Freshen up your wardrobe and save your favorite most-worn items with this quick guide to mending seams tears.
Steps
Step 1. Trace the tear in the seam
Turn the dress inside out and pull the seams lightly to find the tear.
Step 2. Thread a needle
Use a medium-sized needle and thread that is the same color as the dress. Cut a length of thread about the size of your arm. Wet one end of the thread to hold the fibers together, pass it through the eye of the needle and pull until the thread is folded in half. Tie a small knot at the end of the thread. If you are sewing a sturdy material, such as denim, you can use a thimble to push the needle without hurting your fingers.
Step 3. Mending
Thread the needle through the seam just below the tear.
- Switch it to the other side and then make it come back.
- Gently slide the thread, creating a written stitch.
- Continue this stitch for the length of the tear.
Step 4. Review
From where you finished the written stitch, insert the needle on one side of the seam, and pull it out on the other. Then pass the cotton over the top and repeat the stitch on the same side.
Continue by retracing the length of the tear. This strengthens the written stitch and prevents the seam from fraying
Step 5. Close the seam
Tie 2 or 3 simple knots at the end of the stitches.
- To secure everything, sew several stitches in the same place.
- Pull the thread tight and cut it as close to the fabric as possible.
Step 6. Turn the dress right
Admire your work. Like New!
Advice
- Always pull off any threads that hang from the seam before mending.
- If you've never done this before, know it's easy! It doesn't take long to master this simple sewing style, and it can make the difference between throwing away a good dress and keeping it for many years to come.
- It is important to choose the right needle for the job - the thicker the fabric, the stronger the needle is needed; the thinner and more delicate the fabric, the thinner the needle will be.
- If you don't find a thread that is exactly identical to the fabric, use the closest one you find. Assuming you're mending a seam, you won't even notice it, because the seams aren't visible from the outside.
