How to Patch Pants for Little Boys

I have little boys. Little boys are hard on pants. I don't care how much you advertise things like "double patch knees" and "super tough style" they will find a wear to wear through the knee. I've tried to patch pants before and it doesn't work well. Patches come off, or, they just look funny. So my boys have a lot of play clothes with some stitching at the knee that I don't let them wear to school or daycare. Then I saw this idea on Pinterest (original post here). It was "oh my goodness cute". It didn't look hard to do and I figured if it didn't work, what difference would it make? Well, it did work. And it's cute. And I've washed it a couple of times now and it still works!

First, get your pants with the hole at the knee as well as your other supplies.

Red and White felt, scissors, regular thread, embroidery thread and some tough needles (we are going to be sewing through denim after all.

Cut out a red oval that is larger than the hole you are patching.  Cut out some zigzag 'teeth' from the white and stitch it on with regular thread.  It doesn't have to be great, neat sewing, just stitch it on.  Cut around the worn thread of the jeans to make a mouth opening.

Place you inside mouth patch inside to check that it looks right, hold it in place with a pin and flip your jeans inside out.

(Patch inside, minus the pin).  Start stitching around the patch with embroidery thread - neatness doesn't count, we're making patch monsters for little boys after all.
Flip the jeans back around.  Stitch on 2 white circles (they don't have to match) for eyes with embroidery thread. 

And voila - the cutest little monster patch you've ever seen.  BTW - these were for my younger son who is 5, it passed the coolness test from his 7 year old brother.