Can you sew on a button, mend a seam, patch a tear?
By barehugs
@barehugs (8973)
Canada
August 28, 2007 8:03pm CST
What do you do when a seam comes apart on your favourite blouse?
Some people will throw it out and buy a new one. I like my clothes too much, to dispose of them because they need a few stitches. I get out my sewing machine and have them fixed as good as new in a very few minutes. Once my son brought a very old ragged pair of faded blue jeans for me to fix. Thinking I'd have some fun with him, I fixed them all up, and replaced the absent hip pocket with a piece of orange corduroy. I cut it to shape, turned the edges, and sowed it neatly in place. He didn't see the Joke, instead he was delighted, and begin to wear the jeans whenever he wanted to make a stylish impression. Which kind of person are you, a mender or a tosser?
4 people like this
15 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
29 Aug 07
It depends on how bad the "damage" is to the article of clothing, but generally I so try to sew or patch it up--and funny, I do have a sewing machine, but I most often sew/patch up by hand. If the clothing is beyond repair I regretfully say adieu to it and out it goes--but that is a rarity
3 people like this
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
29 Aug 07
I don't mind making minor repairs. If it is something that is too badly damaged it will probably end up getting tossed. I have a tendency to set my mending aside unless it is something I need right away. Once the stack builds up for a while and I get around to mending it, I find that much of it isn't really worth fixing.
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
31 Aug 07
I don't mind sewing on a button. I usually mend those right away. It is a quick and easy fix. I don't usually throw those in my mending pile unless I can't find a button that will work. The things that get tossed to the side are the ones that will take more than a minute or two.
@Candid_Ishida (659)
• United States
29 Aug 07
I sew all my clothes if it's possible to fix them. My clothes are too unique to just throw away, plus a lot of the items were expensive.
One article of clothing I am sewing constantly is socks. My socks always get holes worn in the toes and heels... so I have some pairs of socks I have fixed three or four times! I always buy colorful socks that are on the costly side, never cheap packaged socks, because I like socks that match my outfits. So, throwing them away is just unbearable!
Sometimes, if they're damaged beyond repair, I'll cut the bottoms off and make them into armwarmers.
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
29 Aug 07
We guys usually don't have sewing machines, so I am not good at fixing seams or stuff like that even though I have wanted to on occasion. I do sew buttons back on by hand not as well as my Mother would have, but then she sewed for a living for part of her life, even made formal evening gowns and such. The last non-button thing I tried to fix was a belt that was coming apart. I fixed it but it is in bad shape again since the only thread I had was not really strong enough for the job. It is really hard to push a needle through leather by hand even if you try to use the old holes when you can find them and line them up. I really like the belt and haven't been able to buy a new one like it for a cheap price. It is black with a brass buckle and the stores only seem to brass buckles on brown belts these days and the black ones have silver colored buckles.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
30 Aug 07
When your working with Leather find something to make a hole first, before you push the needle thru, even a small nail will do when you hit it with a hammer. Then the needle goes thru very easily.
I used to do leather-work when I was younger, Find some cord or string and run it thru some wax. That makes it waterproof, and also its easier to work with.
@limcyjain (3516)
• India
29 Aug 07
If the clothes are in a mendable position i would rather mend them than throwing them away. It is not always i would be mending personally there are persons who do this job and can be paid appropriately for that. However if the clothes are old and are somewhat out of fashion i would rather give them away.
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
29 Aug 07
I can mend most things, but once something looks really worn, I'm more likely to donate it. If it's a ripped seam, then I can sew it right up (although I don't wear blouses, LOL), but this doesn't happen very often.
1 person likes this
@sjohnson628 (3197)
• United States
29 Aug 07
For me it depends on how much I like the item that needs repairing. I can sew very well and have a sewing machine so If I really like the article of clothing I will fix it. If not then I toss it!
1 person likes this
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
30 Aug 07
Fair Enough! Most clothing wears out in time. But I have a Pure Nylon sweater that my wife gave me in 1956. Its very soft and warm, and I wear it next to my skin on a Very cold day. This sweater was made very early after Nylon first came out. They didn't realise then that Nylon would never wear out. I intend to give it to a Family member after I'm finished with it.
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
29 Aug 07
Hi barehugs! I think I understand why your son loves that jeans you fixed, it must have been really cool to look at and wear. As for me, if it's just the buttons that need sewing, I can fairly do that. If it needs a little running stitch on the hem, I can do that too. And if it needs some patching, i can still manage. So, I guess I am a mender as long as it is some basic stitching by the hand. haha..Take care and have a nice day!
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
12 Sep 07
Hi bare,
I am a mender, having been taught to sew before I was old enough to read. My first sewing machine was an old treadle that my brothers dragged out of a dump and brought home for me to clean up and use.
Now I use a computerized sewing machine that does everything but wash the dinner dishes (lol, maybe we can train the neighbor's dog to do that!)
Below is a photo of a patch that my sewing machine "printed" with thread instead of ink and on fabric instead of paper from a design I drew.
@vinzen (1020)
• India
29 Aug 07
" A stitch in time saves nine" so the saying goes.
I am also a mender in the way that clothes which can be repaired and taken care of, i would never throw them away, as they have costed me lots of money and just becasue they have a tear or a hole does not man they have to be thrown. Again it would depend from person to person, those who dont know how to stitch or even mend a little and maybe those who are too rich, woud not mind throwing the clothes away or giving it to the needy or poor, as they can get new ones, or there are those who are too lazy to mend and will throw or keep it away, and do it up maybe after lots of time. So there are all varieties of people and it depends what kind of a person you are.
I for one, value my clothes very much and even my kids are able to mend heir own smaller clothes. I do have a sewing machine, so incase its a big tear or something that requires straight stitiches, i even stitch them at home, and smaller tears and holes i repair with my hand only, and i think all girls and women at least, ought to know this. My mother taught me all this and am proud of that.
1 person likes this
