The Basics of Clothing Repairs

What You Will Learn?

• The subject of clothing repairs can cover everything from a loose or missing button to an open seam on a lined garment.  Repairs is the one area of paid for sewing that the Alterations Specialist will find the client nickel and diming them for cost.  The client sees the repair as “Just sewing on a button”, or “Just sewing the seam closed”.  But in this trade, time is money and that simple seam or button is obviously not so simple that the client can do it themselves!.
• Replacing a Jean Button.
• Jean buttons are generally not hand sewn on, but instead, they come as a two-piece unit consisting of the upper button and lower tack.  The tack is pushed.
• through from the bottom, and the upper portion is gently pounded on top.  Small groves on the nail portion secure the two parts together.  When the tiny hole on the garment that the tack is pushed through gets worn and enlarged, a repair using the machine darning technique is needed before a new button is replaced..
• Seam Repairs.
•        Seam repairs can be simple or complicated due to its location within the garment.  Regardless of the complexity, the Alterations Specialist does not want to have the client bring the job back due to inadequate work.   If an Alterations Specialist can’t complete a simple repair properly the first time, then the client may not trust you with anything else. .
•          If an item of clothing has been brought in for a specific seam repair, it is advisable to inspect the remaining garment for other open seams.  Complete, clean work should be the goal for the Alterations Specialist..
• Pant Hems.
• The term “bread and butter” refers to a person's livelihood or main source of income, typically as earned by routine work.  Pant hems are the ‘bread and butter’ for the Alterations Specialist.  These will be the most often performed alteration and they can be completed in a very speedy fashion.  Thus, making pant hems a big source of income for the Alterations Specialist..
•          As a rule, a pant will have the same style of hem done that the client purchased it with.  If a customer brings in a pair of yoga pants to shorten that have a cover stitched bottom hem the pants should return to them with a cover stitched bottom hem.  An exception to this rule would be suggesting to a customer that is having pants hemmed for a child or youth, to use a hem style that allows for extra length in the facing that can be let down in the future. .
•  Do not miss the chance to learn these techniques from April Jackson, with more than 30 years of experience in this trade. .
• Let's begin!  .
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