Emergency repairs when you are out

Short answer: A safety pin, a strip of tape on the wrong side or a staple solves almost anything until you get home. None of these is permanent, so treat them as a pause and not as a fix.

The safety pin

It closes a split seam, holds a loose hem and can stand in for a button that has come off. Fit it from the wrong side so it does not show, and make sure it does not sit where it can open when you move or sit down. Close it fully, so the point lies safely.

Tape on the wrong side

A piece of tape on the inside holds a tear together for a few hours. Never put it on the right side, and take it off the same day, or the glue leaves a mark that is hard to remove. Tape is only for what has to hold until you are home. See bamboo sweatwear.

The staple

For a loose hem a staple can be used in an emergency. It rusts, leaves marks and can tear the fabric when you move. Use it only if you have nothing else, and take it out as soon as you can. Fit it from the wrong side and bend the legs flat so they do not prick.

What to carry with you

Two safety pins in your bag take no space and solve more problems than anything else you can carry. If you have room, add a needle with thread already fitted in a small tin. See women's long-sleeved bamboo t-shirt and bamboo clothing for women.

If a button has come off

Hold the opening together with a safety pin from the wrong side, where the button used to be. Keep the button in a pocket if you found it, so you can sew it on later. A button sewn on at home holds far better than a stopgap you forget until it goes wrong again.

If a seam has split

Bring the two sides of the seam together and fit the safety pin horizontally across the gap from the wrong side, so the strain spreads over a little more fabric. Do not put it close to the edge of the gap, or it tears loose quickly. Move gently and avoid bending or stretching where the pin sits.

If a hem is hanging

A hanging hem can be held up with a safety pin or a small piece of tape on the wrong side. Fold it the way it originally sat, so it does not show on the right side. That lasts until evening, but not through a wash, so take the pin out before the garment goes in the machine.

How long an emergency repair may stay

No longer than the end of the day. A safety pin left in for days makes holes in the fabric, and tape gets harder to remove the longer it stays. Set a reminder on your phone or put the garment aside at once, so you remember to fix it the day you get home.

Doing it properly afterwards

Get home, remove pins and tape and sew the garment as you usually would. A small seam or a button takes only a few minutes by hand. Check whether the garment shows wear in several places too, and sew those while you are at it, so you avoid another emergency repair.