SINGER® PROJECTS 

Patched Jeans 

  Are you tired of the same old pair of jeans? Dig through your fabric stash, cut up an old shirt, use whatever you have. Make your old jeans new again.      

PROJECT SKILL LEVEL:   

Singer, the Cameo “S” Design and Design and Sewing Made Easy are trademarks of The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. © 2020 The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. 

  

Shopping List  Everything you need to complete this project in one place. Use this convenient checklist to ensure you have all required materials in your sewing room, or take it with you while you shop for supplies.  

o New 90/14 Universal sewing machine needle or 90/14 Jeans sewing machine needle 

o Sewing thread to match your jeans 

o Sewing thread - variety of colors 

o Optional: Fusible Web or Fabric Glue 

o Sharp seam ripper (Pro Tip: Not all seam rippers are the same. This is an important tool 

in your sewing. It is worth purchasing a comfortable, sharp seam ripper for your sewing 

tool kit!) 

o Scissors 

o Iron 

o Pins 

 

Project Steps Open up your Jeans leg   

Look at the seams on your jeans leg. One seam will usually have one or two extra lines of stitching. Take out the seam on the OPPOSITE side. It will not have the extra stitching.     

Singer, the Cameo “S” Design and Design and Sewing Made Easy are trademarks of The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. © 2020 The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. 

  

1. Starting at the hem (the bottom of the leg) use the sharp tip of the seam ripper to pick out a little of the hem. 

 2. Start moving up the seam of the leg. 

 Notice the seam has a straight stitch/chain stitch AND a finishing/overcasting. Both will need to be removed to open up the seam. 

  

Pro Tip: You can use the seam ripper with the red ball facing down in the seam. This will allow you to run the seam ripper along the seam without cutting the fabric. THIS TAKES PRACTICE! Try a couple seams first. 

  

3. Continue to move up the seam until you can open the leg flat.  

Be careful! Don’t go all the way up to the pockets. You will need to resew the seam and if you are too close to the pocket it becomes difficult. 

 4. If desired, open up the other leg in the same way. 

 

Planning your Patches  

Now is the fun part! Gather fabrics. Rescue an old shirt that was going away. Or even find old lace or doilies to add into the mix. 

 5. Optional: Put Fusible Web under the areas of the fabric you are going to cut. Follow the 

instructions that came with the fusible web.  

6. Cut shapes of fabric or cut around patterns in the fabric.   7. Once you have some pieces, start placing your fabric decorations.   8. Take pictures as you place the fabric and make changes to review and see what you like. 

Singer, the Cameo “S” Design and Design and Sewing Made Easy are trademarks of The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. © 2020 The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. 

  

Here are several examples of how to have fun with fabric:  

  Once you have your layout, you’re ready to sew.  

9. Optional: Adhere the fabric pieces to your jeans with either the fusible web or fabric glue. If you are not using the fusible web or glue it is recommended to pin the fabric pieces to the jeans. Don’s skip this part, or your pieces will move and pucker. 

10. Put in a new sewing machine needle (90/14 Jeans or Universal). 11. Wind a bobbin that is the same color as the jeans. Place this bobbin in the bobbin 

case and use it while sewing on all fabric pieces. 12. Thread the top with your choice of sewing thread color. 

 Depending upon the look, you can use contrasting color thread or thread that matches your fabric. 

  

13. Choose a zig zag stitch.     Try different stitch lengths and stitch widths. Test sew with different variations until you have the stitch you like. If using a close zig zag, you may want to use a decorative sewing foot. This foot has a groove underneath so the stitches will move under the foot.       

Singer, the Cameo “S” Design and Design and Sewing Made Easy are trademarks of The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. © 2020 The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. 

  

14. Line up the fabric so the outside edge of the zig zag stitch lands on the edge of the fabric. (See Arrow.)   

15. Look to make sure you are only sewing on the top leg and do not catch the back of the leg while turning.   

 Pro Tip: When there are 2 overlapping fabrics, sew the back (star) fabric first. Then sew the top (yellow) fabric. That way the top stitching will overlap the back stitching. Always work from the back to the front.    

   

  

16. Sew around all edges of your patches. Keep an even, steady sewing speed when sewing over or near seams. 

 Pro Tip: When turning a corner, put the needle down in your fabric, on the outside swing of the stitch. When you turn your fabric at the corner, there will not be a gap in the stitching. 

  

        

Change colors of thread for a different look. Try different stitches for a unique decoration. 

Singer, the Cameo “S” Design and Design and Sewing Made Easy are trademarks of The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. © 2020 The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved. 

  

Putting the Jeans back together 17. Turn your jeans inside out and line up the open sides of the fabric. 18. Pin the edges together. 19. Rethread the top, with thread matching your jeans. 20. Choose a seam and overcast stitch and sew the leg seam back together.  

Examples of seam and overcast stitches. Look for something similar on your machine. 

  Or, if your machine does not have a seam and overcast stitch, choose a straight stitch for the seam and then go back with a zig zag stitch to overcast the edges.   

21. Remove the accessory tray to expose the open arm of the machine. 22. Choose a 3.0 mm or a little longer straight stitch. 23. Sew the hem. 

 The hem should fold up fairly easily. Make sure the seams in the hem are flat before you sew.   Have fun! 

  

  

Singer, the Cameo “S” Design and Design and Sewing Made Easy are trademarks of The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. © 2020 The Singer Company Limited S.a.r.l. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved.