How to cover and conceal stains and holes in clothes
It is easier to remove or hide on black than on white. I shall cover concealing holes and stains on a black skirt, on a white blouse, a white night dress.
A Black Skirt Had A Hole
Never mind the song about a hole in my bucket, dear Liza. I had a hole in the knee of my skirt. Under a desk it would not matter. But sitting on chairs with the family, somebody noticed.
Ribbon
My first thought was to use ribbon. I have bought rolls of ribbon from Spotlight in Singapore and from Daiso. Daiso is the cheap everything 2 dollars store from Japan and big all over Asia and worldwide. I also have stretchy ribbons, strings of sequins. The sequins are purple, and another silver.
I could use a string of sequins. Or make a loop. If the stain is in the middle of the loop, the contrast colour in the centre looks deliberate, like a flower. Or I could spiral the sequins. Perhaps before sewing it down, thus securing the sequins on both ends of
Where Do I Find A Patch?
If you have a large and mis-shapen hole, the obvious answer is a patch. You can iron one on, or sew it on. The iron on patches may be stiff and hard to sew. The larger ones can be expensive.
Patch Cost
Would you believe, about 5 pounds sterling in a smart shop like John Lewis. A set of smaller patches would be more useful. Y
You can cut motifs off unwanted children's clothes. A stained or outgrown baby outfit can provide you with motifs to sew onto other garments. It might even be cheaper to buy a new child's or baby's garment, rather than a patch in a packet. You could also raid your box of unwanted old clothes. Cut out the silhouette of a flower, or a circle, or set of polka dots from a cuff or collar or hem.
Look in the notions department of a cheap store.
Sew on a pocket. Cut a corner out of a pocket in the garment with the stain, to get a tiny piece of material of the same colour and weight of fabric, or fabric which is co-ordinating.
Flat or Raised?
Patches are flat.
On a blouse you could sew on a raised rose ribbon.
Buttons
Large decorative buttons could be amusing. Just one. A diagonal line of three. A vertical line of three, four, five or six. Flat buttons are best. Bigger ones could drag on the fabric, pull off. The classic way to anchor a big button is with another cheap plain circular flat button behind it under the fabric. The big button cannot fall off because the button behind is holding it.
Black Felt Tip Pen
If you hate sewing and cannot find a suitable patch, consider covering the stain with fabric dye. Failing that, just a felt tip pen. I looked around my house for a felt tip pen. I found one in the office. I got half way through, one of the two or three stains. It was working well. Then the ink ran out.
Where could I find another pen? My husband came up with the answer. Under the whiteboard in the kitchen. That is the place to look, in an office, home office, kitchen or bedroom. Under or beside a whiteboard.
If you use the marker on fabric and can't see if you still have any liquid left, go back to the whiteboard and check if the marker still writes.
Check whether the marker is washable or permanent.
Warnings and Cautions
What could go wrong? Could the Pentel pen colour run out when I wash the garment? If so, just replace the colour by drawing over the stain again. Would the black dye run onto a white petticoat? It has never happened to me. Firstly, wait until the felt tip colour has dried, which usually happens fast. Secondly, wear a black slip under a white skirt, or add a detachable white ribbon of broderie anglaise on the skirt below the painted stain.
The whiteboard market smelled alchoholic as I used it. I wondered, was the paint flammable?
That might apply to any painted garment such as a tee-shirt. Would there be any flammability in a plasticized waterproof fabric such as a kitchen apron?
I am cautious about flames in the home. I am a non-smoker. I don't like candles. I am very careful with candles on birthday cakes. Lit for one minute for a photo with hair out of the way. I don't lean over a gas flame in the kitchen.
What are the possible solutions to your stain remover? Maybe wash out the garment in cold water in the hope of removing alcohol but leaving the colour. Anyway, I feel I have done my duty my mentioning the warning.
Dyon
I have seen Dylon dyes in department stores, craft departments, shoe shops, and household corner shops. A check on Wikipedia revealed that the company started in the UK and Ireland, but now has branches in Turkey and Korea as well is distribution all over the world.
For dyeing clothes, the instructions often suggest adding salt, and leaving the dye for an hour. Dyeing an entire garment involves you in making sure the colour is evenly distributed, unless you want to tie-dye in patterns, or to create a rainbow or random effect. However, for a small stain, the more important point is to reach the intensity of colour required to match the stained garment's over all colour.
Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dylon
https://shop.daisosingapore.com.sg/
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books including Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time.
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
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Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
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