Now that we’re officially in fall it’s time to start thinking about that fall wardrobe and transitioning into cooler weather. Today I want to share a Patched Denim Round-Up showing some of my favorite DIY denim projects from the blog. Patched denim is one style that I truly love and it’s also a popular trend this year. This is definitely one trend I can really get behind. Over the years I have created several patched DIYs and of course a bunch of patched denim DIYs!
One thing I love so much about patching is that you can use up your old scraps of fabric, and repurpose old clothes that may be too worn out even for Good Will. Over the years I’ve been saving all of our old denim and any other old clothes that have cool fabrics or buttons or anything else that I think I may want to re-use one day. Some of these fabrics have also been great for making masks, which is something else we could all use more of right now.
The best part of patching denim with other pieces of denim is that there are so many different shades, colors, textures, and also varying degrees of wear to work with. This can give you a really cool color mosaic, or sometimes super interesting textures. My favorites are light denim, dark rinse, indigo (which has a slight yellowish tint), black, and colored denim just to name a few. Most denim is a twill fabric, but sometimes you get some that are a different weave. This can also have an effect on the color and texture of your patching.
Some of my favorite patched denim DIYs are; my most recent Patched Jean Shorts DIY, DIY Patched Skinny Jeans, and of course my first patched denim DIY this Recycled Denim Maxi Skirt.
The Denim Maxi Skirt
This denim maxi skirt has definitely been one of my most favorite DIYs. You can wear this with just about anything and in almost any season. You can make it long like this one or shorter just below the knee or even go for a more mini look. This look is definitely the best when the denim you are mixing has different shades of blue. Don’t worry if there are a few rips or some fraying, that adds to the cool factor.
DIY Patched Boyfriend Jeans
These DIY Patched Jeans have become a great staple of my wardrobe. Here I added a satiny striped twill fabric for some of the patches, which gives it a more haphazard look. This fabric came from the underside of a shirt collar, the fabric is similar to a men’s necktie (which are another great source of cool fabrics for patches). Another thing I did differently, is that some patches are sewn behind the holes and some are sewn on top. This technique makes them look as if they were patched over time.
DIY Patched Skinny Jeans with Zippers
I have to admit that these DIY Patched Skinny Jeans ended up being my go-to pants for quite a while. I love the contrast of the blue on top of the black denim and the sharp lines of the rectangles on the knees. They also have a fun twist of added zippers on the sides at the ankles. These zippers are super easy to add in right on the outer seam of the jeans. Yeah, I really love this pair!
Fringed Denim Jeans DIY
Ok, so these Fringed Denim Jeans aren’t really patched. (Ok, no patches at all.) But they have rips and maybe the best part is the fringe at the bottom! You could definitely mix these up with patches and fringe if you wanted, or no rips and fringe, it’s up to you!
DIY Patched Mini Skirt
As I looked through this list I realized there really aren’t enough skirts here. But then I remembered this simple DIY Patched Skirt. In this post, I show you a simple way to make a short skirt and then add some patches on top. For this skirt, I used a denim fabric for the base and then added colorful patches with printed fabrics on top. So cute!
DIY Patched Jean Shorts
My most recent DIY project involving patched denim is this pair of Patched Jean Shorts. This project totally saved these shorts from the garbage, I have to admit. They were definitely way past the point of being able to wear them out in public with any sort of dignity. One of my favorite parts of making these shorts was patching them with a mix of fabrics, denim, velvet, corduroy, and even an embroidered patch I made.
I really think we don’t patch things enough anymore. Landfills are overflowing with old clothes and really cheap clothes that are only worn a handful of times. I think we should repurpose our old clothes more, or at the very least the fabric from them more often. I think it’s awesome to learn a few new skills and be able to upcycle some old jeans into a cute and fashionable new skirt for a fraction of the cost. You can create unique styles so that you won’t see everyone else wearing the exact same thing everywhere you go.
I’m committed to finding new ways to reuse my old clothes and repurpose the fabrics into fun new DIY projects. I don’t know about you, but while retail therapy can be fun and all, I have a whole lot more fun making something unique myself. And unless something goes seriously wrong there’s generally no guilt involved when you make something yourself, unlike with buyer’s remorse. Just make sure if you’re using jeans from someone else in your house that you get their permission before you start cutting. My husband frequently wonders where all his old jeans went. LOL
What are your favorite ways to recycle or repurpose old clothes or fabrics, or do you? What other kinds of upcycling projects would you like to see? Have you made any of these patched denim DIYs? I would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment and let me know. Until next time. Stay well!
