Repairing your Linen Garments

Mending guide for linen dresses

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. It’s so important for our planet to not keep replacing our garments, but instead to give extra life to them. Thinking about that sentiment, it’s our grandmothers generation who really nailed that way of living - obviously out of necessity, because they couldn’t afford any other way - either way, it’s a smart way of life to strive towards.

Visible mending is a simple method for repairing a garment. Maybe you’ve snagged your dress on something, and a hole has formed, or you have weakened, thread bare areas from friction rubbing, maybe it’s a vintage find that needs some TLC?
Try this method to repair your linen garments, it’s simple, quick and effective, it can be done by hand with a needle and thread, or with a sewing machine. (If you are looking for an invisible repair method then we'd recommend consulting a tailor about how to repair a hole.)

You will need: pins, fabric scraps to patch (this can be the same color, similar or contrasting) a thread color that is similar to the garment being repaired (or contrasting if you want) and either a hand needle or sewing machine.

visible mending for linen garments

  1. Cut the patching scrap to be at least 0.5-1” bigger than the hole or area being patched.

  2. Turn the garment inside out, pin the patch over the hole or area to be patched, and sew the patch on. Remove pins.

  3. Turn the garment right side out. Now, sew over the hole or the area being mended. Sew back and forth over this area, multiple times (I’ve sewn maybe 20-25 times) or until you are happy with it. (The hole or area being mended should not be visible.)

  4. Trim any threads, and you are done! Time to enjoy wearing that garment again.

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