Most of our articles focus solely on sewing and by using sewing you can solve a vast array of common clothing problems. However, believe it or not, there are some minor clothing dilemmas that are best solved without sewing.
Here are some brilliant ideas my friend Susan put together on how to solve minor clothing dilemmas without sewing using everyday items you probably already have around the house.
Major Solutions for Minor Clothing Dilemmas
By Susan M. Keenan
How many times have you been ready to walk out the door, only to discover a major tragedy has befallen your outfit? Discover short, easy and relatively painless solutions that will revitalize your wardrobe.
Keep a clever arsenal of handy helpers at the ready and easily accessible. The best place to store these items is in a small hanging cosmetic bag that you can keep in your closet. What you need to assemble:
- Clear nail polish
- Glue stick
- Masking tape or duct tape
- Stick on Velcro
- Small pair of scissors
- Small, white candle
- Safety pins
- Sewing needles with large eyes
Now you are ready to tackle most minor problems.
- Stuck zipper- Rub a small amount of candle wax onto the area of the zipper closest to the stuck zipper pull. Work the zipper until you work it free.
- Zipper won’t stay up– Use a safety pin, loop it through the small opening that is found at the tip of almost every zipper pull, and secure the zipper to your waistband. Be sure to attach the pin with the sharpest side facing outward to avoid becoming pinched.
- Loose hem– Use a strip of tape (the heavier the fabric, the stronger the tape) to secure the hem until you have more time to sew it up. If you will be wearing the outfit for a long period of time, try to use adhesive backed Velcro.
- Clothing pulls– Use a small needle with a large eye to thread the pull to the underside of the garment. Secure it with clear nail polish, especially if it is long in length. Try to use a smaller needle for finer fabrics.
- Run in your pantyhose– Use a small dab of clear nail polish to stop the run from getting any larger.
A clothing emergency occurs and you are not at home. Not a problem if you think creatively. Hem needs a lift? Use scotch tape or a large Band-Aid. Zipper won’t stay up? Use a small, coated paper clip. Run in your hose? Use a bit of washable glue or glue stick.
Some mistakes are more easily taken care of if they are simply avoided in the first place. Follow these simple suggestions and enjoy the absence of stress in your dressing moments.
- Drip Dry Clothing– Invest a few pennies in the purchase of plastic hangers and avoid those unsightly rust spots that may occur if a wire hanger is used to dry your clothing instead.
- Donning pantyhose-If your hands become rough during the winter months, simply apply hand cream or lotion on a nightly basis. If you’ve forgotten to keep up with this ritual, simply apply a small amount of cream or lotion and work it into the fingertips while applying it over the hands before putting on the pantyhose.
- Shoes– If your feet have a tendency to perspire, especially if you wear nylon hose, avoid the resulting odor by placing a fresh dryer sheet in the toes of the shoes. Should the shoes become excessively damp, place balled up newspaper in the entire shoe. This will not only absorb the dampness, but also the odor.
- Clothing pulls– Some pulls can be easily avoided by paying attention to the surfaces that you sit upon. Never sit directly on concrete or unsanded wood since these surfaces are notorious for creating pulls.
Preparing for the unexpected is stress-free. Being prepared when the unexpected occurs is stress-free. Remember the motto of the better-dressed woman, quick and easy makes my day!
Don't forget to share these tips with anyone who might benefit.
A lead pencil rubbed over a metal zip works too.
Instead of using dryer sheets in your shoes (dry sheets are bad for the environment and only mask the odor) wrap a charcoal briquet in newspaper and put that in each shoe. Charcoal actually absorbs odors.
My mom always keeps a small crochet hook to pull snags to the inside of sweaters. I saw you recommend large-eyed needles, but what if the pull is very short?
I haveah piece of thread about 2 inches long on hand, thread both ends thru the eye making a loop on one side. Thread the needle nearly all the way thru and pick up the loose end in the loop, if able use the thread loop to pull the loose end thru the eye, if not use the thread loop to hold the loose end close to the needle eye and pull throith as far as you can. Usually is enough to tuck it out of the way. Remove thread loop once its its job is done
toupee tape keeps necklines in place so you don’t flash your boss when you lean over his desk to show him how to use his computer haha you just stick it on your skin and the other side sticks to fabric. And add safety pins in many sizes and small can of anti-static spray, bleach pen, spot remover pen like wisk, pre-threaded needles with white, tan, gray and black thread. lint remover roll. Does Febreeze make a small sprayer?
Rubbing a damp finger over a bar of soap provides enough to dab over the end of a hosiery run to keep it from continuing. This is from HS in the ’60’s.
Great tip! thank you!
I’d add a roll of double sided tape for instant hem repair and a package of lingerie strap holders for the outfits that don’t cover bra straps. Also, the double sided Velcro that comes on produce is great to keep pants legs down in boots. Wrap it around your ankle over the pants (not too tight!) and pull your boots on. No baggy knees!
Very inexpensive pair of acrylic stretchy gloves worn to put on pantyhose. They donot take up a lot of room to keep in with hose when you travel, one in drawer at home.
I love this post! I’m going to assemble a kit for my niece to use when she heads off to college.