Mending How-to

May 1, 2011

Mending How-to
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    Once you’ve accomplished a big closet clean out it’s time to tackle tasks that may have been set aside. Those forgotten garments you found while cleaning? We’ll teach you how to mend them. Whether your item has a rip, missing button or misaligned zipper, fix it up with our mending and sewing basics.

Learn to Mend: Rips

  1. Start by visiting a fabric store to find a material that closely matches your ripped garment. For the best results, bring your item along.
  2. Cut out a patch from the new material that’s larger than the rip by about an inch around. Place the fabric underneath the rip, and pin around the edges to secure it in place.
  3. In a zigzag pattern, sew along the rip, going from one side of the rip to the other until it’s fully been sealed. If performing by hand, repeating this process in the opposite direction can help to reinforce the stitching.
  4. Turn your garment inside out and iron flat. If desired, trim off excess material from the patch that could potentially cause discomfort.

As you refresh your wardrobe, it's not uncommon to come across items with unwanted odors. Canvas shoes are common offenders, but with Febreze® Fabric Refresher™, you can eliminate odors and leave a light, fresh scent.

Learn to Mend: Missing buttons

  1. mendingLost a button? Visit a fabric or craft store to find just the right match. While there, be sure to select thread that matches the color of the stitching used to attach your garment’s remaining buttons.
  2. When re-attaching your button, place a toothpick between the button’s two columns of holes (as show in the photo) to create a space between your button and fabric. This will give it a bit of wiggle room that accommodates the thickness of the fabric it buttons into.
  3. Before you sew, take a look at the way the other buttons are attached, and be sure to match the style of stitching. When you both start and finish sewing, thoroughly knot your thread into the fabric to keep the new button in place.

Tip: For heavy coats, the addition of a small button on the reverse side of the larger button can help to reinforce its strength!

Learn to Mend: Misaligned zippers

  1. With a pair of pliers, remove the “stop” at the base of the zipper. The “stop” is the piece of metal or plastic that prevents the slider from coming off.
  2. Once removed, move your zipper’s slider below the last set of teeth. With the slider out of the way, you can correctly match up the teeth.
  3. When properly matched, you’ll be able to pull your zipper back up to the top, zipping the teeth together as they should.
  4. Since the stop was removed in step 1, you’ll now have to create your own. Using thick thread and a sharp needle, sew across the bottom of the zipper where the stop used to be. It could take up to 10 stitches until you’ve created a bump thick enough to prevent the zipper’s slider from coming off. Once sewn, your garment’s ready to go!

After fixing up your garments, turn your attention to scuffed leather shoes. With Mr. Clean® Magic Eraser® Original, you can remove scuffs, then work the leather to a shine with shoe polish.

Fixing up garments is a great way to save money. To help others mend even more items, comment with your simple mending tips below.

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