I have spent this day mending jeans for my son--he works construction and is hard on his jeans. He doesn't mind my patches, but he won't wear ragged ones--does that tell you something about his age?? (He's 52). I tell him the mending is truly a labor of love, for it is an onerous chore. The worst thing is getting the side seams opened so I can get the patch sewn on. Well, 6 pairs are back on his shelf, so that should take care of things for at least a few months. I generally only patch once per leg. Anyway, it feels good to have them done. I'd rather be quilting. :)

Great Challenge, it feels good, doesn't it?

Oh it makes my heart happy to know my son will still need me when he is 52 :) (he's 5 and I am having a heard time with sending him to school in the fall) Such a good mom!

boy that brings back memories i used to do alterations and had several construction workers bring jeans to be patched they said they felt better than new jeans

I would rather make something new than mend or alter. One of my husband's friends asked me to shorten his Carhart overalls. I did it as a labor of love for the friend, not for the love of altering, lol.

I was just asked by a neighbor how much I would charge her to mend the "crotch" of her jeans. She finally described the patch just below the zipper to the inner seam. I asked her hand or machine mend. She wants machine. Thinking well I will do a neighbor a favor I told her $3 a pair. You would have thought I had said a million dollars each by the look she gave me... Guess she thought since we live in TN that I would "volunteer" to do it for free. :)

I occassionally put in new leg zippers in the guys insulated coveralls--When I do it for a friend of my son, he makes them pay for the job (says "they" can afford it), so I get a little for that, otherwise, mending is really a labor of love,.

I don't mind mending at all. This is where features like the free arm and multi-directional stitching are worth the extra cost! Alterations though would be MY least favorite thing to do.

I know exactly what you mean. I am the mom of 3 boys and when they were little, it seemed like I was always patching something. The youngest one is 16 now and he wants the holes in his jeans, he says it the style....but now I feel guilty because eveyone who knows me knows I sew and I don't want my kids walking around with holes in his jeans! Go figure!

I rarely mend...I replace! LOL I hate mending.