You may find that you have extra time if you are lucky enough to be at home for this pandemic. Have you gone through your closets? Have you looked in your drawers or cabinet? You may have clothes with holes or missing buttons that you’ve never worn. It’s a good idea to learn how to fix your clothes. And, believe it or not, it can be fun too!
I will try to show you how to fix some basic garments. You can be creative or simple with these projects, depending on your level of interest. These projects will help you keep your clothes wearable ( ) and out of landfills. These projects are a great way to save money and keep your clothing wearable for longer.
Please remember that clothing with any stretch should be thoroughly washed before repairing. If you are unsure, many free online resources can help you if you need more information or a specific repair that isn’t listed here.
How to Sew Button
It may seem not easy to sew a button, but it is actually the easiest thing you can do. There are three types of controllers – 4-holed (or shank), 2-holed (or 4-holed), and 3-holed. I will show you how to make a 2-holed button, but the 4-holed and the shank buttons are similar and should not scare you!
Do you have a spare button? Does it match the one that was lost? Check along the seams of your clothing if you don’t find it. If you cannot find it, look in your stash of buttons that you removed from hangtags of new clothes.
You don’t have the matching button? If you don’t have a matching button, then choose something similar or use a different style for a unique look. You can also buy enough matching buttons so that they are replaced on the entire garment.
It’s the same with thread! You’ll need to decide if you plan to match the line with what is already there or if you would like to change it. Also, you will have to determine if the line even makes sense. My family sews on buttons with dental floss to fix those pesky ones that always seem to fall off (like the ones on sports jackets or peacoats). I’ve Sharpied the floss black before …)
Find out where the button was previously attached. Take your needle threaded (with the knot at the tip!) Try to align it with one of the holes on the fabric’s back. Push the hand so that it emerges from the front material where the button is. Then, thread the needle through and center it where the button should be before going back through to the opposite side.
Keep your stitches tight. This process is done in an “X,” but you loop one line first, 6-12 times, before moving to the next, approaching from the back.
When you are satisfied that your button is securely attached, ensure your thread is on its back. Before you pull the needle through the fabric, please take a couple of lines and wrap the yarn around it a few (at least three) times. Continue to pull the hand through until you have a knot.
How to Repair a Hem
This may look different depending on the hem. Some hems have visible stitching on the front, while others are folded or cover-stitched. In this case, the hem is finished and not folded over on itself. I will blanket-stitch it back in place. Do you have a folded edge that is not visible from the front? Search for slip-stitching. You can use a machine to sew the hemstitching if it is visible on the show.
Full disclosure: this stitch can be done closer together, but because the fabric edge had already been finished and was fairly sturdy, I chose to space mine out quite a bit. If you want a nice finish, match your thread to the fabric and grab the lines above the fold of the hem.
Begin with a needle threaded and knotted thread. Pick up two lines (from the level of the top of the hem of your garment) at the right side of the loose hem and pull them through. Move your needle about a quarter-inch to the left and then down. Stitch the fabric top so that your hand is sandwiched in between two layers. Put the hand through the loop of the thread before pulling to complete the stitch.
Repeat the stitching until your hem is repaired! Knot your thread using the same method as described in the button-fixing example: Pick up a few lines, or in this case, stitch through the seam allowance, wrap your yarn around your needle a couple of times, then pull your hand to form a ‘knot. Trim excess thread. The stitching should be visible from the front.
How to Reattach Straps
Have you ever had a dress strap break? It happened to me with a jumpsuit without safety pins. While out in India with my friends, I used a hair tie to try to hold up my jumpsuit during a night of dancing at a bar. It’s easy to fix a strap by hand or machine stitching a few stitches in a row. But, this time, the strap on my friend’s dress was missing a small piece that attached it to the back. Do not be afraid to try something new!
The main color on this dress is not the same as the fabric I have, but the embroidery thread I have matches the flowers.
Suppose the front and back of your garment are open, as in this dress; you can start by knotting your thread. If you don’t have a needle, try to bring your hand up at the seam by stitching through the garment.
Loop the thread around the strap and the little circle. This will create a makeshift weaving loom. Once you are satisfied that the belt is tight enough, weave the threads horizontally, alternating up/down and tightening the tension.
After you have finished weaving, grab two threads from your woven area using the knotting technique mentioned previously. Wrap your needle and pull through to anchor. This light dress is as good as new!
