Want to save big money with your sewing skills? Learn to mend.
A lot of people who are frugal newbies assume that buying fabric and sewing clothes basically from scratch is an uber-frugal practice, and that they haven't really arrived until their family is wearing homemade clothing from head to toe.
If you are one of these people, take heart! Sewing your own clothes is usually time-consuming and expensive (if you buy new materials), and it's not a necessary practice.
(Refashioning and upcycling are a different story, of course. Projects of that sort can be fast and frugal.)
No, if you really want to use your sewing skills to save money, mending is where it's at!
If you learn how to sew on a button, fix a seam, apply a patch, or mend a hem, you can greatly reduce your clothing expenditures and extend the life of your clothing (that's good for your wallet and the earth).
Mending skills also come in handy when you are a thrift store shopper because thrift store clothing can often be made like new again with a bit of sewing.
You can do a lot of mending by hand, but a sewing machine makes this type of task way easier.
You don't need something really expensive or complicated...I use a $100 Brother machine, similar to this one, though mine is older.
I know $100 isn't pocket change, but if you faithfully mend your clothes, your machine can pay for itself in short order. Fix 5 items that have a replacement cost of $20/each, and you've already broken even.
I haven't kept track of how many clothing items I've mended, but I'm positive that my machine has paid for itself multiple times.
Anyways, I've been catching up on my mending this summer, and I have pictures of two of those endeavors to share with you. 😉
I don't know if you have a "uniform" but I kind of do...when the weather is cool, I love to wear jeans and long-sleeved, v-neck knit shirts (usually black or white because I am just that boring!).
Happily I recently found two of these...one was $2.99 at Goodwill (new from Target), and the other was free, from our sister church's free clothing exchange.
These shirts were in brand-new shape, but they both had the same problem.
Each sported a small hole on the arm seam. Happily, holes like this are super-easy to fix. I just loaded my machine up with black thread, turned the shirt inside out, and sewed a slightly modified arm seam that closed the hole. It probably took me about 2 minutes per shirt, and now they're both as good as new.
(the shirts really are a nice black color. But I fail at capturing black shirts on camera. My apologies.)
Sometimes I use my machine to do patches, but not in the traditional sense. If the article of clothing doesn't need to be really fabulous looking, I often put a patch inside the garment instead of outside.
For instance, Joshua's very favorite pair of shorts came apart at the leg hem. So, I cut a strip of fabric out of an old pillowcase and sewed it all around the outside edge of the rip, like so.
I feel like this is a little less noticeable on the outside than a traditional patch is, and it's an awful lot easier because you don't have to be very neat with the patch edges! And sometimes, if the hole is in a perfect place, you can make your patch seams line up with some existing stitching on the garment (that's what I did on the bottom edge of this patch).
The shorts don't look like new, but they were pretty weathered looking to begin with and so the frayed portion blends right in. 😉 And Joshua is pleased that he doesn't have to give up his favorite shorts quite yet.
Are you a mender? And if you are, do you mend by hand or with a machine?
P.S. If you're new here, you might be interested in browsing through my posts about sewing.
I am a mender! I started out doing things by hand (and I still sew buttons on by hand) but a few years ago my husband bought me an amazing Simplicity Quilters Edition sewing machine and I never looked back LOL! I have fixed everything from hems to buttons to holes that were not in the seam (very tricky) and it is not only frugal, but a joy to do 🙂
I do mend, both my hand and witha basic, inexpensive sewing machine. I sew buttons on by hand and I also do small repairs by hand. For big jobs I get my sewing machine out.
Lucky for me, my mom sews, so I don't have to! I'm hoping she'' pass on her skills to me at some point. I told her I'll sew her a bunch of flowered mumus when she's really old.:P
Yes! I actually quite like mending...it's very satisfying to start out with your little mending pile and end up with totally like-new clothing. However, I currently do all of my mending by hand, since I don't have a sewing machine--which means things like hems and tricky ripped sleeves normally get passed on to my mother-in-law for help. 🙂 My mom does have an old sewing machine she's been meaning to give me, though, so I should probably ask for that. I feel like my mending pile has really been growing lately!
I too have a basic $100 brother sewing machine, and it's been mending wonderfully for nearly ten years now! Besides repairing clothes, we've saved money by sewing some basics around the house - curtains, pillowcases, doll sleeping bags, and mending stuffed animals. It seems that 'refashioning' is becoming quite popular so there are lots of great ideas online for turning adult clothing into items for kids, and even simple things like adding ruffles or appliques to cover stains on his clothes.
Great post to encourage people to give it a try!
Yes! My sewing machine was a Christmas gift back when I was 11 and taking home ec class (I don't think they call it that any more!) I've saved a lot of money over the years using it to mend clothes or sew simple things like curtain panels, tablecloths, and things like that. I have a Brother machine (probably around $100) and it has lasted 15 years!
I love to mend, but I'm no seamstress. Thank goodness my husband and son are not to picky about my sewing skills. I mend by hand and by machine. I purchased a heavy duty factory sewing machine from a gentleman that repaired sewing machines. I love my machine.
There used to be a time when making your own clothes was the less expensive alternative. Especially if you wanted a better quality. Probably 1/3 of my clothes during childhood were all hand made. Another 1/3 thrift store up cycle and then when I was in my teens and my mom went back to work clothes were either thrift store or new.
But then there was only four of us to sew for.
When she and my dad were together before us kids came along she saved quite a lot by sewing almost all of their clothes. And she still does make clothes from scratch when she cannot find exactly what she is looking for in the stores. But she knows so much about making clothes that she can spot easy patterns and adapt.
I am eternally grateful that she has passed some of her knowledge of sewing and textiles on to me for the very reasons above. I can mend! I can shorten and hem and take in and let out and sew on a button and fix a split seam and EVEN put in a new zipper.
It has saved me LOADs over the years on the clothing budget. Especially with the zipper one. Depends on what the fix is as to whether I do it by hand or machine.
I do a little mending, but for big projects I check with my mother-in-law to see if she has the time to do it for me.
I try to do some mending, but I'm not very good at it. Even sewing on a button - I know I'm doing something wrong - they are always loose. I don't have a sewing machine, so I just do things by hand. But sometimes I see sewing machines on Freecycle. I just need to learn how to use it!
Ooh, I can help you with that! Save a button mending job for me to help you with next time I come to your house. 🙂
I'm a mender, but less so since my sewing machine died. My favorite thing was to take giant men's t-shirts that I got for free, rip them at the seams and then sew them down to my size. These days it seems that all I do is sew on buttons, but I've extended the life of my husband's pants this way. Which is great, because my husband absolutely hates giving up pants once he's found a pair he likes.
I'm a mender and depending on what the project requires, I'm happy to mend by both hand or sewing machine. I also love to use my sewing skills (which I picked up when I was really young and sewed really simple dolls or costume clothes for myself in my grandma's basement) on things around the house, including some amateur reupholstery!
I shared my biggest reupholstery project on my blog, where I recovered an antique settee: http://lifeblessons.blogspot.com/2010/01/sitting-pretty-mixing-and-matching.html
Thanks, for your comment, Kristen! Yes, fortunately my husband indulges my love for patterns. He puts up with a lot 😉
And fortunately for me, the chair was one my mom bought for me for less than $5, so I figured I couldn't really go wrong! But I haven't attempted another big project like that in awhile. I did it while I was home from college over Thanksgiving break a few years ago!
Have a sewing machine and I can make curtains and straight stuff, but never mastered clothes. The most frugal thing I've made with it: bought queen size flat sheets (very good quality and almost new) at a garage sale and sewed them together to make a new duvet cover for our comforter. Good quality covers usually cost almost $100 so it was worth the time it toook to sew a few straight seams and put velcro closures on the bottom.
My sister-in-law loves to sew but found that it wasn't worthwhile cost-wise for kids until her girls got to high school and starting going to dances and proms. Since the current fashion in dresses is short, it was much cheaper to buy 3 yards of fancy fabric from the sale rack and whip something up than pay $200 for a one-time dress. Plus, she had a good time doing it with the girls. They also bought some fancy dresses at Plato's Closet.
And my MIL, bless her, taught my husband how to sew on his own buttons in junior high.
My husband isn't a standard size, so all his jeans need to be hemmed. At $8-10/pair to pay to have somebody else hem them, it was worth buying a sturdy machine on Craigs List for about $100 (there are less expensive machines on Craigs List, but I wanted a heavy-duty one for those jeans hems). In just a couple of years we've paid for it just by not paying for hemming!
I am a mender! I am so cheap when it comes to buying new clothes. My husband's jeans wear through pretty quick in the crotch area. But the rest of the pants are just fine. I used to use an old towel as an inside patch and sew it in. Then my hubby, because he is a genius, suggested I cut up an old pair of unmendable jeans into patches and use that, so the colors match almost exactly. Not that it matters, because nobody else will ever see it! I also darn socks and sew extra in when the cut is a little too low.
I agree, my sewing machine has payed for itself many times over!
I have excellent intentions of mending. I have a mending pile, even. Alas, the pile remains 🙁 I have mended my husbands work clothes, because his cotton duck overalls can be very expensive to replace. mending and alterations are where it is at!
Absolutely, I mend, (more than I should, so says my husband!) by hand and machine. I can't imagine all the money I've saved doing this simple, easy task. I often sit doing some sort of mending while Hubby and I watching TV. Perfect ending to a day, needle pulling thread. Everyone should try it!
@Glory Lennon, I agree girllllll
I try. I don't have a sewing machine and I was never taught so I have a repetoire of two stitches. But I can do buttons, pocket linings, ripped seams although it takes me forever to make them sightly. One thing I can do is fix knitted goods, including small tears in socks or t-shirts. I've saved some money by reinforcing worn heels and reknitting small holes before they get large.
I have idle thoughts about borrowing a machine and shortening t-shirts - I run and it seems that all running t-shirts are XL or bigger - but it hasn't happened yet.
I second the idea of looking for a used machine at a Sewing Machine Repair Store. you may pay more than one from a thrift store, Craig's List or Freecycle but you will get a machine that has been tuned up and in good condition. Maybe even guaranteed.
Kristen, when you teach Elizabeth R. how to sew a button, please make it into a Frugal Girl Post. There are probably a lot of readers who need a button tutorial.
I second this! I'm hopeless when it comes to sewing. I try so hard, but I have trouble with even the simplest stuff. I got a few things out of my cousin's closet last weekend and there are some repairs that need to be made. A simple sewing tutorial would be very helpful!
Have you seen this blog? http://newdressaday.wordpress.com/This girl takes revamping an article of clothing to a whole new level. I admire all of you who can transform things. I want to learn. I scroll through these posts and marvel. Maybe they should start teaching sewing as a home-based business. Or offer classes at community centers.
I am a daily visitor to your blog and have found that some of my favorite posts have been your re-engineering of clothing. You don't do anything super over-the-top but they always turn out so cute...and stylish! Thanks for sharing with us!
My husband has shorts just like those! Over the years I've saved bits and pieces of his
favorite comfies or yard clothes and have been using that material to make a lap throw quilt for him. He keeps mumbling because I never finish it . . .but I'm waiting for one more pair
of pants to have enough material to finish it!
Absolutely I'm a mender! I have a whole category on my blog called "mending." But it really is not a trendy or common skill. In fact, most of my mending skills have been my frugality refusing to throw something away because it has a hole. I did read some tutorials online for darning socks - that was helpful. So now I don't have to use my holey socks as cleaning rags - I can darn them!
I use my machine or handsew - depends. Just the other day, I hand sewed a hole shut in my daughter's tights. Like your son's shorts, it shows a little, but yet, she will get lots more wear out of the tights!
I've been told that to mend knits you need a machine that does a stretch stitch; otherwise your new seam will break rather than stretch with the fabric. Did you use a stretch stitch on your tops, or do you find that this isn't necessary? My ancient (but beloved) machine doesn't do stretch stitches (or zigzag or anything except straight ahead and reverse!). I've thought about getting another machine, just so I can sew knits, but am wondering if it's really necessary.
For mending just small areas like I did with my Goodwill shirts, a regular stitch has seemed to work just fine. However, you're right...if you were sewing a seam that really needed to be able to stretch, a regular stitch wouldn't work too well.
Thanks Kristen. I'll still consider that newer machine, then. . . 🙂