Holes & tears

Repair holes and tears in everything from jeans to shell jackets.

• Burn Holes in Clothes – How to Judge and Repair Them

  Burn hole in clothes from a cigarette, spark or iron? How to tell a scorch from a real hole, why the edge must be cleaned first, and what can be saved.

• Knee Holes in Jeans – How to Repair Them

  Knee holes in jeans? How to stop a hole before it grows, choose between an invisible repair and a worn look, and patch the knee so it lasts.

• Crotch Blowout in Jeans – How to Repair It So It Lasts

  Hole in the crotch of your jeans? It's abrasion, not a clean tear. How to reinforce from behind so it lasts – and when to leave it to the pros.

• Hole in a Down Jacket – How to Repair It Without Losing Down

  Hole in your down jacket? Stop the feather loss first. How to patch small holes, tape vs sewn fix – and when to have it repaired professionally.

• How to Repair a Bra With a Poking Underwire

  Bra underwire poking through? Learn why it happens, how to sew the casing shut step by step, when to replace the wire – and when to send it in.

• Repairing a Torn Jacket Lining

  Torn lining in a jacket? How to tell an opened seam from torn lining fabric, repair a small tear invisibly, and know when the lining needs replacing.

• How to Repair Hiking Trousers – Tears, Knees and Seams

  Torn knee, worn seat or split crotch seam on hiking trousers? Repair them with the right patch and stitch – without ruining the water repellency.

• Repairing a Tear in a Shell Jacket

  Tear in a shell jacket? Why you can't sew it, how to patch small tears with a self-adhesive patch, and when the tear needs a sewn, seam-sealed repair.