In the same way that growing your own food may be regarded as a radical act, so is repairing and maintaining your clothing instead of throwing it out if it is damaged and buying a new item. Both actions go against the system that sees us as consumers and nothing more. To be able to repair your own clothing (saving you money and saving the environment) you need three things: skills, tools and supplies. This series is about the second and third of those two requirements.
The items in this ‘advanced’ kit allow more and different fabric/clothing repairs to be carried out. This kit contains everything in the basic kit and the following additional items.
• Dressmakers Shears - These shears have longer blades and larger handles than the scissors and so are more comfortable to use for long cuts. They are used for, among other things, cutting excess fabric from hems and seams.
• Tape Measure - 150 cm is the ideal length for a tape measure and it should be made of flexible plastic or fibreglass that won't stretch. It should have protective metal tips on both ends and have measurements on both sides. It is used for body and garment measurements.
• Yard (metre?) Stick or Skirt Marker - A skirt marker is a ruler that stands up on a base and has a sliding marker allowing chalk or pins to mark the distance from the floor accurately to ensure even hems.
• Tailors chalk - Comes as wedges in a special holder or in the form of a pencil, various pastel shades are available. They are used for marking fitting alterations, pleats, buttonholes etc.
• Elastic - Comes in various widths but 6mm ribbed elastic is probably the most all purpose. It can be used to resuscitate saggy underwear, shorts, tracksuit cuffs and ankles or anywhere your elastic lets you down.
• Fusible Web or Fusible Interfacing - This is a nonwoven (web) or woven (interfacing) bonding agent available in strips and sheets. To use it, cut to size, place between two layers of fabric and then melted by running a hot steam iron over the area, this bonds the two layers of fabric. It can be used to hold a hem, trim, facing or material patch in place without sewing. Fusible web or interfcing should not be used on some synthetics so read the instructions on the pack carefully and test on a scrap of material if possible first.
• Iron-on Patches and Appliques - Used in a similar way to fusible web but usually applied to the outside of the garment to cover rents, tears and holes. Iron-on appliques are an easy and attractive way of repairing holes and tears in children's clothing.
• Steam and Dry Iron - When used to apply the two items above, the iron becomes a tool for clothing repair. Fusibles require water to bond properly so a steam iron should be used in conjunction with a damp press cloth.
• Press Cloth - A lint free press (or ironing) cloth should be used when applying fusibles and when pressing on the right side of the fabric and working with delicate fabrics such as wool or silk, or synthetic/mixed fabrics that can be prone to melting or scorching. While commercial ironing cloths are available it is just as easy to use baking paper, a bath towel or cotton tea towel.
• Table Top Ironing Board - Can be set up on a table to make small ironing jobs easier.(While we have a full sized ironing board, we have found that the table top one works just as well or better for the smaller stuff we use it for).
• Portable Sewing Machine - This battery powered little wonder is often seen for sale cheaply through mail order suppliers. It can be used to hem skirts and slacks, repair rips and sew on patches.
• Darning Mushroom – This is to me, old kit but I was surprised to find them readily available from sewing suppliers. A darning mushroom is used to keep curved items of fabric (eg socks) taut to facilitate mending. The handle may evidently be used to darn glove fingers!
• Embroidery hoop – This is also another piece of equipment which is used to keep fabric taut and smooth to facilitate repairs. They work very well on woven fabric, that is to say non-stretchy fabric, but do not work so well on more stretchy knitted fabrics.
• Long nose pliers – while these may seem to be more at home in the garage or car tool kit, they are actually very useful in pulling a needle through tough fabric then making repairs, such as with jeans or sometimes when sewing in zippers.
• Thread cutter – these are used for……… cutting threads! They are ideal for notching fabric and clipping yarn ends as well as thread cutting.
Here is the link to the Basic Clothing Repair Kit
