Sewing (or even just mending!) clothing can seem tedious and difficult when noticing all the stitching details you may have on the simplest of garments. There’s no need to panic; leave it to the professionals to handle all of your alteration needs. It seems like there is an infinite way to alter clothing whether that be completely molding it into a new garment or having a simple seam repaired.
Experienced tailors, online or in-person, can usually handle just about anything you throw at them. So, you can feel a sense of peace knowing that they will quickly and efficiently take care of simple clothing alterations. Check out these 5 popular alterations that a tailor near you or a top online tailor should be able to take care of in a snap!
Seam repair
Seams are often some of the most vulnerable spots of a garment because it is where two fabric edges meet and are held together by thread as opposed to being one continuous piece of fabric. Over time and with wear, seam threads tend to loosen, snag, or break completely.
A seamstress or tailor should be able to quickly and discreetly blend the mended seam in with the original, whether that is with a sewing machine or by hand if the fabric is too delicate. Top-rated tailors will also be able to provide a number of different seam finishes so your garment will look identical to how it did before the split seam.
Darning
So what happens if you get a hole in a garment but it’s not on a seam- can that be repaired? The answer is yes! A darning is like a “thread patch” that a tailor or seamstress makes over the hole. First a backing is placed under the tear so that the thread has something to be sewn onto. Then many stitches, in the same color thread as the fabric, are added in order to completely cover the hole.
Be warned though, depending on the type of garment that needs a darn, this fix is not always seamless (see what we did there?). The more delicate, patterned, or slick the fabric is, the more apparent your darn will be. However, keep this question in mind- what is more noticeable, camouflaged thread or a gaping hole?
Zipper repair
This quick repair definitely comes in handy as the temperature outside drops. We underestimate the wear and tear of zippers, not only on winter jackets, but also pants, dresses, and even backpacks and purses that require zippers! Sometimes a zipper can seem like such a major part of a garment that it almost feels as though we need to replace the entire article of clothing with something new that has a functioning zipper.
In truth, zipper repairs are quite easy for top-rated tailors. Here’s a tailoring tip: tailors often have some selection of zippers to choose from, but if you want a specific style or a new fun color to add something special to your garment, bring your own store-bought zipper from your local fabric shop.
Hem
Getting a hem raised, whether that’s pants, shirts, dresses or sleeves, is actually less of a repair, but made this list because of the small but mighty effect this alteration has. Raising the hem of a garment is one of the easiest yet most impactful ways to make sure your wardrobe fits you like a glove.
Hems are subjective to your style preference, for some garments we like them shorter and for others, a longer hem is the way to go. Tailoring tip: if you’re having a difficult time deciding on a hem length, always go with the longer option first; it is much easier to take more fabric away if you end up wanting them shorter, but it is nearly impossible to add length back to a hem.
Buttons
Buttons, much like zippers, get handled and tugged at much more than we realize. So while it is often terribly inconvenient, we can’t be that surprised when a button “suddenly” detaches from your shirt as you’re putting it on for work in the morning. The great news is that reattaching a button, to practically any garment, is by far the easiest and sturdiest repair out there, meaning that you hopefully won’t be back at the tailoring shop again (at least not because your buttons have popped off!).
Once again, tailors often have buttons to choose from in their workshop, but probably not one that matches your other buttons exactly. Do your best to save your fallen button to avoid one mismatched button as well as replacing all of the buttons on a garment so that they do match.
When our garments are damaged or fit poorly, it is difficult to feel our most confident. These simple fixes may seem overwhelming to us, but not for a top-rated tailor. Mail in your alterations or stop by Tad More Tailoring today to elevate your wardrobe.