Mending is a way of repairing clothes and household items. Being able to mend clothes and other items extends their life and saves money.
Mending is a life-skill that everyone should know. To mend all you need is entry-level sewing skills. Some mending requires a needle and thread and some basic hand-sewing stitches. Some mending requires a sewing machine but only knowing basic stitches and machine knowledge. And some techniques require no sewing at all.
Whether you are patching up jeans or sewing on a button, whether you are mending a frayed towel or fixing a torn sheet, whether you're repairing a curtain or an heirloom quilt, being about to mend and fix your own clothes and other items extends the life of the piece which is better for the environment and your wallet.
Below is a roundup of many how-to mending and repairing tutorials such as:
- How to sew a ripped seam
- How to patch jeans that have holes and rips
- Learn visible mending over a hole or stain
- How to attach a button
- Mending an undone hem
- How to mend a sweater
- Fix bed sheets
- Zipper repair and replacement
- How to darn socks
- And much, much more
To Mend or Not to Mend, That is the Question?
Before you decide to mend or fix a garment or an item, you should ask yourself a few questions.
Do I still like it?
Is it worth fixing?
Is it an heirloom?
Is the rest of the item in good condition?
Is it worth my time and effort to repair it?
With the following tutorials, you can breathe new life into your favorite clothing and home accessories by mending, fixing, and repairing them.
Don’t forget to bookmark or pin this page because you never know when you may need a learn how to mend something.
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Tie-dyeing baby clothes is a great way to personalize outfits and is ideal for covering up minor stains from hand-me-down items.
Craft Bits
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This tutorial shows how to fix a tear in a bed sheet near the side seam.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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This article explains and shows how to darn a sock.
Super Mom No Cape
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Follow this step-by-step guide for basic instructions on darning. This process can be applied to any knitted garment from socks to sweaters.
IFIXIT
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Use yarn scraps to decoratively patch up holes in your favorite garments.
My Poppet Makes
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Learn how to replace elastic in an elastic waistband.
Even if the elastic is sewn into the garment you can replace it without removing the old stretched out elastic. This tutorial will show you how to replace the elastic.
By Needlepointers.com Staff
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The Sustainable Magic of Mending, Patching, and Darning! Learn to repair your clothes from this cheerful, handwritten, and hand-illustrated guide
by Raleigh Briggs
- Paperback
- Published 2017
Affiliate Link to Amazon
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Save Time and Money Repairing Your Own Clothes.
by Nan L. Ides
- Paperback
- Published 2008
Affiliate Link to Amazon
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This tutorial will show how to sew a hem on knit pants using the stretch stitch and a twin needle.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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This is a easy way to fix a zipper without replacing it.
By marcellahella at Instructables
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Three easy way to mend holes in blue jeans including the iron-on patch, hand sewing the rip and machine sewing a patch.
The Happy Housewife
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At Sew Guide you will find nine different ways to repair ripped and torn jeans.
Sew Guide
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Here is an easy and fast way to fix an undone or fallen hem on pants or trousers with a sewing machine.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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Learn how to hand sew a button onto a garment or project.
Needlepointers.com
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This video and photo tutorial will demonstrate how to sew on a button a sewing machine and the zigzag stitch. If your sewing machine doesn't have a built-in button stitch, you can use the zigzag stitch to sew on buttons. Learn how with this video.
Needlepointers.com
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This tutorial will show you how to convert a flat bed sheet into a fitted bed sheet by creating pocket corners and sewing elastic around.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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This tutorial will demonstrate how to fix the hole and then make a lining for the bag easily. This lining tutorial can be used for many types of bags, such as totes, messengers, and field bags.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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Is your quilt falling apart? This is one way to mend your favorite quilt.
By Bekathwia via Instructables
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Learn how to repair stains and tears in clothing.
How Stuff Works
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Save ripped or torn garments, towels or sheets by learning ways to mend them.
How Stuff Works
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To mend the sheet with this technique, two patches are sewn over tear.
Super Mom No Cape
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This tutorial will explain how Jennifer from The Craft Patch patches jeans.
The Craft Patch
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Learn how to repair frayed seams, how to repair small holes, large holes and holes near the binding.
Darcy Quilts
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An easy way to fix holes in jeans and other garments. You can give new life to jeans with this technique.
ManMade
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Learn how to sew on buttons using the button stitch on your sewing machine. This can be used to sew on 2- or 4-hole buttons, snaps, hooks, eyes, flat bows and even small curtain rings.
Needlepointers.com
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Learn how to fix a hole in jeans or pants. This is a simple and easy repair technique which needs only basic supplies you may have in your sewing room.
Needlepointers.com
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A cool applique technique for patching holes in jeans.
Hammer and Thread
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This website shows some basic techniques and ideas to visibly mend pants to add character while also preventing more damage with Sashiko and denim patches.
Closet Case Patterns
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Depending on the problem, there are several ways that you can fix a broken zipper in jeans.
WikiHow
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How to replace a zipper in a pair of jeans.
The Spruce Crafts
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How to add knee patches to jeans.
My Poppet Makes
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How to fix clothes that have been dyed in the wash by mistake … Dye them on purpose!
Did you ever take clothes out of the washer to find that it is color stained. Don't throw it away. Tie Dye it!
Learn how to fix it with this tutorial.
Needlepointers.com Staff
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How to Lengthen Pants That Are Too ShortThis video and photo tutorial will demonstrate how to make a pair of pants longer using hem or bias tape.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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Learn how to darn a hole in pants using the darning stitch on a sewing machine.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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Torn seam a very common. This is a simple tutorial on how to mend a seam using a sewing machine.
The Crafty Mummy
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Heather Handmade is sharing an easy tutorial using the Cricut Explore Air 2 for a no-sew method for mending clothing and covering up stains.
Heather Handmade
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Creative patching, darning and stitching.
by Kristin M. Roach
- Kindle Book
- Published 2012
Affiliate Link to Amazon
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Prolong the life of jeans that have a hole with iron-on patches and some cute stitching. A simple, fun fix to a pair of jeans.
Paging Supermom
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Patch a hole in jeans with a cute heart patch. Learn how with this tutorial.
Knotted Cotton
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How to repair old patchwork quilt with this tutorial.
Lora B
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There are many ways to repair a quilt - there is no right way or wrong way. Here are 5 options.
Quilter's Review
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Do you have an heirloom or much-loved quilt whose binding is frayed or torn? Frayed edges are a common problem since they get a lot of wear and tear. Replacing the old quilt binding with a new binding is a quilt repair that is easy to do.
This post is on how to replace the binding on an old much-loved quilt.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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Whether by hand or with a sewing machine, you can neatly extend the life of a garment with these simple instructions.
The Guardian
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Torn seams are among the most common problems plaguing sewn goods. Mending a torn seam is not hard. The seam can be repaired by hand or with a sewing machine. Learn more here.
WikiHow
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How to mend a bedsheet.
By Susan Beal at Makezine
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Here is a really simple fix for a top with sleeves that are too tight. Learn how.
Sum of Their Stories
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Do you need to shorten your newly bought dress pants? Altering the length of dress pants and other pants is easy with this tutorial. Learn how to shorten pants using lacy hem tape.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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A comprehensive site on how to darn socks from supplies needed to how-to instructions.
HJS Studio
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How to easily restore stained baby clothes using natural dyes.
Adventures and Preggers
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What do you do when a button pops off your favourite shirt, or the hem unravels on your best dress – throw it away, or make some simple repairs? This fun but practical book caters for all your sewing emergencies, teaching everyone who never learned how to thread a needle, sew on a button, darn a hole and much more
by Joan Gordon
- Paperback
- Published 2010
Affiliate Link to Amazon
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How to mend a sweater.
Lifestyle at How Stuff Works
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How to fix the hole in a sweater.
Heather Handmade
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How to mend a sweater.
How Stuff Works
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The secret of mending a sweater quickly and easily. Learn how to fix a hole in your favorite sweater without needing to know how to knit.
Homemade on Our Homestead
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Makeover a boring tee in minutes using your favorite fabric or do you have a stain or spot on your favorite t-shirt use this tutorial to upcycle it.
DIY Candy
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A Pretty Happy Home shows a no-sew way to repair a T-shirt hole. Learn more by clicking the link.
A Pretty Happy Home
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In this tutorial, they'll show you how to add an opening to the back of a tee shirt with KAM snaps.
Things for Boys
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If your towel is becoming frayed and worn, give them a new lease on life by adding a scrappy fabric bias binding. Learn how by clicking the link above.
Vicky Myers Creations
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Ways to repair a tattered towel.
Lifestyle
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How to alter a kid's pant waistband. DIY kids elastic snap belt waistband cincher with KAM Snap Fasteners inserted through belt loops will keep those pants up.
Kam Snaps
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Do you have a stain or minor hole on a favorite piece of clothing? Start making some yo-yos to solve the problem. Learn more here....
Make
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How to fix any common zipper problem.
By Thorin Klosowski at Lifehacker
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