Is there a way of repairing a cigarette burn hole?

Fuzzy_Duck

Hi all, I have received a dress with a smallish cigarette burn in it (though big enough to be noticable unfortunately)! It's looking unlikely that I will be able to return it so I figured I'd try asking the wise OSs for help

The dress is cream with a print on it, and the hole is smack bang on the front of it with an ash stained ring about it. Is there any way I can go about fixing it if needed?

Thanks in advance!

zippychick

When you say smack bang in the front - where abouts? Sounds like all you could do is cover it with something but that depends where the hole is!

there was a recent thread on cig burns in cars but that won't help!!!

Zip

frosty

Depending on how big the hole is,could you take a piece of fabric from a turned up hem or pocket?I have repaired small holes before,trim off the burnt bit then take a small piece of fabric a little bigger than the hole.I use wonder web that you iron on.Turn the dress inside out and place the wonder web carefully on the dress going around the hole then place fabric piece on top.Then iron.Hope I have explained it ok.

Fuzzy_Duck

zippychick wrote: »

When you say smack bang in the front - where abouts? Sounds like all you could do is cover it with something but that depends where the hole is!

there was a recent thread on cig burns in cars but that won't help!!!

Zip

Thanks for the quick response both! It's pretty much right in the middle- underneath the bust of the dress, halfway between there and halfway between the hem if you know what I mean?

That sounds like a great idea frosty (it's good to know it can be done!) I'll take a look at the dress tonight and see if there's any spare fabric I can use

Thanks again!

zippychick

Frostys idea is fab! i was asking because depending on location you have different options.

Let us know if it works x

Ida_Notion

It's difficult to know what to suggest without seeing the design of the dress, but since the burn is in the centre then if Plan A turns out to be unfeasible perhaps you could take a strip of plain fabric an inch or two wide in the same shade of cream as the background fabric, and then stitch it down from the neckline, down over the burn and beyond, creating the illusion of a button placket to which you then sew matching or contrasting buttons.

PudseyDB

I've usually found "hidden" repairs - no matter how good - still indicate that something is wrong.

What I've done in the past is made a feature of it........one skirt (many years ago now mind you) ended up with a couple of spiders embroidered on!! If its below the bust, would a bow work? or maybe sew a long piece of ribbon just under the bust and tie it at the back? without seeing a picture its hard to suggest what might work best.

Fuzzy_Duck

Ida Notion and PudseyDB, I love the idea of using buttons or a bow! It's not quite along the middle of the dress horizontally but rather than an all round bow I could perhaps tack on a little bow detail. It is however pretty much down the middle vertically so the strip of fabric with buttons on would probably work!

Thanks all. I'm going to try frosty's idea first and if that doesn't look quite right I'll add on some detail to hide it.

Thanks again all, I really couldn't be bothered to wait ages to get a refund on a dress I otherwise love- so it's great to hear some creative ideas on how to make the most of the damage.

zippychick

I need pics of the spiders! Sounds awesome!!!!

I would love to be able to embroider

Fuzzy_Duck

zippychick wrote: »

I need pics of the spiders! Sounds awesome!!!!

I would love to be able to embroider

Seconded! I'm no where need that good at sewing so I might take the lazy way out and pin a brooch over the hole after I've sewed it up :rotfl:

GreyQueen

Lots of great ideas here already and I'm definately in agreement with the poster who says make a feature of it, it really works.

One option that exists with a patterned fabric, assuming you can find a spare bit of it on a pocket lining/ hem/ back of the neck bit (the proper name escapes me, that semi-circular bit of facing on the inside of the garment up to the neckine).

You could cut out one of the repeats of the pattern and fit it over the hole, assuming things match, and surface stitch it down and called it applique.:rotfl:

Back in the day when I was a costume designer, if there was a difference between the sketch and the finished costume, we'd blithely tell whomever noticed that it was a "design feature".