How to Mend Clothing Eaten by Moths
Clothing moths are a menace. Put your favorite jeans, sweaters -- or worse, a family heirloom wedding dress -- in storage for a few months or years, and you could open the chest up and find holes eaten right through the fabric. You can keep moths away by sealing your clothes in airtight plastic containers. But if the damage is already done, don't despair. You might be able to repair it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Needle and thread
- Iron or sew-on patches
- Scarves or broaches (optional)
Instructions
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Sew up small, moth-eaten holes in knit material such as wool sweaters. Start with thin thread that closely matches the color of the fabric and use short stitches. Don't try to patch holes larger than a quarter to half an inch in circumference. When done, you shouldn't be able to see the holes.
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Attach sew-on or iron-on patches over larger holes in jeans, knit materials or other casual clothes. This technique works especially well for children's or teens clothing, as the patches available in most craft stores appeal to this age group. The University of Kentucky Extension program recommends using scarves or broaches to hide holes in adult or more formal clothing.
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Repair valuable heirlooms with the help of a professional. Reweavers can take threads from part of a garment and use them to repair holes, or construct entire new sections. Reweavers can be expensive, but they might be the best choice for moth-eaten heirlooms such as wedding gowns. You can find them in the phone book, usually under tailor services, or online.
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Tips & Warnings
Sometimes you can hide moth holes by adding pockets or turning long jeans into capris.
Do not spray moth-control products directly onto fabrics.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Stephen Schauer/Digital Vision/Getty Images
