How to Repair a Taffeta Dress Seam
Taffeta is a crisp, rich fabric that evokes a feeling of opulence. It is often the first choice for wedding dresses, bridesmaid gowns or prom dresses. According to the book "Sew Any Fabric," by Claire Shaeffer, "Tightly woven in silk, rayon, acetate, or polyester blends, [taffeta] creases badly, is difficult to ease, and it mars easily by pins, needles, ripping, folding, or improper pressing." Thus, when trying to repair a split seam in a taffeta dress, you risk accidentally ruining the fabric around the rip. You can avoid this with a few precautions and a careful procedure.
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Instructions
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Turn the dress inside out. Locate the split seam.
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Gently push the two sides of the seam together, as they were originally sewn. Slide in super-fine pins along the seam to hold it in place. Keep the pins 1/2 inch to 1 inch apart.
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Thread a needle with matching thread. Make your first stitch an inch before the rip begins in the seam. This will reinforce the surrounding stitches.
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Sew up the seam using extremely small stitches, very close together. Don't pull on the fabric or the thread when sewing.
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Sew an inch past where the split in the seam ends, in order to reinforce the surrounding stitches. Knot the thread in place and snip off the excess.
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Tips & Warnings
Use the exact same type of thread that is already in the dress, and sew with the smallest needle possible. The smaller the needle, the less it will damage the fabric.
