Basic Clothing Repairs Anyone Can Learn

Use a double thread and sew through the holes several times, leaving a little slack so the button sits slightly above the fabric. Wind the thread around the stitches under the button a few times to create a shank, then knot on the back.

A slip stitch or hemming stitch catches only a few threads of the outer fabric, so it is nearly invisible from the outside. Iron-on hemming tape is a quick no-sew alternative for straight hems.

Split seams can be closed with a simple backstitch along the original seam line. Small holes in knitwear can be darned by weaving thread across the hole in both directions.

Visible mending turns repairs into a design feature, using contrasting thread, patches, or sashiko-style stitching. It is a good option for jeans and work clothes where a perfect invisible repair is hard.