CT-MMB.147

Clothing Repair
Clothing repair and mending can cover a rather
wide range of activities varying from thoserequiring very little skill to those demanding agreat deal of sewing skill and expertise. The
rewards of mending vary from the selfsatisfaction for a job well done to a substantial
monetary savings by prolonging the life of a
garment.

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The need for clothing repair comes from various
sources. Poor initial garment workmanship orconstruction can be a problem with ready-towear as well as handmade items.

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Everyday wear and tear will also take its toll.
Poor garment fit can cause a seam to split or afastener to break. Still other repairs become
part of preventive mending, permitting thegarment to be worn longer without the need ofmajor repair or recycling.
Garment repair and mending can require a bit ofcreativity. Don't be guilty of rushing into a
repair job without giving the situation somecareful thought and having the necessary tools
to see the job through.

To Mend or Not to Mend
How does one decide? The cost of clothing
continues to rise; however, garment cost or
replacement is not the only factor to beconsidered. Answering the following questions
should provide some insight.
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How extensive is the repair or damage?
Do I have the knowledge and skill torepair it, or do I need to take the garment
out for repair?

••Is the garment worth repairing?
(Consider garment age, current fashion,
fit, and its use in the wardrobe. If for achild, will it soon be outgrown or can it
be handed down?)
What is the time element involved in the
repair? (Do I have the time to do it? Do
I have the time to look for and see tosomeone else repairing it?)Can I afford to replace the garment at
this time?
Will the garment be worn after it ismended?

Mending Supplies and Tools
Mending supplies and tools can be categorized
many ways. However, all items should be kept
together in a designated location. Everyone,
male and female alike, who is responsible forthe care and maintenance of their clothing needs
at least a basic mending kit.
Basic Kity Hand needle – package of assorted sizes(3/9)
y Pins – stainless steel pinsy Safety pinsy Scissors
y Liquid fray preventer – found in notion
section at fabric store.
y Thread: white, beige, black, brown, or
navy to match the basic colors of thewardrobe; medium shade of gray or othercolor similar to colors in wardrobe.
Other items can be added which are sure to be
helpful:••Assorted snaps, hooks and eyes
Sewing gauge or small 6-inch ruler

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Sew
wing Buttons
s without Buiilt-on Shank
Usse a double sttrand of eitherr all-purpose,top
pstitching, or buttonholebthread. Begin on
o the
cen
nter line markking.
Ste
ep 1 - Secure
e beginning th
hread with a knotkor a couple of sttitches betwe
een the folds ofofabbric. Hide the knot or clip any
a loose threeads
tha
at may show.
Ste
ep 2 - Bring th
he thread up to the right siide ofthee fabric and th
hrough a holee in the buttonn.
Thread it back throught
an addjacent hole.
Ste
ep 3 - Pull thee thread, allow
wing for asuffficient threadd shank (use toothpick,
t
sha
ank
gauge, pin, or leeave space fo
or give) betweeenthee button and thet fabric.
Ste
ep 4 - Go intoo the first layeer of fabric and theinteerfacing, pickking up severa
al threads of thetfaccing. Slant needle toward thet same gen
neralloccation where threadtcame up through thhefabbric to the righht side. (This will help crea
ate a
thin
n rather than thick thread shank.)sSte
ep 5 - Continu
ue stitching in
n the same place
forr approximate
ely four stitchees.
Ste
ep 6 - If a too
othpick, shankk gauge, or pin
wa
as used to formm the thread shank, removve it
and pull the buttton to the top
p of the threadd.
Wind thread aro
ound the stitch
hes under theebuttton. Secure threadtat the bottom of theethrread stem.

Seamm ripperNeeddle threader
Fusibble bonding webw
Pin cushion
Iron-on mending tape
Assorrted buttons
Bodkkin

The more addvanced or deedicated inddividual canTffind
and use a wide varieety of additioonalssupplies
and tools from fusiblef
web tot specialmmendingsew
wing machine attachmennts.

T
Types
off Repairrs
There are nuumerous repaair or mendinng methodsT– some requiiring creativee talent whille others arebbasic
and ratther fundameental. Determ
miningw
which
one too use depend
ds on the folllowingffactors:
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Locattion of the damagedon thhe garment
Type and size of damage
Shape of the areaa to be repairredeof handdlingType of fabric – ease
Type of garmentg
use and place in the
The garment's
wardrrobe

P
Preventive
e Mendingggarm
ment if they have a reinfo
forcement buutton on
the underneath
u
s
side.

Preventive mending
P
m
inclu
udes a varietty of thingsw
whichwill keep the garm
ment lookingg good andddelay
major repairror meending activiities.

Secu
uring Snapss, Hook & Eyes
E
– Use needlenwithh double threead. Secure several timees ineachh hole, makinng stitches neat.
nHide annd lockstitcching on the underneath side.

Clipping/Tyying Loose Threads
C
T– NewlyNppurchasedgaarments may
y have loose threads thattnneed
to be seecured, hiddeen and/or rem
moved.
Securing/Reeattaching Buttons
S
B–
A
Attach/reatta
ach buttons securelyswithh anaadequate
threead shank too accommodate theffabriclayers and thickneess when buttton isssecuredin thhe buttonholee. Buttons ono outerwearrg
garments
succh as raincoaats and jackeets are lesslikely to breaak, disappearr or damage the2Split/Ripped Seams – The easiest method –repair by re-stitching on sewing machine. Seam
may be repaired by hand if machine or serger is
not available. Determine cause of rip andreinforce or strengthen.

Repairing a Torn Seam
1. Remove stitching from pulled area and 1 inch
beyond each end of pulled seam.

Reinforce Seam/Area – Seams/areas understrain or stress need reinforcement to prevent
splits. Type of reinforcement will depend on
location, fabric, and situation. Types include:
double row of machine stitching; using a shorter
stitch length; narrowing seam allowance toprovide some additional room in garment, andzigzagging edges together; or sewing a small
piece of bias tape to the back side, using zigzag
or multi-zigzag stitch.

2. Cut two strips of soft, lightweight fusible
interfacing, such as fusible knit, as long as the
opening and about 1 inch wide. Round off thecorners and fuse interfacing to wrong sides of bothseam allowances.

Raveling Buttonhole – Repair ravels using
liquid fray preventer and/or hand stitching.
Check fray preventer (for color change) on aninconspicuous seam before using. The moreexperienced individual may want to try restitching buttonhole on the sewing machine.
For hand stitching, the buttonhole stitch ispreferred; however, the novice may feel more
comfortable using a tight, neat whip stitch. Use
double thread.

3. Re-stitch seam either by machine or by handusing a backstitch. Reinforce with a second row of
stitching if necessary.

Raveling/Unsecured Hem – Emergency repairs
can be made using double-faced tape or fabricglue, if safe for fabric, or safety pins.
Permanently repair by needle and thread, fusible
web or sewing machine. Hem stitches should
not show on right side of garment; use single
thread to secure.
Hand Darning

Darning

Begin by gently trimming away any loose
threads or ragged edges. Sewing thread or
actual material thread (raveled yarns from thefabric) can be used to repair area. Color andweight should be very close to fabric being
darned.

Darning is the "reweaving" of fabric in adamaged area, and can be done by hand or
sewing machine. Machine darning is faster but
more noticeable. Hand darning, which can beinvisible to the unknowing eye, is time
consuming and requires patience and skill.
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Position the area to be darned over/on a hardsurface which duplicates the shape of thegarment area, i.e. curved or flat. Using single
thread and a very small, fine needle, make a"bridge" of horizontal or vertical threads
connecting the edges of the area to be darned.

Tips and Helpful Suggestions•

Using the bridge threads just created, weave
additional thread over and under vertically or
horizontally, carefully filling in the damaged
area.

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Hand Darning••
Machine Darning•

Read and follow sewing machine manual
recommendation for machine darning.
Gently trim ragged edges and thread along
damaged area. In some instances, an underlayof lightweight or matching fabric should be cut
and used to strengthen the area and hold thedamaged edges in place.

Patching
Patching is often used when the damaged area islarge or is not suited to darning. The repair canbe almost invisible, or very decorative in nature.
Patching is a sturdy method of garment repair.

The garment area is easier to handle whenplaced in sewing machine embroidery or
darning hoop accessory. Outline the opening
with a straight or zigzag stitch.

Before determining which type of patching
method to use, consider carefully the damage
location, type of garment, individual who wears
the garment, type of fabric and how garment isused. Patching materials can be self-fabric,
contrasting fabric, lace, or trim.

The sewing machine feed dog will need to belowered, since it is not used when darning.
Attach the machine’s embroider or darning foot.
When stitching, move fabric slowly, stitching
lengthwise, then stitch crosswise filling in andstrengthening damaged area.

Machine Darning

Tweeds, plaids, and multi-colored/multithread fabrics are easier to repair
invisibly than fabrics of solid colors.
Textured fabrics blend the darning
thread better, with less attention, thansmooth fabrics.
When an exact thread match is notpossible, select thread one shade darker.
Use extra-fine lightweight thread forlight to medium weight fabrics.
When darning denim jeans, usematching navy or blue thread on top andgray thread in the bobbin. Loosen upper
tension, the bobbin thread will pullslightly to the top of the work making
mend almost invisible.
Try using a multi-stitch zigzag stitch orother decorative stitch when area needs
to be reinforced as well as repaired.
Patches and decorative coverings are
sometimes a better alternative.

The methods of patching include fusing, gluing,
hand and machine stitching. It is also possible touse a combination such as fusing and machine
stitching as in a decorative appliquéd patch.

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Tips and Helpful Suggestions• Purchased iron-on patches should becompatible with fiber, color and textureof garment. Wash or dry clean garment
before attaching.
• Use fusible web to make iron-on patchesfrom any fabric. Cut fabric and web atleast 1 inch larger than area to bepatched.
• Surface-applied patches look neater andlast longer if edges are hand or machine
stitched. Machine stitching can bestraight, zigzag or decorative zigzag.
• When applying an invisible-stitchedfabric patch, use single thread to attachby hand. If damaged area is trimmed toa square or rectangle shape, applying
and stitching the patch is easier.

Sewing on a Knee Patch by
Machine – A machine stitched patch
stays on better, but it’s hard to do on
small pant legs. Be careful when you
sew. It’s easy to sew the pant leg
together by mistake. Start at the bottomof the pant leg and gather it up in yourhands to make a nest. The patch will bein the middle of the nest. When you sew,
keep pulling the back of the pant leg awayfrom the needle.

Start sewing at the upper corner of thepatch. Use a medium-length stitch. Stitch
around the patch close to the edge.

Preparation for Patching With a
Sewn-on Patch
Cut off the ragged edges of the hole. Cut apiece of sturdy material about 2-inches longer
and wider than the hole. If possible, use thesame kind of material as the garment.

To make a nice corner, stop the machinewith the needle down at the corner. Liftthe presser foot and turn the pant leg.
Lower the presser foot and sew anotherside. Overlap stitching at the end to keep
the stitches from coming out.

Fold under all the edges of the patch ½-inch.
Press the edges to crease them.

Pin the patch over the hole. Be sure the patchis smooth, flat, and straight on the garment.

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Repairing a Tear, Cut, or Small Hole
Without Sewing

Fabric patches should be cut on the samegrain and design as damaged area to be
repaired. Secure with matching thread.
Decorative patches can actually enhance
the appearance of a garment. Add
additional decorative patches to balance
the garment design, if needed.

Press the torn area to even up threads which may
have been pulled off grain. Trim loose threads
from edges of the tear.

Patches can be different shapes.
Use pictures in coloring books forpatterns.
Place tear, face down, on pressing surface, gently
bringing edges together. If there is a hole, cut asmall patch of matching fabric from the hem orother concealed area of the garment. Place fabricover hole before fusing. Cut patch from fusible
interfacing or mending fabric 1 inch larger than tearor hole. Round the corners. Place patch, fusible
side down, over tear or hole. Touch tip of hot ironto patch to tack in place.

Sewing on a Knee Patch by Hand –Use the backstitch for a strong patch. It looks
like machine stitches. To backstitch, push theneedle from inside the pants through the pantleg and patch. Push the needle down throughthe material about 1/8 inch back from where
you started. Bring the needle out one stitch infront of that stitch. Keep backstitching aroundthe patch.

Turn garment right side up to check placement ofpatch. Make sure cut edges meet, covering patch.
Press to fuse following directions on package. Let
cool before handling.

Garment section – Almost any section of a
garment can be replaced depending on the skillof the individual doing the repair and thenecessary fabric (matching, coordinating) tocomplete the task. Frequent replacements
include pockets, knit sleeve cuffs, and linings.
Creative and decorative replacement could
include such things as collar and sleeves. The
belt of a garment may need to be replaced, or abelt may be added to a garment. Belts can bemade or purchased. Scarves can also serve as
belts.

Replacement

Zipper – Select a replacement zipper similar tothe one removed, or the most suitable zipper
available. Carefully remove old zipper fromgarment, taking note as to how it was sewn.
Zipper replacement on ready to wear garments
differs slightly from directions that may comewith the replacement zipper.

Replacement generally requires the removal of asection or part of the garment so that a new
portion or part can be installed. Replacement
can require a great deal of skill, or just a little
time and creative thought.
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Elastic - Remove the old elastic carefully fromcasing or garment area. Purchase or replacecasing types with elastic similar to that which
was removed. To determine the amount(length) needed, measure comfortably aroundbody part. Allow 1 inch for securing elastic
ends. When elastic is to be stitched to garment
instead of threaded through casing, fit elastic
more snugly by reducing the length by 2-3
inches.

Making a Thread
Chain

Using matching double
thread firmly secure
thread. Take a verysmall stitch, leaving aloop in the thread.
Release the needle.
Using your fingers, pulla new loop of thread
though first loop.

Belt Carriers – Remove old thread or fabriccarrier. Replace with thread carrier. To make athread carrier, thread a needle with matching orcoordinating thread. Using double thread,secure on back side of garment; bring threadthrough to right side. Take a tiny stitch in thesame location where thread was brought
through, leaving a loop in thread. Drop needle
and begin finger-crocheting a chain or looping
the thread close to the fabric. Continue chaining
until carrier is the desired length for belt to passthrough comfortably. Pull needle through theloop securing thread and loops. Secure carrier
to garment with 2-3 small stitches.

Pull loop very snug
tightening first loop next
to the fabric.
Continue the looping
process to create thedesired length. Make
sure loops are very
secure and snugly
positioned against theprevious loops.
Insert the needle
through the last loop to
lock. Secure to theadjacent fabric segment
and hide thread ends.

Other Repairs and General
Maintenance
There are other repairs and maintenanceactivities performed which will prolong garment
wear-life and/or improve appearance. Severalof these follow on the next page.

Machine stitching with a double needle is agood alternative to repairing a factory coverstitched hem. These hems are common on knit
garments and frequently come undone.

Hems – Whether a hem has come loose or thehemline length has changed, repairing a hem is
one of the most frequently made repairs. Choosea thread color that closely matches the garment
fabric and use a small needle with a single
thread. Thread from the original hem may besalvaged, especially if the garment is factory
made. Hemming machines used for ready-towear garments typically use three times thelength of thread required for a hand stitchedhem. See diagram for removing a chain stitched
hem.

cut

pull

On a manufactured garment with chain stitched hem,
remove hemming stitches by cutting through a stitch
on both sides of one loop. Pull the far right thread end.

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Making a New Hem

Trim the hem to an even width – Decide
how wide to make the hem.
• 2 inches for most cloths• 1 to 1½ inches for pants and flared
skirtsMake a marker the size you want yourhem. Use a ruler or a piece of light weight
cardboard with a notch in the side. Place
one end of the marker on the fold of thehem. Trim the hem by cutting to the notch.
Continue moving the marker and cutting all
the way around the hem. Be careful to cut
through only along the hem allowance.

Take out the hem – Pull out the old hem
stitches. Press out the crease from the oldhem. Use a steam iron or a damp clean clothor paper towel between the hem and the iron.

Mark the new hem – Temporarily pin up thehem to see where it looks best. Mark ayardstick or broom handle with themeasurement from the floor to desired
hemline. Take out the pins.

Finish the edge – If the fabric ravels,
finish the edge.
By machine – Stitch near the edge. A
zigzag stitch works better than a straight
stitch.
By hand – Turn under the edge ¼-inch andpress it flat.

Have someone mark the hem evenly all theway around with pins using the guide on theyardstick.
Turn up the hem – Fold up the hem so themarking pins are on the fold, and pin. Try on
the garment to see if the hem is even. Press
the hem fold. Do not press over the marking
pins; remove them as you press.

8Repairs to vinyl or windbreaker-type nylon–
For a washable garment, cut a patch and glue inplace using a vinyl adhesive.

Make the new hem – Try one of these ways:
Hand Hem – You can use this for most clothes.
Turn it inside out. Fold the hem back so only ¼
inch of the hem shows past this fold.

Repairing pulled threads in woven fabric –Gently work with fabric to ease thread tension
and re-position thread. Unless thread isbroken, pull thread to wrong side of garment
using a needle threader. If thread is broken,
thread into a needle and pull through. In someinstances, the thread may be close enough to aseam line or other line of stitching that it can beworked into that area.

Take a small stitch in the hem about ¼ inch fromthe edge. If you turned under the hem edge,
make this stitch through both layers of fabric.

Repairing pulled threads in knits – Repair
must be done by hand. Unless the thread isbroken, use a needle threader or a knit repair
tool to pull the thread to the wrong side of thegarment. Gently stretch the knit and attempt toreposition the pulled yarn. If yarn/thread isbroken, attempt to thread through a needle andpush to wrong side. Thread needle withmatching thread and whip the yarns together;secure thread well. Use a liquid seam/fraypreventer if appropriate.

Then ½ inch away, pick up 1 or 2 threads from thefold. Don’t pull the thread too tight—the hem willshow less if the stitches are loose.
Fusible Web – Try this for pants and skirts thatare quite straight. You can use fusible web
instead of stitching to hold the hem in place. You
can buy fusible web in strips or in large pieces.

Removing pills – The most effective means ofremoving pill balls is by carefully cutting themoff. The small battery-operated pill removing
devices on the market are generally very
effective and safe for clothing when usedproperly. Look for other products, including
sweater brushes, to assist with the removal ofpills. Always read and follow productrecommendations.

Use a piece of web. Test to see if it holds andlooks right on your fabric. Cut the fusible web into
strips ¼ inch to ½ inch wide. Put the web inside
the hem, just below the top to keep the web fromsticking to the iron.

Buy Carefully, Mend Less
One way to help keep repair of clothing at aminimum is to check garments carefully before
you buy them. When you shop, follow thesesuggestions:• Pick types of garments best suited toyour family’s needs and to the kind ofcare theses clothes will get.

Follow the instructions that come with the fusible
web to press it in place.

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References:

Check sizes and fit. Getting the right fit
avoids strains that cause damaging rips
and tears later.
Study style features and trimmings to see
if they will hold up in use. Some,although satisfactory in dress clothes, are
not practical in garments for work or
play.
Look for flaws. Examine theworkmanship of a garment, outside andinside; to make sure it is appropriate andserviceable for the material, style, andcut of the garment, as well as for the use
and care it will get.
Take time to pick the best garment,
whether clothes are piled in a stack or
hanging from a rack. All clothes of akind, or even a size, are not equally goodquality. While one choice seems as goodas another, clothes are made byindividuals, some of whom are moreskilled and exacting than others.

Heaton, L.M. (1996). Clothing Repair (CT-LMH.147).
Unpublished manuscript, University of Kentucky.
Dedic, B.J. (1987). Quick Clothing Repair (H.E. 2-305).
Unpublished manuscript, University of Kentucky.
Southern Region Agricultural Research Service (1976).
Clothing Repairs. Home and Garden Bulletin
no.107, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For more information on hand stitches andhems, see Hand Stitches (CT-MMB.002) andHems (FCS2-320).

Sections adapted for use in Kentucky from How to Make a New Hem and How to Patch Knees in Pants, 1978, North Central
Region Project by Textiles and Clothing Extension Specialists.
Marjorie M. Baker, M.S.
Extension Associate for Clothing and Textiles
October 2007
Copyright © 2007 for materials developed by University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. This publication may be reproduced in portions or its entirety
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Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.

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