repair or replace

ladygrey_2 · 17 March 2006 at 5:48PM

In older days clothes would never be thrown away if they could still decently cover you up,
these days darning etc is never mentioned (unless in a delightful forum such as this)

but as people here are trying to save money and live an oldstyle way is repairing clothes something you've considered

moggins · 17 March 2006 at 5:52PM

Yes I do it all the time. I'm also just about to make some alterations to the sleeves of a lovely Maine sweatshirt that DS has grown out of in the sleeves but fits him fine in the body.

Horasio · 17 March 2006 at 5:54PM

It depends how much I like the item of clothing.

I can do most repair jobs but can't darn

ladygrey_2 · 17 March 2006 at 5:57PM

I've always tried to repair more expensive items but am going to look at doing more now I'm part of the oldstyle lifestyle

Heth_2 · 17 March 2006 at 6:12PM

I try to repair little things, small holes, buttons etc...(or I just wear stuff with holes).
My husbands socks do tend to reach a point where there is almost more hole than sock, and they wear really thin, and which point they get passed to the socks for gardening pile, and eventually the bin. Most old damaged clothes just get worn at home, then in the garden etc...

recovering_spendaholic · 17 March 2006 at 6:16PM

I repair clothes but I won't darn socks.

Pooky · 17 March 2006 at 7:03PM

I wont darn socks - but I will darn the girls school tights (typically they have green ones that are unusual so I make them last).

DD's coats get the arms chopped off and made into body warmers or sold on ebay if they're still in good nick.

I've got a chenille jumper that went into holes that's been darned and darned but it's still my fav.

I'm more than happy to mend things if there's life left in them and I can still wear them - or it's dusters time.

tiptoes · 17 March 2006 at 7:38PM

I tend to replace, though this is because have never been able to sew, have tried but never seems to look right

Lillibet_2 · 17 March 2006 at 9:01PM

I tend to repair seams, buttons, hems etc but I don't know how to darn & quite honestly Hubbys socks get itno such a state it'd be a suicide mission anyway. Saying that, I'd like to know HOW to darn so that I could if I needed too.

I don't think the necessity is to there for most people to repair clothes now, with places like Tesco, Primark & Matalan selling T shirts for £1 & Jeans for £4 it's cost more than that in time in most cases to effect the repair, and who's going to do that when most people are so time-deprived in their non-OS lifestyles?

thriftlady_2 · 17 March 2006 at 9:42PM

Can't darn,but I constantly patch school trousers and jeans.I'm trying to work out how I can repair holes in the cuffs of my dd's school cardigan that she has chewed :mad: I think darning is the answer.

I've also just died some faded black trousers black again.

ziggy2004 · 17 March 2006 at 9:45PM

I repair what i can and if it's beyond help I try and reuse the fabric I made a really nice sweater for DS out of an old one DH had ripped. Getting better with my sowing machine.