A seam that comes apart

Short answer: A seam that has come undone can almost always be sewn up again in five minutes with a needle and thread. The key is to do it straight away, before the gap runs further and grows with every wash.

Sew it before it runs further

An open seam gets longer every time the garment is worn. When you pull the shirt over your head or stretch, the fabric pulls at the loose threads, and in the washing machine it rubs against everything else. A small gap today is often a large one next week. Sew it the same day, see bamboo T-shirts for men.

What you need

You do not need a sewing machine. An ordinary needle, thread in the same colour as the fabric and a small pair of scissors will handle most seams. If you lack the right colour, choose a shade slightly darker than the fabric, as it shows less than a lighter one. A small kit with a few colours covers a whole wardrobe.

Sew from the inside

Turn the garment inside out before you start. A seam sewn from the inside cannot be seen from the outside, and the knot ends up on the inner side, where it does not press against the skin. Follow the line of the old seam so the garment keeps its shape, especially close fitting pieces, see bamboo underwear for men.

Start inside the intact seam

Begin a couple of centimetres before the hole, where the seam still holds, and finish a couple of centimetres after it. That ties the new stitching into the old and stops it opening again right next to your repair. Use small, even stitches close together, and pull the thread just tight enough to close the seam without puckering.

Waistband seams are the hardest

If the seam is in an elastic waistband, you need a thread that stretches. Ordinary thread snaps the first time the waistband is pulled, and you are back where you started. Sew with small stitches so the seam can follow the fabric when it stretches, then test the waistband gently when you are done, see bamboo boxers.

Check the result before washing

When you have finished, pull gently on the fabric on both sides of the seam. If it holds and the fabric lies flat, you are done. If it puckers, the thread is too tight, and it is better to unpick the last stitches now than to notice after a wash. Trim the thread ends close to the knot.

Look for loose threads when folding laundry

Most seams do not open overnight. It starts with a loose thread or a few stitches that have slipped. If you make a habit of glancing at the seams while folding the laundry, you catch it while it is still a small job. Never cut off a loose thread without securing it first.

When it is a job for a tailor

Some repairs are hard to do by hand. If the fabric itself has torn next to the seam, or the hole is in an overlocked seam with many threads, a tailor can make a neater job of it. For an ordinary side or shoulder seam, that is rarely needed. Needle and thread are enough, and the garment is ready to wear that evening.

Frequently asked questions

Can you sew up a split seam yourself

Yes. An ordinary needle and thread in the same colour handles most seams in under ten minutes, even if you have not done much sewing before.

Why should you sew it straight away

Because an open seam gets longer each time the garment is worn and washed. The small hole today is often a long one a week later.

What do you do with a seam in elastic

Use a thread that stretches and sew with small stitches, so the seam can stretch with the fabric without snapping the first time you put it on.