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The only problem with your favorite pair of stretch-denim jeans is that they're bound to wear out. After lots of love and use, seams get threadbare and rip. You could pay to have them professionally fixed or you can do the job at home for a lot less. A seam repair is simple and there's more than one way to go about it.
Needle and Thread
The good old needle and thread method has been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years, and it's still thriving because it still works. Pick out a color of thread that matches your jeans. Thread your needle. Wetting the tip of the thread helps to get it through the needle's tiny eye. Don't forget to put a knot at the end of your thread. Turn your jeans inside out and find the rip on the seam. Press the two sides of your ripped seam together and line them up. Weave the needle in and out of both sides of the seam along the length of the rip, pulling the thread along as you go. You're almost done. Now bring your thread over the top of your just-sewn seam and through to the other side. Repeat down the length of the rip. This will prevent your seam from fraying. If the denim is thick and hard to push the needle through, put a thimble on one finger and use it to do your pushing. Tie off your thread and cut it. Your seam is now repaired.
Sewing Machine
This method is a lot faster than needle and thread; the only caveat is that you've got to know how to use a sewing machine. If you do, thread the machine with thread that matches your denim. Turn the jeans inside out and find the rip. Insert straight pins horizontally into both sides of your jeans to hold the rip together. Put your ripped seam under the presser foot on your sewing machine and gently push the pedal down. Run your ripped seam back and forth under the presser foot slowly and that part of your seam will never see a rip again.
Patch It
If you have just a tiny rip and no access to needles and thread, you can do a patch job on your denim. It's always a good idea to keep iron-on patches at home for a fast fix that doesn't require sewing. Turn your jeans inside out and lay them on a flat surface, such as a table. Set your iron to its lowest setting. Find the rip. Place half of your patch glue-side-down over the top of the ripped seam and fold the other half over it and beneath. Press your iron down on the patch without moving it for 30 to 60 seconds. Flip those stretchy jeans over and repeat on the other side. Voila! A fixed seam that is fit to bear another day on your smokin' bod.
Prevention
It's not always possible to prevent ripped seams on your jeans, but with a little bit of common sense you can make your favorite pairs last longer. When you wash them, turn your jeans inside-out every once in a while. It'll protect the color, and over time put less stress on the right sides of your seams. Even though you're convinced a certain pair of stretchy jeans make your butt look 10 years younger, alternate them with other pairs of pants. The more you wear your stretchies, and the more often you wash them, the faster they'll succumb to rips and tears.
