Make Do and Mend #1: Elbow Patches

I've had this jean jacket forever, and last year it developed a dreaded hole in the elbow.  I wore it with the hole for a while, but then I started feeling like a bum, so I put it away in the closet.

There it sat.

I'm not one to rush out to buy something new, just cause something I have needs mending.  I'm frugal like that. 


One day, while browsing through the Gap on my lunchbreak, I came across a jean jacket with leather elbow patches.

Ah-Hah!  {Insert lightbulb above my head}

So, for months, I've had this little project on my to-do list.

Saturday, it finally happened.

Easy peasy.  I made a trip to JoAnn's and picked up some suede elbow patches with pre-punched holes for stitching and some matching thread.

I covered the hole with a patch and pinned it in place.  Then, I tried it on and checked the placement in a mirror.  Once I was satisfied, I lined up the other sleeve and placed that patch accordingly.

Once both patches were placed, I tried it on again, just to make sure I liked the way they sat.

I'm not going to lie, this did take some time.  Since you're adding patches to a sleeve, it has to be hand sewn, so you might want to watch a movie or something while you sew.  I listened to Pandora while I worked on it.

Then again, I'm not the most experienced seamstress, so you might be faster than me.  It took me a while to get the hang of it.

And I most definitely got the needle turned around once and stabbed myself pretty good.

I'm happy with the way it turned out.  Part of me kinda wishes I'd used brown patches, but I do wear black alot, so it will match almost everything. 

Now I have a like-new jean jacket, and just in time for spring! 

Have you mended anything lately?  I'd love to hear about it!  If you've done a post, leave the link in the comments.  If not, tell us about it!

What are you Making Do with?