How to care for and repair your clothes: These handy tools the pros love will help your clothes last longer and save you money
In the age of fast fashion, it’s easier to buy a new cardigan when a button pops than it is to spend time changing it. However, with the cost of living continuing to escalate, more and more people are more interested in taking better care of their existing wardrobe rather than stocking up on new clothes.
Whether you’re learning to sew or simply want to extend the life of your clothes, we asked the experts what tools you need to repair and maintain your wardrobe properly.
Necessary sewing
With just a few basic skills, you’ll be able to handle a variety of repair jobs, from replacing buttons and reattaching broken straps to fixing sagging hemlines and holes in socks. As a beginner, our experts recommend staying away from the ready-made kits sold in supermarkets.
Sew Easy with Maebh teacher Maebh Walsh said: “Usually they are trash. “You’d better buy them individually, because the pins in them don’t even stick to the fabric, they’re horribly blunt.”
Zaria Jackson, who offers sewing classes in Dublin through TheCitySeamstress.com. “There are sewing classes nationwide and online, or to save money, try going to your local library to find beginner sewing books — they have many great titles to choose from,” she says. help you learn the basics.”
Some trusted grocery stores like Zaria’s top pick Cloth.ie sell their own beginner’s kit (€13), which includes a pack of needles, tape measure, thread, stitch cutter and pin box, or you can make your own kit .
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Pearl pin, €2.50, TheFabricCounter.ie
Start with a pair of sharp scissors and make sure you only use them to cut fabric and thread, as they will be blunt if used to cut paper. Zaria notes that regular stationery scissors are fine as long as they are new or have just been sharpened, while Bébhinn Flood, founder TheDesignHouse.ie, Jinjian fabric scissors (€15.90, Amazon) are recommended. “It has razor-sharp, high-carbon steel shears – it’s like cutting butter with a hot knife,” she explains, adding that the scissors also come with a cutting tool. only.
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For needles, Zaria advises getting a variety of sizes, “Some have larger ‘eyes’ or holes for thicker thread or yarn, plus smaller, thinner needles for finer fabrics.” Pauline Gallagher, founder TheKnittingClass.comrecommend John James’s hand sewing needles (€2.50 for six, LimerickQuiltCentre.ie). “They’re solid, straight steel, and if you’re doing any manual sewing, it’s great to be able to use good tools – it makes all the difference in how easy it is,” she says. flow through the fabric.
You will need to choose from different colored threads, including black, white, gray and navy — Joanne O’Neill, moderator MayGreat.ie classes in Lucan, like the Amann theme (€2.65 for 1000m, SewStitchy.com), while Zaria favors Gütermann’s sustainable threads (2.60€ for 100m, fabric.ie), “works well” for hand or machine sewing. “Poly/cotton yarn is the most versatile for all types of clothing,” says Zaria. “Bonus points if you choose to only recycle: Gütermann makes eco-friendly sutures from recycled PET (PolyEthylene Terephthalate) bottles.”
A fabric tape measure is another must-have, and Joanne recommends buying one with centimeters and inches. Hemline retractable tape measure (€3.50, VibesandScribes.ie) has a stop and move function to keep the tape in the position you want, along with an auto rewind button.
The seam tearer will be very useful for removing hems or removing broken zippers and can be purchased for as little as €1 (TheFabricCounter.ie) and you’ll want a good set of pins. Maebh loves pearl pins (€2.50, TheFabricCounter.ie). “They fit everything. Tiny brooches scattered everywhere, difficult to pick up, but pearl-tipped pins are easier to handle.”
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Sewing machine, €1, TheFabricCounter.ie
If you’re branching out for a change, Joanne notes that tailor chalk can be useful for keeping things correct (€1, TheFabricCounter.ie), while Bébhinn preferred the Pilot Frixion Ball pen (€3.90, PenStore.ie). “Disappearing pens are much better because they are smoother and you can remove with fiction or heat,” she said.
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hosiery
Wool experts recommend reducing the frequency of washing knitwear, as wool fibers usually only need to breathe between wears. “If you get them dirty, maybe clean one spot and then only wash them once a season before storing them for the summer,” says Pauline, noting that dirt and skin flakes can attract moths during storage.
She adds that lavender can be helpful in repelling moths and recommends washing Eucalan wool (€5,50, CraftyBride.ie), a formula that requires no rinsing. “Eucalan uses natural lavender essential oil, so that would be a good one because the oil is still there and it might provide some protection.”
The formation of ruffles — or “clumps” — is inevitable with woolen clothing, but can be easily removed with the right tools. One of the most popular options for drug removal is a sweater comb. “You draw it on top of the packed part, and it will pick up any pills and brush them off,” says Pauline.
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Minky Bubble Remover, €14.99, lenehans.ie
You can find these in many places — Joanne likes Restora sweater tiles, most of which are sold commercially (15.95€ for 10, dormitory.ie), but she notes that cashmere brand Lucy Nagle offers one for €4.95.
Another popular type of epilator is a fabric shaver, such as the Minky epilator (14.99€, lenhans.ie), suggested by Zaria. “It allows you to remove fabric pills from all types of clothing, from overalls to blankets, easily and quickly,” she says.
Sportswear and delicates
According to personal stylist Tess Purcell, who works with Clare-based fitness clothing brand, you can also experience clumping of leggings, which requires more careful handling. . I-Spy.ie.
“If you’re using a comb on leggings, it really pulls the fabric out, so you need to be very, very gentle with them,” she says, suggesting the Pilo 1 fabric scraper ( 45 euros, SteameryStockholm.com). “It can be used on all fabrics thanks to its three-blade technology and it’s safe to use on delicate fabrics.”
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Pilo scraper 1, €45, SteameryStockholm.com
The lint roller is a popular choice for removing hair and dirt from clothes, but Zaria prefers the Dosco clothes brush (6.99€, lenhans.ie). “The lint roller can leave glue stains, attracting more lint. She explains that clothes brushes are a great alternative because they clean more when it comes to removing debris from your fabric. “Quality clothes brushes made with natural bristles will not only help you last longer, but will also keep your clothes looking new without scratching them. You may want to invest in a clothing brush with different stiff bristles, as softer bristles are best for delicate materials and stiffer bristles are best for removing dry stains.
For delicate laundry, Zaria recommends the Guppyfriend laundry bag (€29.75, EcoStore.ie). “Mesh laundry bags are really helpful to prolong the life of your clothes, especially delicate fabrics like tights and small knitwear. It reduces lint and protects your clothes in the machine.”
https://www.independent.ie/style/fashion/fashion-fix/how-to-care-for-and-repair-your-clothes-these-handy-tools-that-experts-love-will-make-your-clothes-last-longer-and-save-you-money-42168634.html How to care for and repair your clothes: These handy tools the pros love will help your clothes last longer and save you money