How to Repair a Sweatshirt Seam

Athletic clothing often has serged seams, which is to say, they have an overlock stitch added to the basic seam stitch for extra strength and stability. Repairing them effectively can be a bit tricky though.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pins
• Needle
• Thread
• Chalk
• Sewing Machine optional

1. Match the raw edges of fabric up carefully. Pin at right angles to the fabric, where the pins intersect the line to be stitched. Using the chalk, mark where the line of stitching should be, using whole stitches and fabric creases as your guide.

2. Stitch the basic line of the seam in place with a running stitch,going about half an inch on either side of the rip. Go back over it a few times for added strength.

3. Use a whip stitch to seal the raw edges of the fabric. That means to always insert the needle from the same side of the fabric, creating a series of loops across the top of the raw edges. Also go about a half inch beyond the rip. This step must be done by hand unless your sewing machine comes with an overlock stitch. To use the overlock stitch on your machine, read your manual, as each machine can be different.

Tips & Warnings

• Use sturdy good quality cotton thread. Using cheap thread will only make the seam rip again.
• Use a color of thread that's within a few shades of the garment for the best looking outcome.
• Use a thimble for hand sewing for safety.