First, we’ll turn the worn hole it into an intentional shape – in this case, an oval, but you could choose any curved or straight-sided shape you want. Start by marking up. Working from the right side of your garment, establish the full extent of the torn and weakened area, and place a pin on each side of it (see photo) where the fabric is stronger and intact. Then place another couple of pins about a centimetre outside of those. The inner pins mark where your cutting line ought to be, the outer ones mark the ‘window’ behind which your patch will eventually sit. Don’t worry – it will all start to make sense soon. The most common area to need a patch is the knee of trousers. As with most things, there are lots of different ways to patch, depending on the hole, your skill level and the finished look you are going for. I am a big fan of visible mending. I figure that people will probably be able to see the patch regardless of how well I try and hide it, so why not make a feature of it. Clip all around your inner oval about every centimetre or so, just making a small snip up to that stitching line you’ve made on your outer oval, but being careful not to cut right into it. This snipping will allow the fabric to fold out smoothly and lie totally flat, forming a nice, smooth curved edge. Press carefully to reveal a smooth curve.