Ripping your pants is a common thing. Most people rip the knees playing outside, gardening, or crouching repeatedly. Others rip the butt, either down the middle or around the pockets when the pockets get caught on something. Sometimes pants rip on the hips or near the zipper. It just depends on the weakness of the fibers. Before you chuck those pants in the garbage, however, you should know that there are some creative ways to beautify and hide the rips. Try any of the following to get a great new look out of an old, damaged pair of pants.
Applique Embroidery Designs
In the seventies and eighties, embroidered patches were all the rage. People would look for all kinds of fun and unique patches to put on everything from jeans and jean jackets to backpacks and purses. It did not matter that your stuff was not ripped; it was the fashion trend of the day. That trend has returned, except now instead of buying pre-made patches, people use an embroidery machine and software to create their own patches. If you do not want to invest in a sewing machine with these extra features, find someone who owns such a machine and offer to pay him/her to make the applique embroidery designs for you.
Lace
Whether you use crocheted lace or actual lace, you can overstitch or under-stitch lace to cover or reveal rips. If you overstitch the lace, you can pick just about any piece of lace and then stitch over the edges of the lace and through the cloth below. Add a few extra stitches to secure the ripped edges of the rip so that the rip does not fray or rip further. If you under-stitch (i.e., stitch the lace inside the garment under the rip), you create a sort of "peek-a-boo" effect whereby the rip looks like it was intentional in order to reveal the lace. When you do it this way, be sure to stitch the frayed edges of the rip tightly to the piece of lace underneath.
Use Fabric Paints
If you are the really creative type, use fabric paints to make a rip look like art. A tiny rip can become a broken heart, the body of an ornate butterfly, or the smile of a cartoonish monster. The best part of this creative craft is that the fabric paint, once dry, becomes the glue that prevents the rip from fraying.
Crafting at home offers a world of opportunity to take advantage of. Once you've learned all the basics, you can use your crafting skills to create memorable gifts for friends and loved ones throughout the year. You can also create products to sell at craft fairs and local gift shops. You may even find that you're good at teaching other people how to craft as a hobby. Or, you might find a job that actually pays you to teach others the skill of crafting. As a crafter, you need a resource you can rely on to learn about new tools and accessories, gain insight into new crafting techniques, and find new classes and job opportunities. This blog is dedicated to providing you with all this information and more, so keep checking back!