Homemade patches for jumper elbows

Austin_Allegro

I need to patch the elbows on a jumpber. You can buy ready made patches online for about £3 a pair, but it seems a bit daft to spend this on a jumper which cost the same price from a charity shop.

I've also got a lot of dark navy corduroy fabric from an old pair of trousers which would make good patching material.

I know how to cut out a nice oval patch, but my question is, how do I stop the edges from fraying? I don't want to use fraycheck as it's expensive and sometimes leaves a mark, and I don't want to use some kind of blanket stitch as I think the edges will still run. I could use pinking shears to cut out the patch, but I think that will look a bit odd. I could just do a square patch, but again I think this will look odd.

I would like to just fold over about 1/4 all round the patch to leave a neat hem, but I'm not sure if this can be done on something oval shaped. Any ideas?

Artytarty

If you are using a sewing machine, do a nice oval corduroy patch and stitch on with a small zig zag, that would look fine. You don't need to turn the edge in.
If you are doing it by hand, make an oval template about 1/4 inch smaller all round than your patch. Use a cereal box.
Then ,with a steam iron, minding your fingers, you can get quite a neat turn in all the way round.

Artytarty

Just noticed your user name! my first car was an Austin Allegro with a square steering wheel!

pigpen

pinking shears.. then use the zigzag stitch with a straight stitch running through or an overlocker with the blade turned off!