Clothing repair

None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.

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Apply clear nail polish to the threads of sewn buttons to protect them from breaking and unraveling.
Clear nail polish adds extra strength and protects the thread; clothing wash powder likely won't clean it off.
- You may need to replace the polish every six months.
3 people, independently
After needle-felting wool or other animal fibers, hand-wash in cold water only and do not use a dryer.
Felted wool shrinks.
- Works best with wool, alpaca, cashmere, etc.
one person who lived it
Use a fabric shaver to remove pills from sweaters, jackets, and fleece to make them look new.
- Do not use indefinitely on thin fabrics as they may become sheer or threadbare.
- The tool can snag and cause holes.
4 people, independently
Avoid using iron-on tape if the hem allowance is less than 2mm, as there is not enough fabric for the tape to cling to.
There is not enough fabric for the tape to cling to.
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Use a double-ended latch hook to mend ladders in knitted sweaters by replicating the vertical knit and purl stitches, then weave in ends securely.
Slip-knotting alone may not hold.
- Do not rely on simple tie-offs; weave ends in.
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fabric, clothing, clothes, dye49

Wash dyed clothing separately from other laundry, especially for the first few washes, to prevent color bleeding.

Dye faded jeans black to redarken them and avoid looking unkempt.
Faded knees can make one look like a bum.
one person who lived it
Make quilts from reclaimed denim for heavy, durable blankets, acknowledging they are thick and difficult to quilt due to pocket seams.
Denim quilts work like weighted blankets and are long-lasting.
- They are pretty heavy.
- Thickness and pocket seams make them difficult to long-arm quilt.
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Wear gloves that extend from fingertip to shoulder to prevent skin staining when dyeing.
Dye stains skin severely and can leave marks resembling injuries.
- Scratching the neck or other exposed areas can still result in stains.
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Use Kevlar thread for sewing buttons and patches where extreme durability is needed.
It cannot be broken and does not abrade.
- Do not use on thin or delicate fabric, as the strong thread may rip holes in it.
- Do not iron over it, as heat will melt the plastic monofilament.
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Use Tenacious Tape to repair nylon-type fabrics like jackets and bags where sewing is difficult.
It saves items that are otherwise broken.
- It is kind of expensive.
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Apply anti-chafing balm like Body Glide or Gold Bond Friction Defense Stick to inner thighs.
It prevents chafing.
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Place lavender sachets and cedarwood cubes or hangers in your closet to repel moths.
Moths do not like either scent, which may save your clothes.
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Accept that knit fabrics with widespread holes may be beyond repair due to loss of structural integrity.
The fabric is losing integrity and more holes will form; runs can create large holes quickly.
- Darning may be more effort than it is worth.
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Pull picked threads back through the fabric using a tambour hook or snag grabber instead of cutting them.
Cutting the threads produces a hole, whereas pulling them through prevents this.
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Alter old clothes into new garments
to extend their life and improve fit
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- Patch holes in pants with leftover fabric scraps and embroider a design over the patch to hide it and extend the garment's life.1
Wash dyed clothing separately from other laundry, especially for the first few washes, to prevent color bleeding.
Dye will bleed and turn other clothes brownish.
- Even with fixatives, you may need to wash with like colors forever.
6 people, independently
Wash clothes in cold water, measure detergent carefully, avoid fabric softener and dryer sheets, and hang dry or use low heat briefly to preserve clothing quality.
Fabric softener and dryer sheets stay in the fibers of clothing.
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Take large clothing repairs to a tailor
to save time
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Stitch to a patch placed behind the fabric instead of directly through the tear to prevent puckering caused by tight stitches.
Tight stitches can cause the fabric to pucker.
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Use embroidery to repair rips and holes in clothing.
The thick thread holds the patch securely.
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Buy higher-quality, durable clothing instead of cheap alternatives to reduce long-term spending.
Cheaper items may wear out multiple times a year, while durable ones last longer.
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Use leftover food or plants for natural dye as a frugal option.
It is more frugal.
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Learn darning to weave new fabric into holes in clothing, providing a more durable repair than simple stitching.
Simple sewing often fails over time.
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Run dyed clothes through a regular wash with cold water afterwards to set the dye.
to set the dye
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Brush heavy fabrics with a clothes brush after de-pilling to remove residual fibers and dust, but be careful not to create new pills.
Residual fibers and dust remain after de-pilling.
- Be cautious as improper brushing can create picks and new pills.
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Stitch around the edges of iron-on patches to secure them, as the adhesive often fails after a couple of washes.
An older relative taught that iron-on patches fail without reinforcement.
2 people, independently
Buy reproofer for old waterproof clothing instead of purchasing new gear.
It is cheaper than buying new waterproofs.
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Soak clothing overnight in a strong OxiClean solution to remove sweat and deodorant stains before dyeing.
Salt in deodorant and sweat causes dye to take strongly in armpits.
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Use vinegar instead of bleach to kill mold spores on porous materials.
Vinegar is more effective at killing spores than bleach.
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Visit fabric stores to find replacement buttons, asking if they have spare containers.
They are the best source for matching varieties.
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Use gentle cycles or garment bags when washing delicate shirts to prevent damage.
Rough handling or standard cycles can cause tears.
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Budget for replacing favorite flannels, shirts, or pajamas every few years as they naturally weaken and develop holes at seams or stress points.
Fabric becomes weak and darned edges pull apart.
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Remove socks before stirring a dye bath to avoid staining them.
Stirring can splash dye onto nearby items.
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Use Gutermann thread for clothing repairs because it is stronger.
It is stronger.
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Buy toddler clothes from consignment stores or Goodwill to find items that fit without hemming.
It helps find pants that do not need alteration for hard-to-fit toddlers.
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Follow dye package instructions exactly to ensure the job works properly.
If you do not follow them to the letter, the result will not be good enough.
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Do not rely on freezing jeans to clean them, as it is ineffective at killing microorganisms.
Many microorganisms survive freezing and thawing just fine.
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Use a comb to remove pills from clothes instead of a sweater stone to concentrate force more.
Combs concentrate force on a small line of material, whereas stones disperse force over a large surface area.
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Use color run remover products if dye transfers to other clothes.
It usually works well for removing transferred dye, such as from black socks.
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Learn sashiko embroidery to mend tears visibly, acquiring a transferable skill that saves items from disposal.
It is a transferable skill that allows you to save torn items.
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Wash items thoroughly before dyeing to remove dirt and fabric softener so the cloth absorbs color best.
Plain cloth absorbs any color best.
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Read 'Mending Life' for clear tutorials on darning.
The book provides super clear tutorials for learning darning.
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Clean and condition leather furniture to maintain its appearance, but recognize that deep damage may not be fully restorable.
Prevention is more effective than repair for significant damage.
- Deep damage is likely not fully restorable.
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Avoid washing waterproof or technical gear on high heat or sanitary cycles.
High heat removes the waterproofing from the material.
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Wash clothes inside-out to prevent pilling and preserve prints.
It reduces abrasion during washing.
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Zip up all zippers before washing to prevent them from snagging and tearing other garments.
Unzipped zippers rubbing against clothes often cause holes.
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Use full-thickness thread instead of separated strands when darning to ensure the repair is thick enough.
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Avoid repeatedly stitching closed blown-out crotches without reinforcement, as this shrinks the area and increases the likelihood of future splits.
Stitching up failing fabric makes that area slightly smaller, increasing the likelihood it will split again.
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Limit repeated shaving of pills to tougher, thicker fabrics.
Continual maintenance can wear down fabric durability.
- Not recommended for delicate fabrics as it reduces durability.
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Use iron-on patches as an interfacing layer under sashiko or decorative repairs to stabilize the fabric and reduce sewing effort.
It provides a solid layer for stabilization and durability while requiring less sewing.
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Repair fraying towel edges by sewing on bias binding made from old clothing or scrap fabric.
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Accept that severely damaged jeans cannot be mended prettily, even by skilled sewers, and consider replacement.
The outcome will obviously look patched or mended despite significant time investment.
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Focus on comfort when choosing between repairing old favorites and buying new, recognizing that favorite worn-in items cannot be replaced by new ones.
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Avoid cashmere if you are concerned about animal cruelty, noting that some argue not shearing domestic sheep is also cruel.
Cashmere is considered mean by vegans; others argue unshorn domestic sheep suffer.
- Disagreement exists: some claim not shearing domestic sheep is cruel.
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Avoid wearing favorite shirts when carrying a heavy backpack all day.
Heavy backpacks cause pilling along the lower back.
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