I have 2 teen girls still at home, so I’m thinking that you can probably guess just how much these girls cost to clothe! That’s only of course if I gave in to their every whim and fashion desire. It’s also another reason I’ve learned to mend and starch thrift store finds. I’ll show you how in this Step by Step Beginners Tutorial How to Sew a Small Hole! Just a little mending and BOOM you’ve got like brand new clothing from the Thrift Store. Use these other Creative Money Saving Tips to Save Thousands this year too!

We live in a society where we can buy new clothing and a couple months later throw it away because it doesn’t cost that much to buy new clothes anymore…some of them anyway. However I can not bring myself to throw clothing away!
Back in the day if your clothing ripped or got wrinkled you would simply repair and iron. I have many friends that will not or can not mend a simple little tear. The funny thing is that I only learned this maybe a few years ago. I thought everyone could sew on a button or mend a little tear or sew a hem. Nope!
I have friends that have insisted upon paying me to do the most minor sewing projects for them. I feel so guilty too! LOL I even thought about starting a mending business at one time…but I’d get too bored after a while/
The other day the wire from one of my daughters underwire bras came poking out. Now you can just take those out and the bra is still good BUT my teen wanted that wire in there! Sooo instead of running out and buying a $40 bra, I simply pushed the wire back in and sewed the little hole closed.
You can do this friends! It’s really pretty relaxing to mend clothing, not to mention the satisfaction of rescuing perfectly good clothing from the junk pile.
So I’m going to show you how to….
Step by Step Beginners Tutorial How to Sew a Small Hole
There are also tons of cheap online classes you can take like on Craftsy.com to learn to sew. So after you learn this little technique and feel you want to go deeper…hop over to the Craftsy Sewing section and pick a cheap class! You’ll save tons in the long run!
We bought this dress at the thrift store a while back for $2. Score


This was a super easy fix! Especially when you have material that has tons of design, you don’t have to do an A+ perfect job!
This is what you do. Choose a thread color that closely matches the material. I used black because that is what is in my kitchen drawer and I was too lazy to go up to my sewing area to find something perfect…because I knew it wouldn’t matter with all the pattern of the material and the place that I would be sewing.
Thread your needle…Do you know how?
If you don’t then I need to do another post!







Anyway…. All you do is spray some yummy Faultless Premium Spray Starch on the fabric and iron and oooh it turns out so nice! It isn’t stiff or sticky like you might imagine. More like brand new when you buy it. Makes your fabric flow super nice.
I’d say this project took me about 15 minutes tops…maybe less. (well I was taking pics..so longer) BUT it would have only taken 10 ~ 15 min. What I want to stress more than anything is that YOU can mend and starch almost anything. Older clothes, newer clothes, thrift store clothes…anything!
Just so you know…I have had friends come to me with the most unbelievable mending and tailoring! YES tailoring…I’ve looked at the job and handed the clothing item back and said “that just can’t be done…I can’t do that!” Guess what? Each time they’ve begged me to try…and sure enough each project has turned out perfect!
No kidding. It’s really a matter of just giving it a try! Also…Using a little Faultless Premium Spray Starch may seem a little old fashion…but I can assure you, just a little tender loving care and you’ve got a $2 outfit that looks more like $20!
Faultless Professional Starch –
&
This is such a great tip! A little time and a little tlc and you have an amazing new-to-you item. Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks with us
Mending and thrift store shopping go hand in hand. I can’t wait to try the premium starch.
Here’s a mending post I wrote:
https://harvestlanecottage.blogspot.com/2015/01/make-do-and-mend-do-it.html
Hey Shari Lynne.
I found this by chance.
I, too, do stuff like you do…actually mend and change stuff. Lol. Sewing isn’t as hard as it’s cracked up to be. Ya don’t have to be perfect! People are amazed at what I do, but it’s not that hard!
I enjoyed your post and would enjoy keeping in touch. I, too, have a relationship with a perfect—and loving, and forgiving, God, my Heavenly Daddy. 🙂
I’d love to hear from you.
Blessings,
Cindy, creator of DIY Bohemian
Hi Cindy! Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment. It’s so amazing what a couple of little stitches can do to a piece of clothing, bag or whatever! Would love to keep in touch. Have a blessed weekend!
Shari