#mending clothes

[strawberrysalamanders]

Crochet Patching

from Mending Life: a Handbook for Repairing Clothes and Hearts by Nina and Sonya Montenegro

[rotteneldritchhorror]

On a semi-related note, I love knowing that if I hadn’t learned how to repair separating seams then the skirt I’m wearing would be in pieces and I wouldn’t be able to wear it anymore <3 but because I took the time to learn the basics of mending it I can love it for longer!

[lowwasteorbustanut]

Oh man.

Now that I’ve started mending the cub rub in my pants, I feel like it’ll never end!

I’ve already had to mend 2 of my pants again, and a third that I need to med for the first time.

At least it only takes about an hour to do the initial mend, and adding squares for some structural stability.

But I’m disheartened that they only last about a week before I have to patch again :(

I’m sure it’s because 1)I’m fat, 2) I sweat a LOT (which is hard on my clothes), and 3) I work a VERY physical job where I’m walking and bending almost constantly.

At least these pants are staying out of the waste stream. Which is a win!

But I’m gonna research how to make mends last longer, because it’s getting a bit ridiculous at this point.

Unless anyone has any suggestions?

[classicalsongbirdknits]

A very satisfying before and after of some duplicate stitch mending I did on my mum’s sweater after she burnt it on the oven. The yarn isn’t quite the same colour, but that could be because the sweater needs a wash.

[katskrochet]

So my coworker asked I'd I could mend a tear in the crotch of his work pants and I was like.. well no. Cause while I do like to do fiber arts and have dabbled a very small bit in sewing (both hand and machine) it's not something I really have the supplies or experience to do.

But ofc this mf brings his pants in anyway. It's been like 3 weeks but I finally got around to buying some fusible web tape and hand stitched his seam

These pictures aren't the best cause it's midnight but like. Tell me I didn't kill this for my first time

And like yes I know you're supposed to match the color thread to the fabric but my coworker and I constantly screw with each other and I know he won't care, so I went with what I liked and ya boy likes neons.

PLUS I DID SO GOOD ITS NOT LIKE ANYONES GONNA SEE IT ANYWAY RIGHT

I did not remotely want to repair these pants but I did and I'm literally so proud of myself rn.

[fastwiemagie]

Mending a torn coat pocket

I've got this black wool coat as a gift when I was 18 years old (my mum and grandma and greataunties pooled together for Christmas), it's from an Austrian designer and really well made. It's floor length and got a big hood aswell!

I've now owned this coat for 17 years already! It's expected to have some wear and tear. This year the one pocket finally tore apart and I had to do a repair job. I've decided against a new black pocket and did it in this gorgeous ornamental purple fabric.

I carefully seam ripped the old pocket, traced it onto paper and cut the new one. Pinned it in place and went to handsewing. I first stitched the pocket on, then carefully folded the seam allowance back and whip-stitched that down aswell. I like that I now have a repaired pocket and a hidden beautiful detail!

Bonus: my cat turning into a demon yawning.

[calendulacraft]

:: Patchwork & Patching ::

Two years ago, when I began this journey, I was very enthusiastic about slow fashion but had very little sewing skills. The mends I made didn't last long and need a re-working.

And that is okay -- It is part of the process. I patched, the patch didn't last, and I have learned better ways of patching and will continue to do so.

This past week I have been circling back to old projects and upcylcing them once again. This post is something of a "mending diary" as I re-mend clothing that I first patched years ago, some of my favorite and most worn garments. Let's start with this pair of jeans:

At one time, when I was still traveling and living out of my backpack, they were the only jeans I owned. The knees of both legs split open and I patched them with whatever I had at the time. And now that I own many more pairs of pants I feel that they have earned the right to be patched again to reflect the new techniques, inspired by sashiko mending that I have since acquired.

<< the rest of this post can be found on my Hive.blog page >>

** and to purchase one of my sewing kits, full of mending supplies check out my Etsy Page **

[strzyggus]

Pants that are technically not finished, but got bored, so... Here you are:

[the-bibrarian]

My last visible mending, again on my baby’s trousers. The knees were all torn up so I used denim patches (cut from another pair that was beyond saving). It took me much longer than I hoped but at least I mastered the blanket stitch!

(“Vroum” is french for vroom :D which my baby uses all day long.)

[practicalsolarpunk]

I wear holes in my socks like it's my job so I tried darning for the first time! The edges are kind of bunched up and I can feel them when I wear the socks but it's alright because I know it's because I fixed them :)

Also had a go at embroidering a patch so I can give it to my friend who wants to get into sewing/visible mending and I really like how it turned out! there's a little cow and I love her

This is awesome! That patch is spectacular, and your darning looks well-done and very sturdy, especially for your first try. Enjoy wearing your repaired socks for longer!

And if you're interested in learning more fancy darning techniques, look up knit-stitch darning (also called Swiss darning) - it's my favorite for socks, sweaters, and other knit stuff.

- Mod J

[theworstcreature]

I somehow have a talent for staining/ruining my favorite shirts somebody kill me or give me tips on removing a mystery black stain from a shirt that’s already been washed and dried

The stain in question

[creativewyrdo]

Pulling out the spring/summer wear and found one of my button downs has a hole in the pocket.

Nothing a convenient placed patch can't handle. 😅

Surfing Stitch patch was bought on ebay. It's made by Loungefly

[rotteneldritchhorror]

If I actually had a project pile for all the clothes I have to mend or modify in some way I don’t think I’d have any clothes to actually wear

[anxiouslyfred]

Needle and Thread

for @dukexietyweek prompt Fashion

Summary: Remus thinks the most important thing for fashion is having a needle and thread and he looks to Virgil’s visibly repaired style for evidence. When he gets Virgil to help repairing the damages in his own wardrobe more might come from it.

Warnings: couple of sex mentions

/\/\

Needle and thread were vital objects for anyone interested in fashion if you asked Remus. It was the only way to get the appearance just right and greatest way to maintain and carry on wearing clothes when family was trying to throw it away.

Also needle and thread were very useful for giving customised gifts to his family with pre-made excuses should the pins he didn't care about removing stab anyone. 

There was a boy he knew that embodied this thought. Virgil's clothes weren't designer at all but Remus thought they were the most fashion ever.

While Remus never cared about immediately patching or fixing tears in his clothes and couldn't care less about stains, Virgil's were always repaired, visibly sewn together and patched in a way that screamed loved but also Virgil. Nobody else Remus knew had style quite like it and he adored it.

If Virgil fixed his clothes then of course the secret to fashion had to be needle and thread.

“Teach me how to make the holes look like that!” Remus blurted out. They'd been hanging out for the afternoon and when Virgil shifted into a crouch startled by something being dropped elsewhere in the house it had drawn Remus's attention to a tear over the knee, patched but still showing the frayed edges with extra threads criss-crossing over the patch.

“I've literally seen you make your own clothes. How do you not know how to patch and darn?” Virgil scoffed, pushing his back and folding to be sat down again.

“I do!” He agreed easily, “But they don't look like yours! All neat and scruffy; All professionally messed up. It looks even better than the shops that try for the distressed look because it's actually still well made and covering.”

Virgil looked him over for a moment, before shaking his head again, slightly hunching in. “Do you even have anything that needs repairing or are you intending to just deliberately damage something?”

“Plenty! Come over tomorrow and we can see just how much!” Remus cheerfully agreed. He honestly didn't know how many clothes he'd stopped wearing just in case the next tear or rip would destroy any chance of structural integrity the garment had but thought going through the pile of his clothes with Virgil would be fun.

There was a moment where he was scowled at, as if Virgil was waiting for him to laugh and reveal it all a joke before he sighed. “Fine, I'll bring my repairing kit and you can show me what damaged clothes need working on.” Virgil agreed.

It was only in the morning that Remus realised what he'd suggested. His crush, the most fashionable person he could think of was coming over and going to be spending time in his room, looking at all the disasters he called clothes. He didn't often feel any semblance of shame, but now couldn't bear the thought of Virgil knowing his wardrobe was more just for things to be shoved in the bottom of rather than shelves or hangers being actually used.

In the hours before Virge was meant to arriver, Remus had already gotten himself buried into the pile, folding things onto shelves and making some effort to separate out pieces he especially wanted to repair.

It wasn't enough.

All too soon Roman was calling through the house that Virgil was here and giving directions to Remus's room. It was easy to tell that he'd been rushing to try and make things look better and he knew it.

Virgil however just snorted after taking in the scene. “Dude, I knew you were a chaotic mess already. Why are you acting like I'm a grumpy aunt about to judge you for not folding clothes?”

“Cause you're hot and these are not. Actually they're mostly knot but I doubt their sexiness too.” Remus held up was had once been a mesh top but no longer had any way of telling where the sleeves or head hole were meant to be given how tangled it had become.

“You're trashing that then. Come on, let's see what I can teach you to save, what can be salvaged to use as patches for other things and if there's anything more like that waiting to be trashed.” Saying that he plonked onto the ground, throwing the mesh to the corner that looked likely to contain Remus's bin and pulling another piece up. “We're starting 3 piles for those things. This one is salvage to patch.”

Remus grinned, holding something else up. “Whatever you say, Spider Boss!”

The next few hours were a pattern of items being pulled out and Virgil condemning them to each pile, while Remus tried to plead the case for keeping some of the more torn up outfits as perfect for rough sex. It didn't seem to convince Virgil at all, but at least the trash pile wasn't actually in the corner for him to throw out any more.

“Are you sure you actually want to know how I fix my clothes still? You've practically got enough in the salvage for patches pile to straight up make a new outfit, shirt, trouser and still have enough to fix most of the holes in your clothes.” Virgil asked, looking over the piles they'd got.

“If you wanna make a bigger project I'll be your wriggly model. Stick all the pins you like to make my clothes into something new!” Remus already was pulling out his needles, thread and pins when a hand prevented him.

Virgil shook his head. “Not today. If you want me to design the outfit then we're repairing things first so I know what patches we have left to make something.”

“This first!” Remus immediately grabbed for a shirt that he'd kept for years. It was one of the first things Virgil had complimented him in and as much as he claimed to hate fashion if Roman raved about it, that compliment had been enough to ensure the top was never lost. Virgil had deemed it fashionable enough to comment on! That meant it could only get a million times better if repaired Virgil's way.

After a moment looking at it and taking the top to check the size of the tear in it, Virgil started digging through the pile of clothes to get patches from, holding a green shirt up a few moments later. “Can we use this for the patch?”

“Of course!” Remus nodded, once more going for his sewing kit and being allowed to this time.

Just because of how many clothes Remus still had to repair, the afternoon easily turned into weekly sessions of repairing clothes together when he convinced Virgil that just the one afternoon wasn't enough for him to learn all the things that made Virgil's fashion his own.

They finally reached the last few pairs of trousers that Virgil said were repairable, he looked back at the bag all the items to be used as patches again. “Were you serious about wanting me to design some clothes from these things?” he asked.

“Yup, and about you jabbing all the pins into me you like. I like the tingle I get from it.” Remus agreed, also looking through it, but actually trying to find the fabric he thought could be used to patch the trousers they had to work on.

“Don't need to get into your kinks, Remus. Why would you want something I designed? I'm like the least fashionable person ever. Hell, a person begging on the street has more sense of style than I do.” Virgil derided, gesturing to his outfit curiously.

Remus gaped, dragging his eyes over Virgil's body. “Looking and only seeing the most fashionable person I've ever known. If you can look in the wardrobe and not see the greatest style ever, then I think you need your eyes testing more than Patton needs glasses.”

“Yeah right.” He scoffed. “You have more fashion than I do. Sure it's grunge fashion, but it at least has a fashion people recognise as such. Mine is just ratty comfortable nonsense.”

“And hot as fuck. Seriously, do you think I'd have been asking for your help for this long if I just wanted to repair my clothes? I want to have a fashion like yours because I can't have you beyond friendship.” Remus protested.

Now it was Virgil's turn to gape. “Who the hell said you can't date me? I assume that's what you mean as beyond friendship, which dude? Dating is not beyond friendship. It's a different type of relationship.”

“You literally used excuses to escape anything that sounded like we might be on a date. Inviting others, which great, Looooooovvvvveeeeeeeee spending time with Ro-bro, and glasses gays, especially when I suggest something just for us 2, or already being busy with so many different things.” Remus listed, trying to remember other examples though none came to mind.

“Yeah, cause you made it sound like friend things, and have literally never mentioned dating or flirted with literally everyone else more than me.” Virgil snapped back, “Seriously when the flirtatious comments to annoy Roman out number the ones thrown at me, why would I think you were trying to suggest dates?”

That got Remus to freeze, blinking for a moment before grabbing his scissors still silent. “Hadn't noticed I did that. Was trying to only say comments or things I actually meant and follow your boundaries. You got all uncomfortable and looking like you wanted to run away with my normal comments so I tried to reduce directing them at you so much. Didn't realise that meant all the flirting stopped.” He rambled into the patched he'd started sewing, only hoping he'd cut it to the right size.

“Your method of genuine flirting is being respectful?” Virgil asked, now sounding confused.

“Well people don't normally like the flirting I usually do, so yeah.” He glanced over, before frowning at the patch. “I wanna add my skull beads around this. Can you get them from the box over there?”

Virgil huffed a little, twisting to get them. “I'd have told you to stop if that flirting made me uncomfortable. I was just trying to figure out if you meant it and then you stopped so I assumed you didn't and it was a hopeless cause for me to try flirting with you at all.”

“So now you know that's what I want to, can we do that?” Remus begged, hands holding the jeans he was sewing under his chin to make it look even more like begging.

“Sure, if you can bare to stay with me over whatever tragedy the outfit from these patches is going to look like, I guess we can date.” Virgil agreed, once more digging through the bag.

Remus just laughed. “It'll be the most fashionable thing ever! I'll have people begging to know my designer and get to taunt them that they're specially made by a private hobbyist.”

“Lies.” Virgil countered, but smirked.

[classicalsongbirdknits]

My first couple attempts at darning (the bottom one came first). I’m practicing on my jeans first to get the hang of things, so I’ll be comfortable with the technique by the time I start darning my knit socks!

[what-inyarnation]

It ain't much but it's honest work 🥲