Fixing Moth Holes without reweaving

[LindyTap]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but I couldn't find anything. I recently bought a suit dated 1940 that is in excellent shape except for moth hole damage. Reweaving costs a fortune, but I've heard about something called "stitch witchery." It's similar to reweaving in that you take a small piece of fabric from a part of the suit you cant see, but instead of weaving it into the hole, you iron it on using a fusible adhesive. I don't usually like to iron my clothes period, especially vintage, and I usually don't like fused garments. (okay, never) but for such a small area, and such a large amout of money saved, is it worthwhile? Has anyone else tried this? How does it look?

 

[Rooster]

I have a 40's vintage suit (1939 - 1949 union tag) that has repairs of this nature. I owned it for several weeks before I even noticed them. I suspect these repairs were done some time ago, how long ago I don't know.

 

[dakotanorth]

Non-reweaving fixes?

Stitch witchery... that name keeps coming up this week! Basically it's some sort of substance that melts down and "glues" fabric together, right?

It does sound like a quicker, cheaper, easier solution, but there are things to consider.
1. I have a strong feeling that the adhesive will be broken down when you dryclean it. Same thing with fusible interfacing. If not, water might gradually work through it.
2. It's tough to get the angle of the weave AND pattern matched- practice on junk material you have lying around; go buy a 50cent shirt at a yardsale and try that out for starters.
3. Once 1 and 2 are accomplished, you have to remember, you are adding the piece BEHIND the hole, not INTO the hole- you still have a "Dent" where the hole is.

I would recommend a compromise- there are probably holes in highly visible areas (shoulders, lapels, chest panels) and those should be repaired as best possible- rewoven. The other holes, say, cuffs, pockets, bottom, could be shortcut and repaired otherwise.

Do you have pictures??

 

[CharlestonBows]

On the occasion that I (or a client at the store) gets a small hole, moth or otherwise, in a less-than-obvious place on a garment, we use Stitch Witch to fix it -- but you have to know what you're doing.

You have a couple options of using it, either using a small piece of fabric, pinching the hole, whatever. It depends on what and where the problem is.

Stitch Witch is an adhesive tape that activates with heat (i.e. irons). We get it from our supplier, Atlanta Thread -- find out more here.

 

[LindyTap]

thanks for the advice everyone. And yes Dakotanorth, I think that's what I'll do. I'll get the two holes on the shoulders reweaved, and have all of the other, less-obvious holes fixed with stich witch. And yes, I'll practice before I try it on this garment. Thanks again.

 

[reetpleat]

It does depend on your standards and the hole. If you need to look perrfect for work, that is different from going out to bars in the evening where it is dark and no one will judge you badly if they notice a repair.

I think some holes, in less obvious areas, just need something there to prevent a spot of white or darkness showing through at a glance. For that, a bit of the same fabric behind it stitched or glued in should do the trick.

I have even considered putting in a bit of thread or lint from the fabric in with some glue or some such. For a small hole, that might be enough.

 

[Fletch]

All this can only end badly.

Holes in old clothes are a judgment from on high, a sign that it is not ours to rest easy in the raiments of our ancestors, and that their times should go to dust with them. So it is written - so it shall remain.

 

[CharlestonBows]

All this can only end badly.

Holes in old clothes are a judgment from on high, a sign that it is not ours to rest easy in the raiments of our ancestors, and that their times should go to dust with them. So it is written - so it shall remain.

lol lol

And holes in contemporary clothing are just signs from the sartorial gods that the garment is just that poorly designed? Hahaha

 

[resortes805]

I do this all the time. It's easiest when the fabric has some kind of texture to it, so the underlying layer of fabric blends in with the rest. I've mostly done this with patch pocket Pendleton jackets (which are hard to come across without moth damage) and slacks with holes in the crotch.

 

[Daniel]

I just bought a late-40's suit with very tiny holes in the back. They weren't that noticeable, and I'm not sure if they're moth damage or just weak fabric, but for $7.00 at the thrift store I was willing to experiment.

I bought a $1.99 packet of Dritz "8 Twill Iron-On Patches" at a local fabric shop. These come in gray, tan, light blue, and white. I used them on the back of the holes, inside of the jacket, and ironed them on. It said to use "Wool" setting, but I used "Cotton," and it worked just fine. The gray isn't a perfect match for the suit, but I was so pleased at the result I used other pieces of the patching material to reinforce areas that looked weak.

This wouldn't work for large holes, but seems just the ticket for small ones and weak areas. The repair isn't at all noticeable from outside of the jacket, which was my main concern (i.e., no puckering of the material, etc.)

 

[Nashoba]

Stitch witchery... that name keeps coming up this week! Basically it's some sort of substance that melts down and "glues" fabric together, right?

It does sound like a quicker, cheaper, easier solution, but there are things to consider.
1. I have a strong feeling that the adhesive will be broken down when you dryclean it. Same thing with fusible interfacing. If not, water might gradually work through it.

It's a fusible webbing that comes in strips and sheets, I use it every day in my business to fuse down letters and images for the Marine Corps flags I make. I also use it when making clothing for certain portions. It will soften with wash and with cleaning but I've never had it break down in dry cleaning. It's pretty durable stuff if it's used properly.

 

[feltfan]

Reviving an old thread (no pun intended).

I picked up a 100% cashmere overcoat from the early 50s (date inside) at a thrift store today.
It has a fair number of moth divots, but only a couple of holes, in very difficult to see spots.
Since it is thick cashmere, I am thinking I might try the sort of techniques we use on hats with
moth divots- sanding or scraping fabric around the divots to make them less obvious. It's a solid
color, so I think it might work.

Anyone ever try this?

 

[Qirrel]

Reviving an old thread (no pun intended).

I picked up a 100% cashmere overcoat from the early 50s (date inside) at a thrift store today.
It has a fair number of moth divots, but only a couple of holes, in very difficult to see spots.
Since it is thick cashmere, I am thinking I might try the sort of techniques we use on hats with
moth divots- sanding or scraping fabric around the divots to make them less obvious. It's a solid
color, so I think it might work.

Anyone ever try this?

The moths have only eaten the nap, right? If so, use the point of a needle to pull up a new nap where the moths have damaged it.

 

[Mario]

It's a good thing that I fancy rougher, coarser tweed fabrics. They are usually (not always) easier and hence cheaper to reweave...

 

[feltfan]

The moths have only eaten the nap, right? If so, use the point of a needle to pull up a new nap where the moths have damaged it.

I'll try this and perhaps a wire or stiff brush to see if I can blend the edges of the divots.
If anyone has an additional suggestion, post away!

Thanks.
Will post the results... and the coat... once it is back from the cleaners.

 

[tahonng]

Reviving an old thread yet again.

I just bought a really cool EG wool CPO shirt, and I opened the package with a pair of scissors. Which unfortunately cut into the fabric. It's along the right chest pocket. Not even an inch in length. I was wondering if this was a good candidate for re-weaving, and if anyone had any recommendations. I live in NC, and I don't know if there are any good places locally that can do this sort of thing.

 

[skyvue]

I recently purchased a great 1940s (perhaps late '30s) blue pinstripe suit for $18 on eBay. Alterations ran me $50 or $60, which still left me with a terrific bargain, but alas there was one small but visible (the size of a ladybug) hole in the back of the right sleeve. I don't know nuthin' about fuzing no fabrics, so I bit the bullet and had it rewoven at a cost of $95. I like the suit enough that I have no regrets (it still ran me less than $200), but sheesh, the cost of reweaving is painful (and $95 was probably a relatively low price for that service).