Keeping up with the mending

[Nick D]

I'm pretty good with a needle and thread, and with cleaning, so I do all my mending myself. There's generally not lots to do, a spot that needs cleaning, a cuff or collar that need a scrub, a couple times I've taken ties apart to remove the twist they had developed. But lately I've felt like it's catching up to me. I lost two dress shirts that developed stains that I can't get out, My favourite pair of trousers developed a hole in the crotch that can't be repaired, two of my favorite suits need some repairs and one of the waistcoats should really be fully re-lined.

I just need the time and I should be able to do it all. Maybe it feels worse because my summer wardrobe is so small compared to my winter wardrobe, so it seems like I'm losing everything. How do other people keep up with the mending? Do it yourself, send it out, or a combination of both?

 

[davestlouis]

I don't sew much, so items that need sewing go to the seamstress or the cleaners, but I have a half dozen suits that I wear to work that need a good steaming/pressing. That's my project for this evening, getting the suits ready for the coming week. I have a dozen white shirts that are line-drying right now, that will be ready for ironing this evening too. If I'm feeling energetic, I'll shine my shoes as well.

I think I would benefit from having about 5-6 more suits in rotation, so I don't kill my existing ones by overwearing.

 

[Geesie]

I'm increasing the amount that I do. (I'm up infinity percent from 2008's "none"!)

Just this week I took in the waist on two pairs of pants, repaired a hem, re-attached 3 buttons, and repaired a seam on a sleeve in addition to trimming loose threads.

 

[Nick D]

I think I would benefit from having about 5-6 more suits in rotation, so I don't kill my existing ones by overwearing.

This is something I've been thinking of, too. It's what did those trousers in, they worked really well with several different outfits, so they got a lot of wear. I've been looking for and working on odd pieces to add variety to my wardrobe and to increase rotation and reduce wear, though I haven't had any luck with new suits lately. I just need to keep looking.

I need to press the sleeves on some of my suit jackets, something I'm pretty confident with, and I can do trousers, but I'm nervous about steaming or pressing the bodies of suit jackets.

Where's Jeeves when you need him?

 

[HatRak]

I used to give them to my wife. She is a master artisan with needle, thread, and fabric. She can make and/or repair anything. Her hobbies are needlepoint, quilting, fashion sewing, etc. These days, however, I take most of my mending to my tailor. My wife can do it, but I don't want her to have to divert her attention from her sewing to mine. I'd rather her finish the next quilt or dress than to hem my pants. A button, sure (yes, I can sew on my own buttons but, what takes me a half-hour my wife can do in three minutes) but more complex things, no.

 

[davestlouis]

We have a steamer at work too, so if my jacket gets wrinkles, I fire up the steamer and get rid of the wrinkles. We have it largely because when families bring in clothing for their dear departed, sometimes they are deeply wrinkled, so we hit them with steam to make the clothes look better, for a better presentation in the casket.

Never ceases to amaze me that a grown man doesn't own a suit, or has had the same one since 1960.

Anyway, I find ironing, steaming and whatnot very calming and therapeutic, sort of like cleaning firearms...it's a relaxing activity for me.

 

[Geesie]

Never ceases to amaze me that a grown man doesn't own a suit, or has had the same one since 1960.

My father has two suits from 1960 that I'm trying to figure out how to steal when he isn't looking. [huh]

 

[Schofields]

lean towards more vintage inspired for the summer?