Fix Your Clothes: The Sustainable Magic of Mending, Patching, and Darning
64
Fix Your Clothes: The Sustainable Magic of Mending, Patching, and Darning
64Paperback(Second Edition)
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781621069065 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Microcosm Publishing |
| Publication date: | 04/11/2017 |
| Series: | Good Life Series |
| Edition description: | Second Edition |
| Pages: | 64 |
| Sales rank: | 602,880 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d) |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
SUPPLIES
Just a few little, things you'll need before, you start sewing:
Needles
A good multipack of needles can get you through most DIY fixes. You'll need some thin needles (for delicate fabrics) and s few thicker ones for mending denim or canvas.
Thimble
If you think you don't need a thimble, just to hem some jeans without crying.
Thread
If you're just beginning to sew, the thread section of the fabric store can induce a feeling of "thread panic," a term I just made up. Thread comes in all different thicknesses, colors, and fibers, and it can be hard to know what to pick for your project.
If you're just doing basic mending and alteration, you should be fine, with just couple of spools. Cotton-wrapped polyester thread will give you the roost versatility for your buck. It's strong, heat-resistant, and will work on most fabrics. Get 2 spool each of white, black, and whatever color is most dominant in your wardrobe.
Seam Ripper
The sharp mandibles of a seam ripper undo stitches gracefully, without tugging. Use the blunt-tip side to loosen a stitch, then flip the ripper over and use the sharp prang to cut the thread.
Measuring Tape & Ruler
The fancy clear rulers are especially nice for sewing. Any tape measure will do as long is it's flexible.
Tailor's Chalk
You can pick up A couple hunks of fabric chalk at your favorite. craft store. Some of them even come with little brushes that erase the marks when you're done. If chalk's not your thing, you can also find markers that wash out.
Notions
These will depend on what Sorts of clothes you like to wear, but a wall-stocked notions stash usually contains two- and four-hole buttons hook & eye sets, zippers, snaps, and patches.
Beeswax
Folks who hand-sew use beeswax, to add strength and glide to their thread. To do this, hold one end of your thread against the wax, with your finger a couple inches from the thread's tip. Grab the short end of the thread with your Other hand and pull the whole length of the thread across the wax. (Most commercial waxes have. holders with little guides to keep the thread from slipping off.) Do this a couple times so that the thread is nicely coated.
Next run over your thread with a warm iron to melt the way into the thread. This seem fussy, but the ironing is important — it removes any waxy residue and creates a strong, tangle-free thread with plenty of glide.
Pins & A Pincushion
Buy a tin of straight pins with the little pearls On the ends. Keeping a couple dozen in a pincushion will keep you from having to pull a single pin from a pile of bloodthirsty ones.
Fabric Scissors
A modest but decent-quality pair is all you need. You needn't spend tons of money, but if you want your scissors to stay sharp, avoid using them to cut anything other than fabric. Paper, plastic, or cardboard can make the blades too blunt.
Quick Fixes!
Sometimes you absolutely don't have time to on a button, and that's okay. Walking around with buttonless pants, however, is probably not okay. You can avoid these little mishaps by creating an emergency mending kit, filled with McGyver-y supplies to hold you over until you can do some real mending. Reach for it next time your (totally rhetorical) jeans button pops off post-breakfast burrito and it's making you late for work.
A few things to add to kit:
* safety pins for popped buttons a "librarians gaps"
* Fray Check (a liquid plastic that stops fabric from fraying)
* Iron-on hemming tape or double-sided tape
* a few cute pins or pin-on buttons (for strategic stain coverage)
* a mini-stapler, for very quick n'dirty hem fixes
Basic Knots & Stitches
Knots! And stitches! You need to learn a few of them, but don't be nervous. Hand-sewing does requires a bit of motor skill, but mostly it requires you to be patient, or at least to have a good movie to watch while, you're working. The fineness and evenness of your stitches will improve with practice, so jump right in.
If you already sew a bit, feel free to slop ahead. If you're a newbie, here are some basic stitches you should learn.
Starter's Knot
Every Seeing project starts with a single Knot. Beginning sewers tend to make their knots really big, hoping this will keep the knot from pulling through the fabric. But a big knot can get tangled in your other stitches. It also uses a bunch of thread that can be put to better use elsewhere. Also it looks weird! So save yourself the trouble and keep your knot simple. Make a slipknot the end of your thread. Take the needle through the loop and pull the rest of the thread through. Then, pinch the whole shebang between your thumb and forefinger and slide the knot to the end of the thread until it's tight.
Tying Off
Again, don't waste your time tying tons of knots to secure, your work. To make a knot that lays flat and doesn't bunch, first bring your thread and needle to the wrong side of the fabric. Make a tiny stitch that's perpendicular to your other stitches, pull the thread most of the way through, then take your needle under the thread that's left. Pull the thread tight-ish and repeat with another stitch. Make sore your thread is secure, then snip the thread to 1/2 inch.
Straight Stitch
Use it to: join two pieces of fabric, make simple hems; gather fabric.
As basic as it gets! Thread your needle, make a knob at one end, and push the needle from the wrong side to the right side of the Fabric. Then, use your needle to weave through the fabric in a straight fine, creating a few stitches. Try to keep your stitcher even. Pull your thread through (try not to bunch the fabric) and repeat as needed.
Basting Stitch
Use it to: hold your fabric in place while you're sewing — like straight pins, but less pokey
A basting stitch is pretty much a long, loose straight stitch. When you baste, use a thread in a contrasting color so that you can easily find and remove the stitches later.
Blanket Stitch
Use it to: make a decorative edging; attach two pieces of fabric along their edges
Thread your needle and take it from wrong to right side through the edge of the garment so that the needle, comes out the bottom. Take the needle over the edge of the fabric (so it's behind the fabric again) and bring it through again at a point a little ways above from where you brought the thread through the first time. Move your needle &o that it's inside the loop formed by the stitch you just made, and pull the thread through, if you're right-handed, you'll See that the stitch forms a backwards L. Lefties will see a regular L. Make another stitch by taking your needle over the edge to the back of the fabric, coming through to the front, catching the needle, and pulling through.
Backstitch
Use it to: mend seams; replace zippers
Backstitching gives you a tight, strong line without any gaps, so it's great for decorative stitching, too. A caveat: backstitching loots crappy from the wrong Side of the fabric, don't use it on anything that needs +o be reversible.
To create a backstitch, start like you're making a straight stitch. Bring your needle up as if you're making a second stitch, but instead of bringing your needle forward along the seam you're retaking, bring the needle back about a half stitch's length and insert your needle through the middle of the stitch to the tack of the fabric. Angle your needle forward and bring the tip to the front about a half pitch's length in front of where you first brought the thread through, pull the needle and thread through all the way.
Make the next stitch by bringing the point of your needle backwards again and inserting it from front to back at the halfway mark of your first stitch. Again, angle your needle forward and bring the point to the front a half stitch ahead of your last stitch. Pull everything through and continue like this until you're done.
Overhand stitch/Whip stitch
Use it to: finish an edge; create a buttonhole. An overhand stitch is done over the edge of your fabric, rather than parallel to an edge. Bring your needle up through the fabric about 1/4 inch from the edge, then wrap it around the fabric's edge and back to the wrong side. Bring your needle up again in a spot that's very close to your previous stitch and pull the thread through. This way you'll create a tight row of switches that "seal" the edge of the fabric in thread.
Slipstitch
Use it to : create an invisible hem
A very classy stitch that's great for making hems in delicate or fancy clothes. To make a slip-stitch, start by holding your basted hem horizontally. Slip your thread under one or two threads from the outer fabric (the pact that's not folded), and then, moving forward a lithe along the him, pick up two threads from the folded portion of the hem. Head back op to the outer fabric, create a teeny stitch like before, then repeat with the inner fabric. Continue making this delicate little zigzag until your hem is complete.
Tip!: Are you having trouble making a straight line? You can use a ruler and tailor's chalk to create a guide before you start sewing.
BUTTONS
Even if you don't plan on ever making your own clothes, it's imperative that you learn how to yew on a button. Because inevitably there will come a time when a missing button is what keeps you from wearing your favorite interview; skirt, cardigan, catsuit, or whatever. Sore, a safety pin will do in a pinch, but come on.
Let's sew buttons!
Flat Buttons
If your button's destiny is to close a shirt, secure a pocket, or just loot pretty, a flat button will do the trick.
Step 1: Grab your garment, a button, a needle, and six inches of thread. If you're picky, make sure to choose thread that matches the thread used on the other buttons. Pick a thin needle that can easily fit into the holes of the button.
Step 2: Cut C-10 inches of thread. Wax your thread if you like. Thread the needle and pull half the thread through. Then, use an overhand knot to tie the ends of the thread together.
Step 3: Pick where you'd like to place your button.
Step 4: Insert the needle into the fabric on the wrong side (the side that faces in toward your body). Pop the button on top and pull the needle through.
Step 5: Go back d own through the, opposite hole you came up through. Repeat! Repeat 4 or 5 times more.
Step 6: If your button has four Holes, repeat steps 4 and 5 on the other two holes. end with your needle on the wrong side of the fabric and the thread pulled all the way through.
Step 7: Tie an overhand knot in the threads as close to the fabric as you can get. Snip the thread. You're all done!
Shank Buttons
If your garment is made of thicker material (like denim or canvas), you should use a shank button. Instead of holes in it's face, a shank button has a raised area of loop on the back. Shank buttons are also used for the flies of pants and other high-stress great (heh).
When you're placing or replacing a shank button, upgrade from all-purpose to gritting thread — it's a lot stronger and comes in a billion colors, just like all-purpose.
Step 1: Start with about 2 feet of thread, a thickish needle, beeswax (if using), a thimble, and a small, clear button (optional).
Step 2: Way your thread (extra important if you're using all-purpose thread instead of something stronger). Thread your needle, pull half of the thread through and knot both ends of the thread together, creating a Strong double thread.
Step 3: Choose, where you will place your button bring the needle up from the wrong side of the fabric. Make a few small stitches over your chosen spot before you add the button.
Step 4: Place the small, clear button on the inside of the garment, on top of the stitches you just made. Anchor this button with a few stitches. This will help add stability to your shank button and cut down on fabric wear later on.
Step 5: Hold your shank, button in place on the outside of the garment and talk it in place with a few semi-tight stitches. Make sure you're sewing these same stitches in the clear button on the other side.
NOTE: Don't pull your thread tight when you make these stitches. If you can't help it, slide a toothpick under the button's shank while you stitch.
Step 6: After you have 5 or 6 holding your buttons in place, pull the needle one more time to the fabric's right side, then wrap the thread ground the stitches holding the shank in place. Do this several timer.
Step 7: Make e teeny loop in the thread on the needle; hold it with a finger. Bring the needle around the shank and through the loop, then poll the thread tight. Repeat this a few times.
Step 8: Finally, bring your needle back to the wrong side, knot off a sharp your thread.
TIPS! A lot of garments come with a spare button, either in a baggie or stitched into the garment in an inconspicuous place. Before you buy new buttons, check the tails and insides for a spare.
Also, when you spill ink on a short or its armpits rot out, cut off all the buttons before you scrap it. Now you have a free set of buttons. You're welcome!
Mending Seams
If you could choose a way for you clothes to break, you'd pick a busted seam. Fixing a seam is a piece of cake! The pieces of fabric ate already lined up and held in place by the stitches that didn't bust, and most of the time you don't have to deal with damaged fabric. Seams are easy to fix even if your not the world's greatest stitcher, so don't be intimidated by the prospect of having to sew in a straight line.
Prep
First things first! Check out your seam. Did the Seam tear because the thread bolding it together broke or because the fabric around the seam was too damaged to hold? If you're dealing with torn or damage fabric, skip ahead to the reckon on patching. You'll need to patch over the missing bits first and then incorporate that fabric into your seam.
No damage? Sweet. Use a double knot to tie off the threads an either side of your open seam. The knot should be snug, but not so tight that it causes the rest of the seam to bunch up.
Trim the ends of the knots so that they don't poke through to the other side. This is important: A seam with uneven stitches can still pass as charming a seam with squiggly threads poking out pit looks dumb.
Press
If you have time, press your seam open before you start lending. This will help you keep track of your seam allowances (the distance between the seam and the fabric's edge) and give you a meat, perfect seam. If you don't care about looking perfect, I don't blame you. Read on.
Pin
Even if you're in a hurry, please don't forget to pin your seam before you start seeing. I can't stress this enough! Pins will keep the fabric together so you can concentrate on sewing a straight line and keeping your stitches even.
To pin turn your garment inside out (if you hadn't already), find the busted part of the seam, and the line up the edges of the fabric-Bridge the gap in the seam by placing pins perpendicular to the edge of the fabric, tips pointing out.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Fix Your Clothes"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Raleigh Briggs.
Excerpted by permission of Microcosm Publishing.
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