Basic Hand Sewn Patchwork

In this guide I will illustrate some basic hand sewing techniques for patchwork which can be used for repairs, decoration, or both. These techniques aren’t meant for inconspicuous repairs. Visible mending adds to the character of a piece as it shows its history over time, but if you want the repair work on a garment to be hidden it would be best to use other techniques.

There are many methods that can be used when mending clothing but the most basic one is adding patches. You can either add a patch underneath the existing fabric, or over the top. There are often reasons why one option would be better than the other.

Adding patches underneath

It's best to add patches underneath the original fabric when you have a larger hole, especially when it’s not near a seam or an edge. Adding a patch underneath will give the fabric more strength as you will be able to reinforce around the hole instead of just patching over it.

Choose a fabric with a similar weight and material composition as the piece you're repairing. Choosing a fabric with a very different material composition might affect the way the repair ages over time as the fabric may shrink or pull in a different way. Using a lighter weight material to patch a heavier weight piece is usually fine, but avoid patching a lightweight piece with a heavier weight material as it could put stress on the fabric and cause tears around the repair over time.

In my example photos I'm using contrasting colors and thicker thread to make things more visible for demonstration purposes. I usually like to use thinner sewing thread to make my stitches smaller and less visible. The thread you choose is up to you.

Once you have selected the fabric you'll be using, clean up the hole you’re patching by trimming away any loose threads. I like to keep the hole in its original shape to preserve the character, but you may want to alter it to be a different shape, like a circle or a rectangle. Do this at this time as well.

After the hole is cleaned up, you need to hide the raw edge so that it doesn't continue to fray. Cut small slits all the way around the hole deep enough that the fabric can be easily folded under itself, but not so deep as to drastically increase the size of the hole. Fold the cut fabric underneath itself and secure it. This can be done several ways. The first way is to iron it in place. The second way is to pin it in place in the next step. The third is to do a temporary loose stitch around the edge of the hole just to keep it in place. If you opt for this method use a color of thread that stands out against the fabric so that it's easier to see later when it's time to remove it. I usually use the stitch method to save the time of pulling out and heating up the iron, and so that I know it's secure.

Cut a piece of your patching fabric that's larger than the hole, at least an extra half inch on all sides, or larger if you prefer. Place it underneath the hole and center it. Try to line up the grain of the fabric so that it's oriented correctly. Pin the fabric in place and make sure it all lies flat with no puckering or warping.

Now it's time to start stitching. Cut a length of thread that's long enough to stitch around the entire hole. If your thread ends up being too short that's alright, it's easy enough to add more thread when it runs out. In fact some people prefer to cut shorter lengths of thread so less needs to be pulled through the fabric with each stitch. Start from the inside and push the needle through the patching fabric and the original fabric close to the edge of the hole. Bring the needle back through just the patching fabric as close to the edge as you can. If you prefer larger more visible stitches you can stitch farther away from the edge, but I prefer my stitches to be minimal. Pull the thread mostly through and tie it to secure it in place.

Now bring the needle back up through the patching fabric and the original fabric about an eighth to a quarter inch away from the original stitch. Bring the needle back down through just the patching fabric as close to the edge as possible, then back through the original fabric. Continue this stitch all the way around the edge of the hole, making sure to keep the folded edge tucked underneath itself. Pull the stitches tight, but not so tight that the fabric starts to pucker. Remove pins as you go so that they are not in the way. Once you make it all the way around, secure the thread on the inside by tying it.

The patch is now attached! If you used the stitch method to secure the folded edge of the fabric you can now remove that temporary thread. You will now need to secure the patch more with a running stitch around the edge. This will prevent too much tension being put on the first stitch. Bring the needle up through the fabric and back down with a very small stitch. You can make these stitches larger and more visible if you prefer, but again I prefer less visible stitches. Secure the thread by tying it and continue to stitch a running stitch all the way around the patch. This stitch can be as close or as far away from the hole as you want, and in whatever shape you want as long as it's firmly on the patching fabric. Once this stitch is complete, secure it by tying and cut away the excess patching fabric. The patch is now complete!

Adding patches on top

Adding patches on top of a garment is a very similar process to adding patches underneath and as such I won't go into as much detail about technique as many of the same processes apply. This technique is best used when the area you want to patch isn't a clean hole, for example wear on the edge of a previously patched area, wear or holes very close to or on a seam or wear on an edge such as on shirt cuffs.

As before, choose a patching fabric with a similar material composition and weight to the piece you're patching. Cut a piece that is at least a half inch or so larger on all sides than the area you're trying to cover.

You now need to hide the raw edge of the patching fabric. As before, cut slits along the edge of the fabric and fold it underneath itself. Secure these folds in place by ironing, with a temporary stitch, or by pinning in the next step. Pin the patch in place and make sure the grain of the fabric aligns as well as possible.

Start stitching. The process is very similar to before. Bring the needle up through both the garment and the patch as close to the edge of the patch as you can. Bring it back down through just the garment as close to the edge of the patch as you can. Pull the thread through and tie it to secure. Bring the needle back up through the garment and patch and continue the same stitch all the way around the patch. Secure the thread by tying again. The patch is now attached!

Practical application

Here’s an example of both techniques being used on the same shirt that needs repair. This 1950s chambray shirt has decades worth of repairs already on it, but there are still many holes and areas where the original repairs need reinforcement.

This hole on the right sleeve is a perfect place for patching underneath. I’ve cut a piece of chambray fabric from another vintage chambray shirt to use as my patching fabric. I’m using thin vintage cotton thread for my stitches. Using the techniques outlined above, I attach the patch. Notice how I keep as much of the shape of the hole as I can in the patching. I think maintaining this character makes the repairs look a bit more interesting.

Further up on the shoulder, there's an area where an older patch is wearing through over a seam. Trying to patch from underneath would mess up the seam and original patch but I still want to reinforce the area. Here it's best to add a patch on top. I cut another piece of scrap vintage chambray as a patch, and attached it as detailed above.

More examples

Here are a few more examples of repairs I’ve done using these techniques.

This 1940s Woolrich wool shirt had huge holes in the sleeves. I mostly added patches under the fabric to repair them.

These jeans are a constant work in progress of patching as the denim continues to wear.

This vintage denim jacket had a lot of wear on the sleeve seams, adding patches on top helped them stop coming apart.

This corduroy shirt had some holes as well as stains. I cut out the stained areas and added a patch underneath

Thanks for looking, I hope this guide is helpful!