Worth keeping.
Worth remaking.

Invisible mending — moth holes and small tears

How invisible a repair can be depends on the weave, the fibre and where the damage sits. A small hole in a dense wool, away from a seam, can often be closed so you have to know where to look. The same hole on a lapel edge or in a loose open weave cannot. Sonia will show you the likely result before starting rather than after.

Seams, linings and zips

These are the repairs that almost always pay for themselves. A split seam is quick. A worn lining can be replaced entirely, which brings a good coat back to usable without touching the outer cloth. A failed zip in a dress, skirt or jacket is routine.

Restyling

Remodelling is different work to repair — it starts with what you like about a garment and what you would change. Necklines, sleeves, length and silhouette can all be reworked, and it often means unpicking a piece well back to understand how it was built before anything is rebuilt.

Family and inherited pieces

A mother’s or grandmother’s wedding dress reworked for a new wearer is some of the most rewarding work in the workroom, and some of the most careful. Old fabric behaves differently — silk weakens, elastic perishes, dye shifts. Bring it in early, well before the date, so there is time to find out what the cloth will allow.

When not to bother

Sometimes the honest answer is that the garment has had its life, or that the repair would cost more than the piece is worth. You will get that answer plainly, and there is no charge for it.

Natural fibres and well-made garments reward repair. A thin synthetic that has already pilled usually does not — and that is worth knowing before you pay for the work.