Repairing Merino clothing - help

[Billy-o]

Hi ... I am hoping for some advice about repairs here.

It is time to dig out the merino baselayers in preparation for the winter walkies. Actually, we've had the first frost and first snow here already, so I am a bit tardy on this.

Anyway, upon inspection, I find that a few pieces (200-ish gsm) have failed in places along seams; with the wool fraying and separating from one side of the seam.

In terms of repair, I am thinking of using a 5mm cotton or wool, woven tape to stitch through to allow the merino to attach and give it some support where it will take the strain.

Is this an approach that will work do you think? Or, should a I use a 3/4" to 1" tape and go either side of the seam? Or, is there another way of doing this, altogether? Like glue?

Thanks for any help. I don't much fancy the prospect of having to replace three merino baselayers in one go. That would create a big ding in the economy.

 

[John Fenna]

Your first idea sounds good
Personally I would wait until Aldi had their merino base layer in and replace everything - heap but very good kit!

 

[C_Claycomb]

Your first idea sounds good
Personally I would wait until Aldi had their merino base layer in and replace everything - heap but very good kit!

Bummer that Aldi isn't in Canada

I am having trouble visualising what 5mm wool woven tape is like, and how it would be used. Maybe photos of the damage would help?

Would darning work?

Actually, I exercised Google for a few seconds and came up with these:

How to repair Merino wool clothes?

This post will teach you how to repair Merino wool garments by mending the holes which will inevitably occur with even cautious usage.

besthiking.net

How to repair wool clothing

Easy step-by-step guides to repair holes in socks, patch holes and rips, repair seams, fix pulled hems and sew buttons back on.

www.woolmark.com

http://www.hcrbeta.com/how-to-repair-a-hole-in-my-merino-wool-underwear-step-by-step-instructions/

This place might have useful repair mateirals.

100% Wool in Canada, Free Shipping at YarnCanada.ca

www.yarncanada.ca

 

[Billy-o]

Helpful, both of you. Thanks

At the moment I am looking into bias tape (... on advice from dearest wife and daughter). There is ongoing debate over tea as to whether I should apply tape to the detached side and stitch that to the seam; or, put a wider piece over the whole hole and apply something like a buttonhole stitch. So, I am no further forwards, but have found the right ballpark, I think.

Advice is that wool tape won't be strong enough (I remain obstinately unconvinced) and poly webbing will be chafey ... which seems clearly true.

FYI - wool tape example - http://www.woodedhamlet.com/tapes_braids/worsted_twill.html

The issue at stake is to not make the garments too tight or produce a stress point by making a tuck in the existing fabric.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Ask Toddy.

My mum used to sew a lot of clothes, including historical re-enactment stuff. She has fixed a fair number of woolens. I have never seen anything in wool or any other knitwear use any sort of tape to patch or reinforce a hole the way you describe. The whole thing about knits is that they stretch. Most tape does not.

Usually, holes in light wool are the result of pulling away from a few broken threads. Not like holes in the knees of jeans where an area of cloth has worn away to nothing. So with knits, take advantage of the stretch...just pull the edges back together and either darn them, or just have a bit of a tuck into the seam. That way you preserve the stretch, flex and feel of the original.

If you absolutely must use an internal patch to reinforce, I would suggest using a bit of old t-shirt (cotton or polycotton). The edges can be stabilised with a zig-zag stitch and the material will be closer in how it feels to the garment to be repaired.