Vintage Clothing – How to Repair a Split Seam in Clothing

Posted by admin on January 30, 2010

Have you ever happened upon a must have piece of unique vintage clothing at a garage sale or flea market, and you are so super excited about it…and then you see a torn seam…and you pass the garment by because you don’t have a clue how to fix it. Or, your favorite vintage dress has a loose hemline and you think it is all but done in. Don’t do that! I have some quick and simple tips for you to fix those seams!

Maintaining your vintage items isn’t really that hard, and a simple seam repair can by done by anyone. You really only need to know a couple of basic stitches and have some simple supplies on hand. Obviously, I am not going to turn you into an expert seamstress, but this is enough to get you by and to let that well loved and well worn vintage clothing piece have a longer life.
A few basic tools you will need are: sharp scissors so you can make a nice cut which stops fraying, small trim scissors are also helpful for tiny areas, some needles (grab a multi pack at a fabric or craft store for a couple of dollars and you will have on hand a great variety of needles for any project). It is also good to have a few colors of thread on hand so you can match up the thread to the garment. Pins are also helpful, especially if you are working on a larger area. If you have to make a repair on a thick fabric like denim, say for a split seam on your favorite vintage jeans, buy waxed thread; it is strong and won’t tear.
The most basic stitch is a back stitch, and you can use it to repair a seam in a flash. This is a super strong hand sewing stitch and most mimics a sewing machine stitch. Work from right side to left side (if you are left handed, work in reverse).

• Bring the needle into the fabric in a downward motion, tugging it as far as you can until you hit the knot at the end of the thread. The knot should now be against the garment.

• Bring the needle up into the fabric, about ¼ of an inch from the knot. Pull thread tight, but not tight enough to ripple it. You want it to lay flat.

• Bring the needle back down, going in to the knot. Pull tight. You should see 1 stitch now.

• Continue by poking the needle up through the fabric about the same distance away from the last place you came up (about ¼ away).

• Repeat, until you finish the project. I always like to overlap a few of my stitches into the existing stitches so it stops any more splits.

See?   Not too difficult, and your retro clothing piece is good for another 1000 miles!