One Small Hole
Is Not the End of It.
Moth holes, tears, seams and zippers — Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch
Most garments are retired for something small. A moth found the shoulder of a wool coat over the summer. A zipper gave out on a jacket that fits perfectly. A seam opened and never got dealt with, and now the piece lives at the back of the closet.
None of that is the end of a garment. Rejane will look at the piece, tell you what can be done and what it will look like afterwards, and be straight with you when a repair is not worth what it costs. That conversation is free and it happens before any work starts.
What We Repair
- Moth holes, burn holes and small tears — patched and aligned to the fabric
- Split and failed seams
- Zipper and closure replacement
- Lining repair and replacement
- Buttons, hooks and fastenings
- Reinforcement on work garments before they fail
- Pocket repair
If you came here looking for reweaving
We do not do reweaving, and we would rather say so plainly than let you find out after the drive. Reweaving rebuilds the cloth thread by thread and leaves no stitching — a separate specialty, and the right answer for a fine suit jacket where the hole sits somewhere people look. What we do is a patch repair with the weave and pattern matched, which on most garments and most holes is discreet, durable and considerably less expensive. Bring the piece in and Rejane will tell you which one you actually need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you do reweaving?
No, and it is worth explaining the difference. Reweaving — sometimes called French reweaving or invisible reweaving — means taking individual threads from a hidden part of the garment, such as a seam allowance or an inside hem, and weaving them back into the hole one at a time to rebuild the original cloth. Done well it leaves no stitching at all. It is a separate specialty and very few people do it. What we do is a patch repair: we place matching fabric behind the hole and secure it with stitching aligned to the weave and pattern of the garment. On most fabrics and most holes it is discreet and it lasts. On a fine wool suit jacket, in a place people look, reweaving will give a better result and we will tell you so rather than take the work.
Can a moth hole really be fixed?
Usually, yes — and the sooner the better. A small hole with clean edges is straightforward. A hole that has been worn and washed a few times frays at the edges and grows, and the repair becomes larger and more visible. If you find one, set the garment aside rather than wearing it again.
Will the repair be invisible?
Sometimes, and we will not promise it before seeing the garment. It depends on the fabric, the size of the hole, where it sits, and whether the pattern can be matched. A patch on a tweed jacket under the arm can disappear entirely. The same patch on a plain, tightly woven fabric across the chest will be findable if someone looks for it. Rejane will tell you honestly what to expect before any work begins.
Is it worth repairing, or should I replace the garment?
That depends on the garment, and it is a real question rather than a rhetorical one. A wool coat, a well-made jacket or something with meaning attached is almost always worth repairing. A fast-fashion shirt with a failed seam sometimes is not, and we will say so. The price on a garment is not the same as its value — but neither is every repair worth its cost.
Can you replace a zipper?
Yes. Jackets, trousers, dresses, skirts and bags. A broken zipper is one of the most common reasons a perfectly good garment stops being worn, and it is usually a straightforward fix.