I still have an offer out to fix clothes, as my own small way to fight fast fashion. Over the holidays, the clothes formed to a mending pile once again, so I knew it was time to get back to it!
One friend needed fixes on a dress shirt and a hoodie. The chosen mending technique for both ended up being the Mattress Stitch.
Mattress is one of my go-tos, I will not lie. It’s common to use when closing up seams in non-mending sewing, too. When done right, it is nigh invisible, but it does require a little extra fabric.
That did cause some concern for the dress shirt. The fabric had worn out at the shoulder seam, probably over his shoulder blade. Now, was the fabric compromised in production or did it wear from friction while he was dancing? Hard to say, but if it’s the later, this mend won’t last. This stitch needs stable fabric to hide it, so it’s taking about one centimeter of fabric away. However, I couldn’t see another way to a fix it that would still allow him to wear it as a nondescript dress shirt. Worst case scenario, he’ll get a few more wears out of it, at least.
The hole in the hoodie, however, was the perfect opportunity for this stitch. So perfect, in fact, I took a video of it so you can see it in action.
If you’re looking to mend clothes, but aren’t sure how to start, feel free to reach out! I’m down to do whatever I can to keep our clothes out of landfills.
FahrOut Fiber Adventures 