Mending Jeans for (Social?) Justice: Part 2

I wrote earlier this week about mending jeans and the reBUTTal hashtag. Out of all my possible reBUTTals, I decided to embroider BELIEVE WOMEN on the back pocket of my current favorite jeans.

After taking the pocket off the jeans, I wrote the words on the pocket with a marker that washes out in the laundry. Then I searched high a low for my embroidery needles and could find them, so I had to go to JoAnn. I ended up picking up some DMC Cotton Perl embroidery thread along with the needles – it’s not quite as shiny as the usual embroidery thread, but it’s colorfast. It’s also not divisible into individual strands/plies. I probably should’ve chosen a different color, although I do like how subtle the final pocket is. At least the message is positive if no one can make out WOMEN – I’ll happily wear these.

I sewed the pocket back on by hand using thread made by Singer that’s specifically for jeans.(Note that I patched the pocket holes before sewing the pocket back on.) It’s a bit thicker and sturdier than regular thread. Most surprising to me was how easily the needle went through 3-4 layers of denim; I thought I’d need to break out the thimble, but there were only a few times I needed to put the eye end of the needle on something hard to push it through.

I also used this thread to mend the holes in this pair of jeans and another pair that had a rip in the crotch from my lunging to move a wedding dress. I patched all the holes from the inside using denim cannibalized from a ruined pair of Henry’s jeans and did some sashiko embroidery to keep the patches in place. I’m a little worried that I didn’t finish the edges of the patches, but trust that the sashiko stitches will keep the fabric strong.

The repaired crotch rip in another pair of jeans

The repair from the inside

While I was at JoAnn, I also decided to upgrade my sewing needles storage. I’ve been using this Crowleys needle case for as long as I’ve had my own needles; I’m not sure if it’s my Mom’s or if it’s from my Great Grandmother Smith. About a month ago, my husband needed a needle and spilled them all on the floor of our dining room. The new needle cases have less charm, but they do have a magnet in them that doesn’t come out when you tilt the case, so there’s nearly no chance that he’ll be able to spill all the needles again. The new cases don’t have the same charm as the Crowleys case, which I’m going to figure out another use for (or at least display it somewhere) so I can still see it and handle it.

And now it’s back to knitting baby shower gifts that I can’t show you until after the shower!