Mending a tailsuit

[star_gazer]

This tailsuit is less than two years old. It is in very good condition except where it has worn a hole on the front right side. I have a piece of the original fabric that is about 4" X 8" that about covers the worn area. A local seamstress was not interested in trying to fix it. I hesitate to call the person who made it. I'm sure he'll say its time for a new tailsuit and that is not an option. Any ideas how this could be repaired?

[Laura]

You want to find someone who knows how to do "reweaving." Try looking for tailors or people who do menswear alterations or clothing repairs. Try calling a place that sells vintage clothing, maybe someone there will know someone you can call.

[star_gazer]

The seamstress I found does reweaving but apparently doesn't want to do it (I wasn't there). So even if I convinced her to do it I can imagine what she would charge. How do you do re-weaving? I guess glueing it on with E6000 would be a really bad thing to do?

[Laura]

No, don't glue it on with E-6000! I know you're not in a major metropolitan megalopolis area, but there's got to be *somebody* that will do it. Maybe you could call Nordstrom and ask someone in their alterations department if they know someone? (I'm assuming there is a Nordstrom in your major nearby city.)

Whatever it costs, it's going to be cheaper than getting a new tail suit. A friend of mine had it done and you can barely tell unless you look, and the fix is structurally "solid."

[etp777]

I would ask at a nicer clothing store, as laura said. it won't be cheap, have seen quotes of anywhere from $60(VERY inexpensive for this work) to $100+, but certainly cheaper than new tails. Good reweaver, you'll barely notice it was gone. Some will even be good enough to match up glenn plaids, etc. Luckily, that isn't a concern on this one, but still a big piece.

[Chris Stratton]

You may even want to skip the department stores and call actual custom tailors for recommendations. A little web searching seems to indicate that reweaving is a dying art, perhaps best handled by sending it to whoever seems most capable of doing the work rather than by bringing it to someone local. Do mention the extra fabric, I think they will pull threads out of that and have an easier time than trying to raid them from seam allowances.

[star_gazer]

So I just called my son and asked him if the lady said anything about "reweaving." Yes, she gave him the number of someone who could do it but she said it would be very expensive. More than $1800...well no. So he's hunting around trying to find the number. Once I get this re-weaving thing done I should stock up on buttons and replace them after every competition so the buttons will buffer the impact. Either that or cover the area with black rhinestones...as a defense.

[madmaximus]

Have you considered an artistic flourish (like a calligraphic one)?

An old suit of mine had sewn-in flourishes (using a thin (2-3 mm ribbon)--like sartorial touches at the wrist, lower back, lapel.

You might be able to get away with it--of course you'll have to do it symmetrically, and enough to cover the damage.





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[Chris Stratton]

Have you considered an artistic flourish (like a calligraphic one)?

An old suit of mine had sewn-in flourishes (using a thin (2-3 mm ribbon)--like sartorial touches at the wrist, lower back, lapel.

You might be able to get away with it

You thought you might get away with it. But you forgot about the costume check!

[wooh]

A fake pocket on each side?:)

[star_gazer]

A fake pocket on each side?:) Good idea!

[QPO]

As Laura said get professional help with a good suit. Keep calling tailors until you can find one that will do it. We have designated repair places where we live, at least you have a piece of the material to match.

[Joe]

Once I get this re-weaving thing done I should stock up on buttons and replace them after every competition so the buttons will buffer the impact. Either that or cover the area with black rhinestones...as a defense.
Or you might want to encourage your daughter to press her rhinestones into his ribcage a little less forcefully, because the stones rubbing there are what's caused the wear. ;)

[contracheck]

You want to find someone who knows how to do "reweaving." Try looking for tailors or people who do menswear alterations or clothing repairs. Try calling a place that sells vintage clothing, maybe someone there will know someone you can call.

I am not sure if reweaving solves the problem perfectly. I have it done on a business suit at a high cost. The result was not that good. I could see reweaved area because the lines did not match seamlessly. I am not if the reweaver did'nt do a good job or it was the best result we can expect.

[etp777]

Contracheck, from the variety of results I've heard, I think there's a lot of variables. The reweaver themself, the fabric and any apttern on it, the age of the garment (if you have cleaned the suit a ton, but the patch comes from leftover fabric that hasn't been cleaned, leftover fabric will be darker), where the damage is located and it's exct nature, etc.

I think in this particular case there's a good chance that the cost would be worth it. It's a solid pattern fabric, the location isn't seen much (of course, as it wouldn't be worn out in first place if it wasn't covered by partner's dress), and it's definitely a LOT cheaaper to get it rewoven than to replace the tailsuit.

Stargazer, another thing to be aware of is that reweaving isn't something where you drop it off monday and pick it up wednesday. So if son needs this back for a competition coming up soon, make sure you move on the reweaving as quickly as possible.

[Chris Stratton]

I get the sense reweaving may work less well on high thread count black suiting than it might on something coarser. Even though there's no color pattern to match, there's also no texture to distract from the difference.

On the other hand, the area will only be visible between dances. It's too bad there isn't enough fabric to replace the entire coat front on that side.

[star_gazer]

Next tailsuit will have two pieces cut for that area so there is a replacement ready. I think the kids style is set so this friction is probably inevitable. Wouldn't their coach have said something earlier if this was a bad thing style-wise?

[reb]

Based on the number of competitions and the high level of their accomplishment and placement that we see them in often, my guess is they are doing everything right - just lots of it!

[Laura]

What about not having her dresses stoned in that area? Might help going forward.

[star_gazer]

Based on the number of competitions and the high level of their accomplishment and placement that we see them in often, my guess is they are doing everything right - just lots of it!I'm hoping that's it.

I am going to have a dress made without stoning to use for local comps. Monday morning finding someone to reweave this is #1 priority for the kids. They have about four weeks until another comp.