How to Repair Stitching on a Suitcase Pocket

You do not have to live with a ripped suitcase pocket, you can repair the stitching.

You can repair stitching on a suitcase pocket as long as the suitcase material is still strong. If you want to repair suitcase pocket stitching using a sewing machine, you could do that. However, you have to tear the suitcase almost all the way apart to get the pocket under the machine's head without damaging the rest of the suitcase. Use upholstery supplies and heavy gauge hand-sewing thread to repair a suitcase pocket's stitching without tearing the whole suitcase apart.

Things You'll Need

• Hand sewing thread
• Curved sewing needle
• Leather thimble
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Thread the curved upholstery needle using the hand-sewing thread. Wrap the thread ends loosely around your index finger. Push forward on the looped threads with your thumb, so the threads wrap around one another. Slide the twisted threads off your index finger. Grasp the thread tightly above the loop with your thumb and ring finger. Slide your fingers down to tighten the twisted, looped thread into a knot.

2. Put the leather thimble on your index finger.

3. Place the needle tip on the back side of the suitcase pocket, directly behind the last original stitch you can see. Push the needle through the fabric, trying to hit the original needle hole.

4. Move the needle tip forward to the next original needle hole. Push the needle through and pull the thread tight.

5. Move the needle forward to the next original needle hole and push the needle through. Pull the thread tight. The thread will now be on the outside of the pocket. You will be able to see one completed hand-sewing stitch and one gap with thread coming out of the hole just past the gap.

6. Move the needle tip back to the hole at the start of the gap. Push the needle through the hole and pull the thread tight. You will now be able to see two completed stitches that resemble the original sewing-machine stitches. Your thread and needle will be on the back side of the pocket.

7. Move the needle tip forward two of the original holes. You will be going over one of the hand-sewing stitches you just made, making a fairly longstitch. Push the needle through the second hole and pull the thread tight. You will be able to see another gap. Continue moving back one original needle hole across the outside of the pocket, and forward two needle holes on the back of the pocket, until you reach the end of the damaged stitching.

Tips & Warnings

• Hitting the original needle holes is especially important when repairing laminated or vinyl fabrics. Extra needle holes on coated fabrics will end up resembling a perforated line.

References

• Sewing & Craft Alliance: Upholstery Needles
• Sewing & Craft Alliance: Vinyl
• Coats & Clark: Hand Sewing: Backstitch