyle, which for sure made the embroidery floss a bad choice - I think it got snagged on day 1. Maybe real Sashiko thread would have been stronger, because of the way it is plied differently from embroidery floss? But I've never used it before as I tend to grab whatever I have on hand.
The right side has been a combination machine-hand stitching since the last time these were mended. I patched large enough to cover the whole area so that is all still intact and looking good.
So, is machine- or hand-mending best for jeans?
Like many things mending, it does come down to personal choice. Mending by machine is often faster and can be stronger. Mending by hand is more portable, quieter, and more accessible since you only need a needle and thread to get the job done (in addition to your patch, of course).
Either method can be done discreetly, though with a good colour match mending by machine will be the most invisible option which makes it great for all of those seat-area mends - upper thigh, crotch, butt, the classics like that.
Most of the time, I head to my sewing machine because speed as well as avoiding repetitive stress injury is a priority for me. I add personality to it in the way that I stitch the patch on, as well as through the thread colours I choose.
I remember with this one I started getting bored of the back-and-forth after finishing the left leg, and entertained myself by changing the stitch pattern with each row while reinforcing the right side, below.
But I cannot deny how striking and beautiful Sashiko and other hand-mending techniques are on denim, so I pick and choose where I add that flare in when the mood strikes. Here's another example of mixing hand- and machine stitching.
The most important thing is to thread that needle and get started! Mended is better than perfect, and the smallest mend still means a lot. Your personal mending style will evolve over time, and you'll keep learning as you go.
I'm happy to be on this mending journey with you!