Is there a 'right' way to repair?
Or does the search for perfection only lead to procrastination?
Mending can feel intimidating, particularly if you focus too much on there being a right way to do things. If you don’t know how to do it ‘right' or you don't have the correct materials then you might think you can’t do it. You’ve fallen at the first hurdle.
I have a checked linen Jaeger dress - charity shop-bought for a mere £3 - that has damage at the seams around the hips. I didn’t do a thorough check before I bought it and hadn’t noticed that the seams had previously been under too much stress. It’s a great dress and perfect for this weather so I was keen to get it wearable again.
How to fix this? If there was a lot of room to play with I would just take it in slightly, sewing a new seam inside the original one up each side of the dress. However, although it’s not too tight on me, there isn’t enough extra room around my hips to go this route. Another option might be to undo the seams and patch the fabric where it’s damaged and then re sew the original seam. But its a closed ‘French seam’ so it would take me ages and I don’t have the time or patience for this.
My alternative repair plan was to sew tape down the outside of each side seam to strengthen and cover the pulled weave, preventing further damage. I thought about sewing the tape inside the seam so it was invisible, but decided I'd take the opportunity to add some colour to the dress. This might not be considered the correct method but I’m not too concerned about that. As long as it works, looks good and keeps the dress wearable for as long as possible then that's all that matters.
Often, if I don’t find a simple, good-looking fix, then the repair never gets done and the dress doesn’t get worn. If I were to keep wearing it without repairing it, then the pulled fabric would soon be all holes and I'd be exposing more than just my lack of knowledge about the 'right' way to mend it!
I searched my mending kit for some ribbon or tape in a colour I like to sew down the outside of each seam. I've amassed so much kit over the years - some gifted, some found, or snapped up in charity shops - that I rarely need anything new. Naturally, I prefer it this way as it's better to use existing supplies than buying brand new. Nothing in my kit was quite what I wanted for this repair so I went to a local fabric shop (and was immediately overwhelmed by choice).
Initially I was looking for orange to add a bright pop of colour but some ochre bias binding caught my eye. I was actually looking for tape or ribbon but I loved the colour, and the texture and weave was a perfect match for the linen dress.
I don’t have a lot of yellow thread but amazingly I found a similar shade cotton in my kit (if in doubt, when matching a thread, aim for a fraction darker than the fabric you’re sewing). Plus, I already had a bobbin ready to go, pre-wound with the correct shade of ochre. I’ve no idea when I last used that thread so this was a bonus, almost like it was meant to be.
Here’s how I did this repair:
First I pinned the bias binding down along the outside of one seam (photo 1)
Using my sewing machine set to straight stitch, I sewed each side of the bias binding down (photo 2)
I made sure I turned the bias binding down neatly at each end (photo 3)
I repeated these steps for the other seam (photo 4)
The colour combination works really well and the muted ochre complements the relaxed silhouette of the dress. Opting for tape or bias binding in a similar fabric composition and weight as the fabric of the dress means that it should hang naturally and look fine after washing.
My mending kit for this repair:
Bias binding (you could use tape or ribbon)
Cotton thread
Snips or scissors
Pins
Sewing machine
Bobbin
What’s happening this week:
My mending pile: holey underwear - mine and my kids’. You may be unconvinced about walking around with patched up undies but small holes can easily be stitched, plus it helps save money and keep them in use for longer.
What I’m doing this week: tomorrow, alongside some other parents at my sons’ school, I’m running a second hand uniform and football kit sale. Wish us luck – we’ll need it in this heat!
Next week on The Mending Kit: my kids break up for the Summer holidays next Friday so I have a hectic few days coming up. Next week’s post needs some thoguht so it’s going to have to be another surprise.
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