Does anyone repair their clothes?

[bjl584]

I have a pair of jeans that developed a hole. Nothing wrong with them other than the small hole. I gave them to my aunt, who is good at sewing and knitting and the like, and she fixed them for me in about ten minutes. They're as good as new. I'm actually wearing them now. I figure that I can get several more months out of them maybe even longer. My Dad told me that I'm cheap and that I should just buy new pants, but I see no issue with fixing things within reason. Thoughts?

[adpiterp]

I have a pair of jeans that developed a hole. Nothing wrong with them other than the small hole. I gave them to my aunt, who is good at sewing and knitting and the like, and she fixed them for me in about ten minutes. They're as good as new. I'm actually wearing them now. I figure that I can get several more months out of them maybe even longer. My Dad told me that I'm cheap and that I should just buy new pants, but I see no issue with fixing things within reason. Thoughts?

I see no issue in this at all, in fact I applaud it and try to do the same!

A small hole is fine. However, sometimes it may be more trouble or more costly than it's worth to repair (i.e. a gigantic rip and you have to buy other materials in order to fix it).

[jpg7n16]

When the air filter goes out on your car, you don't buy a whole new car. You fix it.
When the handle comes off on a dresser, you don't go buy new furniture. You fix it.
When you buy a new pair of dress pants, you may have a tailor make adjustments to the fabric so that it fits better.
Duct tape and super glue exist for a reason - so do sewing machines.

We fix all sorts of things when they break to avoid having to buy it new. So why is it so terrible to fix a pair of broken jeans?

I see no issues with it


You could of course tell him he was wasteful to buy a sewing machine and not use it... but that's probably pushing it

[bjl584]

I see no issue in this at all, in fact I applaud it and try to do the same!

A small hole is fine. However, sometimes it may be more trouble or more costly than it's worth to repair (i.e. a gigantic rip and you have to buy other materials in order to fix it).

This was just a small hole. A needle, some thread, and 10 minutes were all that she needed to fix it.

[bjl584]

When the air filter goes out on your car, you don't buy a whole new car. You fix it.
When the handle comes off on a dresser, you don't go buy new furniture. You fix it.
When you buy a new pair of dress pants, you may have a tailor make adjustments to the fabric so that it fits better.
Duct tape and super glue exist for a reason - so do sewing machines.

We fix all sorts of things when they break to avoid having to buy it new. So why is it so terrible to fix a pair of broken jeans?

I see no issues with it


You could of course tell him he was wasteful to buy a sewing machine and not use it... but that's probably pushing it

No issue from me. My Dad was the one giving me a hard time. But, he isn't the best with money. I guess I was venting more than asking a question, because I know that I'm going to get pretty much 100% support from the people on this forum.

[MonkeyMama]

These things, to me, aren't even as much about being "cheap" as they are about conservation, too. Why throw away things that are perfectly good?

[disneysteve]

I think we have become a disposable society and clothing is definitely an area where that is blatantly obvious. Girls (and yes, it was mainly girls) used to be taught how to sew, anything from replacing a lost button to making a dress from scratch. That is a dying skill today.

Minor clothing repairs really aren't all that difficult and are far cheaper than replacing the items or paying a tailor to do the repairs (which often costs more than the item is worth).

I don't generally fix holes. We do fix missing buttons, ripped hems, occasionally holes in pockets, etc. Pants that get a hole just become "bum around" pants that I wear around the house, yard work, etc.

[bjl584]

Pants that get a hole just become "bum around" pants that I wear around the house, yard work, etc.

These would have been "bum around" pants for sure Steve since the hole was in the uh.....bum.

[josetann]

I fix minor things. Son's pants are getting a hole in the knee...can't really fix that. But he'll keep wearing it until one day it'll become a big rip. Then they'll stop being school pants and become at-home pants.

Buttons are really easy to fix. And a lot of times you'll find a perfectly good shirt at the thrift store that's missing a button or a button's broke (but it still has the spare). A ten minute fix. I've fixed pockets, blankets, even boxers (ok they weren't ripped, but they kept, ah, popping open...so I sewed them closed for good).

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Wrong, bjl584's Dad!

You know repairing your own jeans is not cheap. Good grief.

[mom-from-missouri]

Good for you and your aunt!

We do all our own repairs (even replaced a coat zipper. Coat cost over $100 and the zipper cost me $7--3 years later still wearing the coat). I also darn socks and do a good part of making the clothes for my daughters and myself, and a few items for my husband as well.

Sometimes clothes can also be recreated due to a poor fit, or a hole beyond repair. Jeans may get turned into capri's or shorts, or a jean skirt or purse. Long sleved shirt may get turned in to a short sleeve one, or remove the sleves for a summer shirt or vest.

Clothes beyond repair I save all the buttons and zippers off of them, then they get cut into strips for rug making or squares and go into the quilt box.

[snafu]

I laughed at your 1st post as a few years ago the teens were horrifying us by buying jeans with judicially placed rips and threadbare thighs. I don't darn socks but replace buttons and repair hems. Guys who don't sew can use iron-on tape or fabric glue to fix hems or seams.

[Taylor000]

I do and it is nothing about cheap things. It is great to repair at least I agree what you have done buddy. For me, I feel comfortable in old or fixed clothes or pants you know and old especially shoes are the best

[feh]

I think we have become a disposable society and clothing is definitely an area where that is blatantly obvious.

This.

I can remember my Grandmother darning socks.

[Gailete]

I make all my own clothes, do mending for hubby and one son now that the other son has a wife who can sew. I have mended jeans plenty of times and sometimes I mend over the last mend. Jeans with holes in the knees can become perfectly good shorts. Jeans with holes in locations that are hard to fix can be mended with homemade patches using fusible web and some fun fabric. You can add extra patches to balance your repair out. Lots of ways to fix things.

Because we run an on-line sewing pattern business (Moonwishes Sewing and Crafts | 7500+ uncut patterns from Simplicity, Butterick, McCall’s, Vogue, New Look, Burda, Kwik Sew
can't remember if we are allowed links here or not) I try to keep up with what is happening in the world of sewing. Recycling and upcycling clothes from your closet or thrift store is HUGE now. There are many books being published on how to mend, how to take a garment that is no long good for it's original purpose and change into into something is usuable, etc. and just simply sewing a complete garment from scratch. I'm glad to see this since sewing really did seem to be going downhill but I do believe things are on the upswing and aunts that can fix a hole in jeans are to be commended!