Stitching/repairs to wax jacket - what kind of stitching?

[sandbender]

Hello all.

I have unearthed my old lightweight Barbour jacket and now that it has been allowed to air for much of the summer it is almost wearable.

It has a few rips, on the sleeve and body, I want to stitch them, what kind of stitching technique would folks recommend?

Thanks.

 

[bilmo-p5]

I think a herring bone stitch would pull the edges of a rip together fairly evenly, then daub some of the re-waxing stuff on it.
I have some dark brown waxed cotton, which you're welcome to, if you need any patching.

 

[sandbender]

That sounds like it will do the job, thanks and thanks for the offer of cotton, I do have some spare though.

Found a nice 'how-to' with pictures here.

I'll post some before and after images later.

 

[Buckshot]

I used to wear a wax proof that had almost more stitch repairs than cotton on the sleeves
I just pulled the sides of the tear together and kind of loop stitched it then covered in wax as said

 

[Macaroon]

That sounds like it will do the job, thanks and thanks for the offer of cotton, I do have some spare though.

Found a nice 'how-to' with pictures here.

I'll post some before and after images later.

Back in the days before the advent of the modern waterproof lightweight materials, we used exactly that stitch to repair the old canvas New Zealand rugs that were used to keep the horses dry and comfortable; when the stitching was complete and the waxoil applied, we were taught to sandwich the repair 'twixt two very flat bits of wood and tap them flat with a mallet. Seals the repair very effectively and renders it flat, therefore less obtrusive.

 

[sandbender]

"...we were taught to sandwich the repair 'twixt two very flat bits of wood and tap them flat with a mallet. Seals the repair very effectively and renders it flat, therefore less obtrusive..."

Interesting that, I'll give it a try.

 

[sandbender]

I couldn’t seem to make my fingers and thumbs produce a decent herring bone stitch and have used a blanket stitch which seems to have worked quite well. Some pictures below…

This one shows the stitching on one tear about half way done, I am working on the inside of the jacket which will leave less thread to be seen on the outside.

I push needle through to join both sides of the tear together…

I then bring the needle around and through the loop made when I pushed it through…

Gently pull tight.

And this is the finished result when viewed on the outside of the jacket.

With no waxed thread to hand I used embroidery thread which was close match to the jacket colour.

 

[Macaroon]

That's a very acceptable looking repair; by the time there's a bit of wax rubbed into that it'll be an almost invisible scar with it's own story to tell in the life of that jacket

 

[redneck]

That's a very good repair, I like patches and stitches on my wax jackets, gives them character and an individuality.. every wax jacket should be able to tell a story, they seem to be living entities! good job.

 

[sandbender]

"...it's own story to tell in the life of that jacket..."

"...every wax jacket should be able to tell a story..."

Indeed, and while sitting in the park yesterday my four and a half year old daughter came and sat beside me to watch me at work, after a while she asked if she could try, and so my jacket now has her very first bit of stitching on it.

Maybe she'll inherit the jacket.

 

[Macaroon]

That's great - just as it should be