How To Embroider Jeans By Hand

My blog periodically contains affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase, I might make a small commission at no extra charge to you. Purchases made through them are greatly appreciated.

In this post I will show you how to embroider jeans by hand. This is an easy technique! We took an old pair out of Emma’s closet and repurposed them with this fun embroidery technique. These jeans had gaping holes at the knees. We turned them into a one of a kind beauty!

Getting ready to bring Emma back to college, as we were packing we found these old black jeans with massive holes in the knees. Instead of discarding them, we decided to embroider these jeans by hand to give them a fresh new look!

How we ended up embroidering jeans by hand

The idea of mending using this easy embroidery technique on a specific pair of Emma’s jeans fascinated me! So I got to work. Read my previous post on How To Embroider Kids Clothes. I didn’t have high expectations but thought that I would use these as a “practice”. While I was researching how I wanted the jeans to look, I came across an ancient Japanese mending process called Shashiko mending. Now this takes practice and skill and as a designer I took the inspiration of this process and did a loose variation and started calling it my boho embroider mending process! The stitch is the same, a continuous running stitch that reinforces the fabric and the patch. This dual function adds reinforcement to the knees as well as a great design detail.

Video on Shashiko hand embroidery

Take a look at the video below to see how this simple running stitch can be formed into a pattern to decorate any article of clothing, not just to embroider Jeans By Hand. Skip to 3:14 to get right into the process

Steps to embroider Jeans By Hand

The design possibilities are endless! See below on how I embroidered these jeans by hand. The process and the end result. Now as a mom, it takes a lot to impress an 19 year old college person. Emma is now so excited to own a “new” pair of one of a kind pair of “boutique” embroidered jean and I feel really accomplished by giving her a new “look”

Method used in mending jeans by hand

1. Take a pair of jeans with holes in the knees.
2. Find scrap fabric that you would like to incorporate Use old shirt, or another pair of jeans, you can also visit places like Fabscrap that sell recycled fabric from the fashion Industry.
3. Turn you jeans inside out.
4. Pin the scraps behind the hole, securing them in place.
5. Turn your jeans back to the correct side.
6. Use embroidery floss, and embroidery needle .
7. Start a horizontal pattern using a simple knot in the back threading my needle and using a simple running stitch from one side to the other then repeating so that I had many horizontal rows of my grey ombre thread from top to bottom.
8. Removed all the pins, since the piece was now securely sewed down.
9. Start the process with a vertical running stitch using an ombre red/pink embroidery floss.
10. Turn the garment inside out again so that you can trim any loose threads.
11. Enjoy a pair of one of a kind repurposed pair of jeans!

Below are my go to supplies for my Embroidered jeans

|| 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 ||

1. Premium Tailor Scissors – A good pair of fabric scissors are important! Once you start cutting paper this dulls the blades
2. Embroidery Floss Rainbow Color– So many fun choices! I used an ombre thread for a more variegated color look.
3. 23 PCS Large Eye Sewing Needles– These large eyed needles are needed for these thicker embroidery threads.
4. Dressmaker Pins– Essential in holding down your scrap fabric behind the holes.
5. AE Ripped Mom Jean– A great choice if you don’t own an already ripped pair of jeans.

Embroidered Jeans

I always try and add a section for items that do not have to be DIY’s. These are my picks for embroidered pants if you do not have the patience to embroider a pair yourself.

Related Posts

Below are some of my posts where I upcycle, or repurpose an article of clothing. Check below for some fun ideas!

• Patchwork Jeans DIY- Free People Hack for way less!
• Patched Ripped Jeans-that you can easily DIY
• How To Chain Stitch Yarn On A Sweater

Share in the comments your DIY embroidered jeans. I always love to see what others are creating. Also check back here for new posts every week, I a always doing something new!