Basic sewing skills can help you repair fabric items around the household.

Many household sewing repairs can be completed with a few stitches, either by hand or on a sewing machine. Clothing, blankets, towels, dolls, upholstered furniture, and other items made with fabric occasionally need fixing. Seams and hems come unstitched. Tears and holes happen. You'll need needles, pins, thread, and scissors. If you use a machine, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

First, match the thread to the project. Use poly-wrap polyester for most fabrics, but cotton-wrap polyester works well for jeans. If you're not sure what thread or needle to use, ask at your fabric shop.

The back stitch is the hand alternative of the sewing machine straight stitch. It can be used to repair a seam. Insert a threaded needle (be sure to knot the thread) from below the fabric layers 1/8 inch to the left of where your stitching should begin. Pull the thread through the fabric until the knot is snug against the fabric. Then insert the needle 1/8 inch behind where the thread emerges. Then bring the thread up 1/4 inch beyond this insertion and pull the thread up snug. Bring the needle up 1/4 inch beyond the latest insertion and pull through. Continue stitching as far as needed.

A slip stitch can be used to repair a seam from the top. Push a threaded needle (be sure to knot the thread) through the material on one side of the opening, and then on the other. Continue until the seam is closed.

An overhand stitch is useful for reattaching fabric parts, such as an ear or limb of a stuffed animal. Begin by pushing the needle diagonally from the back edge of the opening to the front. Then inset the needle behind the first stitch and bring it out a stitch length away. Continue until the repair is completed.

The cross stitch will hold patches securely in place. Begin by sewing a series of angled stitches across the edge of the patch. When you reach the end of the seam or the outline of the patch, reverse direction and sew back over each of the angled stitches.

Text by Dan & Judy Ramsey - from "If It's Broke, Fix It!"
Copyright Fix-It Club® © 2003