Choosing or designing clothes that last a long time?

What natural fabrics do you find last the longest with everyday wearing?

Is there anything to look for in a fabric to see whether it is a quality one that will last?

And what styles of clothing will last the longest? Will one style of pullover last longer than a different style (e.g. seamless yoke, raglan, standard pullover, cardigan etc)? Will one style of dress last longer than another?

In wool clothing, either wool to knit with, or clothes that are already knitted, is there anything to look for to decide whether it is made for long life?

The linen skirt that I made with an elastic waist got holes quite quickly where the elastic was, but a linen wrap skirt I have is still looking great after two years. The wrap skirt is made from a heavier weight linen, but I suspect that the elastic on the other skirt may have irritated the linen fibres somehow, which could also explain it.

Does mixing up different fibres this way cause the natural one to wear out more quickly?

They say on average, an article of clothing is only worn seven times before it is discarded, so I think it is important to extend that usage a bit longer, and why I appreciate your thread-starter on this so much, Kate.

To some degree person preference and personal hygiene extend the life expectancy of clothing. Something as simple as keeping your toenails trimmed can greatly extend the life of socks, or a habit I have, is keeping my socks stretched tight which also wears them out prematurely. Living with them a bit relaxed would probably extend their life, not to mention, maybe going barefoot more? It does not mean everywhere, but a habit I have picked up is going barefoot in the house instead of in socks, or wearing slippers instead of socks.

Another thing that seems to reduce wear is wearing clothing in layers or ones that are lined. I work outside a lot, in any weather, so to stay warm in the winter I wear an inner layer under my work jeans. Not only am I warmer, but while my inner layer seldom wears out, my jeans stay jeans for almost ever. That is because they have something smooth to slip by that seems less abrasive than my skin. For clothing designers, or homemade clothing, adding a lining to clothes and make them last longer and feel better to the wearer as well. I know I have a pair of lined jeans that I still wear despite some chaffed holes in them. I would have long gotten rid of them had they not been lined, but since there is no gaping hole in them, just a bit of a reveal of their inner lining, I keep wearing them.

Fabric itself also plays a major part in longevity. Due to my occupation I have to wear flame retardant clothing because as an electrician and have to be protected from arc flash, but that very material plays a role in clothing longevity; not only is it thick so the arc flash does not penetrate the weave, but because of that it is quite thick and heavy so I seldom wear other clothing with my work shirts. Not wearing something makes it last a long time after all. And that robust material also makes the clothing worn, last a lot longer.

Along those same lines, removing clothing when it is no longer needed will also add longevity, such as a jacket after the sun has got a little higher in the sky. Placing it on a rock will go a long way to longevity too, rather than looping the arms about your waist and wearing away the fibers as you toil and it bounces, rides, and rubs along your other clothing. Fibers will not wear at all if it is resting on a rock.

For those that make their own clothing, I guess my challenge would be to increase their skill-set. I do as much as I can for myself, so I know I always try and reduce something seen to its least components to make creating it easier, but with clothing what is left out can really make a difference on longevity. Wear fabric in typical wear points can greatly extend the life of the article of clothing, but it also increases the complexity of making it too I know. My challenge is to improve your skills and challenge yourself to add that wear fabric. A subset of that is working with clothing that is tough to work with. Lining a dress with silk is not easy, just as an example, but the lining will make it slip on your inner clothes and make it more comfortable and last longer. The same can be said about leather or thicker fabrics. I know making a simple calico sun dress is easy, but I encourage you to do more, I know the seamstresses on here have got untapped skills, use them to create long lasting clothing for those wearing your creations.  

If I were choosing a natural fiber that would last a long time I would choose woven wool.  

To me, it is superior to cotton for many reasons.

I have had a couple of silk and linen clothing items though I was not really a fan.

You make a very valid point Anne and that is using a combination of natural clothing materials can prove to be the best of both worlds.

While I like silk as a lining, they also work well for socks. That is because it wicks perspiration away from the skin. Teamed with woven wool, it can really keep your feet warm. Silk is too thin to be great for heat retention, and yet wool will be soaked by noon with any kind of work: together they pair flawlessly and wear better longer.

Only seven wears before a clothing item gets discarded?
In this house we wear clothes until they fall apart. Okay, we don't go to town in them but clothes with holes are fine for working around the house and garden. I once had a pair of silk trousers but I was disappointed because they wore at the seams far more quickly than I would have liked. I suspect thicker material is longer lasting, whatever it is made of.
Knitted jumpers and cardigans seem to wear at the elbows so I like to darn them. My mum taught me to darn when I was a child and I got upset when she ran out of articles for me to darn! I stole her darning mushrooms some time ago and I don't think she has missed them yet.
I find that skirts and dresses last longer than trousers as they don't get the friction from legs rubbing or stress over the knees but I find trousers easier to work in because I like my skirts quite long. It seems to me that anything that causes friction, e.g. a belt, makes things wear out sooner.
My favourite fabrics are cotton for summer and wool for winter. I have always avoided linen because it creases so easily and I try and avoid ironing whenever possible.

I'm starting to become less of a fan of jersey cotton material, despite it having massive advantages in terms of comfort clothes. The stretch means nightclothes for example don't feel tight as you move in bed. I just think the material is harder to mend and retain the stretch, and somehow it seems to be needing to be mended sooner these days. I suspect that the fabric is becoming lighter weight and therefore the threads get worn more quickly. I find woven material to be much easier to mend and less likely to need it extensively.

I think ease of washing could be a point too.  I think when fabrics aren't cleaned regularly they can pick up little abrasives, even just a bit of dust, to wear them out.  And yet, there are certain fibers that require delicate washing, like silk and wool--and they need particular detergents too (animal fibers break down quicker when using regular laundry detergent, unlike plant fibers).  Even though I enjoy silk, I am phasing it out of my wardrobe because I can't invest in the time and effort to clean it properly (I don't handwash, and I only use my own homemade soap).

Another issue is moths!  I get both moths and carpet beetles at my house, a double whammy for wool.  I still wear wool;  it just doesn't last long...

Nancy Reading wrote: I suspect that the fabric is becoming lighter weight and therefore the threads get worn more quickly.

My son wears T-shirts regularly. Many are now labelled "summer weight", He was shopping on-line and I suggested he look and see what the shipping weights were, and he actually found a site which labeled different versions as "2 pound cotton" etc. We got the heavy weight ones and they've lasted much better.

I'm also finding that it's harder and harder to find fabric that hasn't got spandex mixed in. People want the clothing easy to care for, so it's all got nylon, acrylic, or many more non-biodegradable fibers mixed in, rendering the entire garment unrecyclable. If I have to go artificial for some reason, I try to at least have it all the same material. But mostly I'm trying to get natural material that can biodegrade or be burned at the end of its life. (The burning is usually after I've used a scrap of it to wipe a greasy pan!)

Nancy Reading wrote:I'm starting to become less of a fan of jersey cotton material, despite it having massive advantages in terms of comfort clothes. The stretch means nightclothes for example don't feel tight as you move in bed. I just think the material is harder to mend and retain the stretch, and somehow it seems to be needing to be mended sooner these days. I suspect that the fabric is becoming lighter weight and therefore the threads get worn more quickly. I find woven material to be much easier to mend and less likely to need it extensively.

I was wondering about jersey and whether it is a good choice or not. I wear jersey dresses a lot in the warmer months as they are very comfortable, but they seem to get badly stretched at some point, and for one favourite dress it got really weak and developed holes as well, even when they are good quality and thick fabric to begin with.  I wash everything by hand in cold water and am not sure if washing in warmer water would help them last longer, or if it's just the nature of this kind of fabric that it gets stretched out over time- the most stretched ones are the ones that are cotton with a little bit of synthetic stretchy stuff, the bamboo jersey one with no stretchy stuff added seems to be holding up better, but I've only had this for one year.

Jay Angler wrote:

Nancy Reading wrote: I suspect that the fabric is becoming lighter weight and therefore the threads get worn more quickly.

My son wears T-shirts regularly. Many are now labelled "summer weight", He was shopping on-line and I suggested he look and see what the shipping weights were, and he actually found a site which labeled different versions as "2 pound cotton" etc. We got the heavy weight ones and they've lasted much better.

...)

One other thing to notice is that the t-shirt being heavy has basically the same comfort level as the thin one.  The surface area for sweat evaporation is similar either way and you stay feeling basically as cool either way.  And if it suddenly gets cold as soon as the material dries out it gets warmer the other way.  So it is actually more functional often being heavy weight.

Improved durabilty is also true in flannel shirts.  My goal is at least 8 oz flannel with 9 oz and 10 oz being the real world ideal and one 12 oz flannel I ever found being the dream world ideal.  Typically the heavy weight flannel shirts are sold out by November.  So you start hunting them in late July thru Sept for best choice and usually a few colors still available till Nov.  The rest of the year they are usually not available.  Fabric weight is very important here as light weight flannels just don't hold up.

i find the stuff i buy used (value village and whatnot) seems to be more durable (better cotton, better wool) like it has proved itself or some such things..

i have lots of long sleeves and cotton pajama pants that are outlasting the new stuff i bought at the same time...

good cotton and a good weave will last a LONG time - you can tell when fingering slightly worn fabric... sounds weird but hey - less $$ and save the planet too lol - cheers!

This is an interesting topic for discussion. I sew most of my own clothes and buy for my family. Also I observe the wear and tear of second hand clothes in the thrift store. Here are the factors I found that affect the quality and durability of a garment.

1) the quality of fabric is the most fundamental. Poor quality clothes are made from inferior materials: shorter fiber, looser and uneven weave, prone to tearing and pilling, not color fast etc. I am seeing a steep decline in RTW quality because of the fast fashion trend.

2) shortcuts in manufacturing. Sometimes the manufacturers cut corners and the resulting clothes are not well fitting, with weak seams, inadequate stabilization, loose buttons, torn zippers and so on. For example, if I am going to buy a parka, zipper quality is the top priority. Metal is better than molded than flimsy plastic ones. Two-way is better than one way. Additional fastening of snaps or Velcro are even better so I don't need to use the zipper as often.

3) some designs with make the garments last longer. Like articulated knees in kids joggers, two-way zipper for hip-length jacket, bound buttonhole on leather tops, all-in-one facing for neckline and armhole stabilization, darker color or patterned fabrics to hide stains etc.

4) proper care, which is the consumer's responsibility. There are many dos and don'ts and the info is well available. I just want to mention the common problem of belt buckle rubbing holes in the t-shirts. I made my own knit tops slightly flare around the hips rather than straight down. I also bought jeans with flexible waistband to skip using the belt at all. When I made my non pull-up pants  I inserted segments of elastics in part of the waistband too.

Hi all! I’m a fiber farmer, fiber artist and ruminant shearer in the Pacific Northwest. Love this topic and one I feel strongly about.

Wool and mohair have tremendous longevity, as does alpaca and llama. Mohair will last the longest. In fact, royal tapestries were woven with mohair and last centuries longer than wool for this reason. Both wool and mohair are flame resistant.

My favorite fibers are often blends, such as alpaca and wool, llama and mohair, angora and wool, yak and wool, etc. and there is such great variety amongst the wools so that’s enjoyable in blending different breeds.

I only recommend natural fibers as they won’t end up clogging landfills. I’m in the process of recreating anything that I have in my closet that isn’t natural to natural. I still have a hand crocheted wool sweater from England I bought as a student abroad from many, many years ago.

Does anyone have any experience with hemp fiber clothing?

Gary Sandahl wrote:Does anyone have any experience with hemp fiber clothing?

I wear a few hemp fiber pieces. The fabric behaves similarly to linen, but with a different drape. It also has a little more texture, a bit of a "rustic" weave. I like it.

For me, a key to longevity is fit. If the shoulder seams are strained or the arm holes are too close to the underarm, the shirt is going to have a failure sooner than if it fits properly. Conversely, overly large shirts catch and get pulled more easily. If the trouser hem is too long, it starts to drag and fray or I start stepping on the hem of a skirt that is too long. Etc etc. A good fit makes any material last longer.

Wearing protective over-garments is helpful as well. I was noticing that the front of my shirts around hip level were developing pin holes and realized that leaning against a counter top when I worked was abrading the fabric in that area. An apron (or house dress/smock) keeps the wear and tear down on your "better" clothes. Historically, you would also see people wearing over-sleeves for dirty work (I still see butchers wearing these), smocks or aprons, and gaiters to protect lower legs, and then undergarments to protect the clothing from sweat.

I do wish I could find a way to preserve the inner thighs of my jeans from rubbing holes through. It doesn't matter how high quality or how well fitted, with the amount I walk, the physics of friction wins (and the seams from patching attempts make the whole situation worse!)

Kate Downham wrote:The linen skirt that I made with an elastic waist got holes quite quickly where the elastic was, but a linen wrap skirt I have is still looking great after two years. The wrap skirt is made from a heavier weight linen, but I suspect that the elastic on the other skirt may have irritated the linen fibres somehow, which could also explain it.

Does mixing up different fibres this way cause the natural one to wear out more quickly?

Hi Kate,

I don’t know exactly, but I am imagining a piece of elastic running down a tube of fabric causing gathering.  A contributing factor on the elastic linen situation might have been that the elastic - once in place - concentrated the abrasion on specific spots…. once’s gathered, the little folds in the cloth that makes the gathers don’t seem to shift and reorganize.  Secondly, the elastic compresses the linen cloth against the body, increasing abrasion…

A wrap skirt is more likely to not put stress on the fibers, not compress some areas more than others against moving parts, and more easily slide over the body with movement.

Some of my guidelines on durable clothing:  tight is going to wear out faster, and to me, is less comfortable.

In knit sweaters larger loops are going to be more vulnerable to snagging.

I wear a lot of cotton, but wool is a much stronger fiber.  I think woven wool is stronger than knit wool.

Layers are good,

Thanks for starting the discussion

Mercy Pergande wrote:I do wish I could find a way to preserve the inner thighs of my jeans from rubbing holes through. It doesn't matter how high quality or how well fitted, with the amount I walk, the physics of friction wins (and the seams from patching attempts make the whole situation worse!)

If you're sewing your own pants, or have worn out pants of the same fabric, may I suggest that you put a patch that is like a wide gusset so the seams aren't between the legs, but towards the front and back, but sewn so that it looks intentional *before* the pants are even worn?  That way, the "patch" will wear out first (hopefully) and can be replaced possibly 2 or 3 times, before the next likely wear location is dead?

Part of fixing the clothing waste issue is definitely about making the clothing we have last as long as possible!

ETA: A friend of mine just showed up with 3 pairs of pants, worn exactly in this way. Farm pants, so she doesn't care if the patches match perfectly, so I guess that's in my projects list... my never-ending projects list, I might add! Still, it will keep three pairs of pants out of the landfill!

Gary Sandahl wrote:Does anyone have any experience with hemp fiber clothing?

Not yet. But the hemp fabric is waiting for me to make a dress out of it (pinafore type dress).

My thoughts on this topic, based on decades of experience with all kinds of textile crafts:
- It does not only depend on the material (wool, cotton, linen, silk, etc.), it's also the quality of that material. There's such a difference in f.e. length of the fiber, the way it is prepared and spun, and much more, that determines the strength of the yarn.
-And then there are many different ways of weaving or knitting. Everybody knows 'jeans' aka 'denim'. That is a 'twill weave'. With the same yarns a twill weave produces a stronger fabric than a plain weave. A knitted fabric is weaker ... although there are different machine-knitting techniques too and some produce a stronger fabric than others.
- A lot depends on the cutting and sewing too. Again take a look at a pair of jeans, (I mean good jeans, not the cheap ones) now to see how it is sewn. The seam is stitched, then folded, and then stitched over again (often even twice).

If you make your own clothes you can take all of these points in account. Always buy the best quality material (fabric or yarn) you can afford. Do some research in advance if you don't know how to distinguish the good quality. And then take your time ... It isn't fast fashion!
If you're a knitter I recommend to knit in a firm gauge (use needles a little thinner than it's written on the label of the yarn).

Thekla McDaniels wrote:

Kate Downham wrote:The linen skirt that I made with an elastic waist got holes quite quickly where the elastic was, but a linen wrap skirt I have is still looking great after two years. The wrap skirt is made from a heavier weight linen, but I suspect that the elastic on the other skirt may have irritated the linen fibres somehow, which could also explain it.

Does mixing up different fibres this way cause the natural one to wear out more quickly?

Hi Kate,

I don’t know exactly, but I am imagining a piece of elastic running down a tube of fabric causing gathering.  A contributing factor on the elastic linen situation might have been that the elastic - once in place - concentrated the abrasion on specific spots…. once’s gathered, the little folds in the cloth that makes the gathers don’t seem to shift and reorganize.  Secondly, the elastic compresses the linen cloth against the body, increasing abrasion…

A wrap skirt is more likely to not put stress on the fibers, not compress some areas more than others against moving parts, and more easily slide over the body with movement.

Some of my guidelines on durable clothing:  tight is going to wear out faster, and to me, is less comfortable.

In knit sweaters larger loops are going to be more vulnerable to snagging.

I wear a lot of cotton, but wool is a much stronger fiber.  I think woven wool is stronger than knit wool.

Layers are good,

Thanks for starting the discussion

This is the question I would address, as well. In addition to all Thekla said, elastic sewn directly to the fabric also forces the fabric to stay in its specific bunched up shape, at all times. This causes added wear on the outer folds, in the wash, as well as in folding or hanging, etc, because those tiny outward folds rub against everything with which the item comes into contact, and does so as a 'point' of sorts. It also causes added exposure to the inside folds, as it rubs against your skin or undergarments. The abrasion against these points is unavoidable. In a piece with elastic in a tube type encasing isn't really much better, because it still causes that bunching.

With a drawstring, to personalize the fit, there's a big advantage or three: first, it can be adjusted, unlike the elastic, which is (at least in my experience) more binding - particularly the wider and/or firmer elastics, and don't allow for the item to be loosened - ie, the elastic waistband that gives, when you struggle with bloating, but then continues to press against your gut, vs the drawstring, which can be loosened, so that the waistband can simply rest on your hips, providing, of course, that your hips stick out more than your waist, like mine do. Secondly, with a drawstring, the fabric casing can be smoothed out for washing and storage, which gives the fabric a rest from being bunched up as well as allowing better water flow, in the wash. Third, for those who travel, and who pack away seasonal items, the ability to smooth out that casing also prevents so much thickness in any one area, that can cause necessary wear on not only that garment, but those pressed against it, as well.

Other beneficial construction in better quality garments can include more generous seam allowances, that often offer additional fabric to trim, in order to make patches and extra buttons sewn into the facing, to replace lost ones. A more open neckline doesn't have to stretch, thus wears better, just getting it on and off. A knit shirt with a waistband at the hem will stretch out and deteriorate faster than a similar one, without. A woven shirt with a box pleat in the back will allow more ease of movement than one without, reducing the chance of popped seams at the arms and sides. As Jay mentioned, a gusseted crotch will wear better, because the seams don't rub under the same level of pressure as without - the same can be said for those under-arm holes that shirts often get. Reinforced corners at pockets, and gusseted pockets will wear better, too.

Kate Downham wrote:In wool clothing, either wool to knit with, or clothes that are already knitted, is there anything to look for to decide whether it is made for long life?

When looking for knitting yarn - and this is true of the yarns used in  woven fabrics, too, but it’s harder to check - the tighter the twist in the yarns, the longer the fabric will last. A tight twist holds the fibres together more firmly, which reduces abrasion. (Too much twist will also weaken a yarn, but it’s much less likely you’ll encounter overspun yarn in the wild.) I’m of the opinion that any fibre can make a long-lasting, durable fabric, as long as it’s spun correctly and used appropriately (ie stop using Merino for everything, people!).

Tight twist also reduces pilling. Those little balls that turn up on knitted items are made from the short fibres in the yarn, as they work their way free of the yarn they were spun into. Tighter twist = fibres caught more securely = less pilling.

Yarn with more plies (ie more individual strands twisted together to create the final yarn) will also generally be more durable than yarns with less. As you add plies, the yarn gets rounder, which means each individual ply is subjected to less abrasion in the finished garment.

The bad news is that commercially spun knitting yarns are almost universally underspun. It’s cheaper to produce that way. Out of all the people I know who spin their own yarn, I would say that at least half started doing so because they didn’t like the yarns in the shops and couldn’t get the sort of thing they did want to work with any other way.

When I’m spinning my own yarns, I typically spin fine and tight and ply up to the gauge I want for a project. I don’t like knitting with bulky yarns, though, so that’s not a hardship for me.

When browsing commercial knitting yarns I look for:

Multiple plies (at least 3) - untwisting a section of the yarn in the skein will let you count them.

A smooth, firm yarn construction - fuzziness now will only get worse later in the finished garment’s life, and often indicates low yarn twist.

Micron count is sometimes available on ball bands or website descriptions - the lower the number, the softer the fibre. Soft = good for next to skin but more delicate, less soft = sturdier but scratchier ie good for outerwear.

If it’s sock yarn, NOT merino. It’s simply too fine to work for something that goes through the kind of abuse a sock is subjected to.

The ply direction in the final yarn - depending on which hand you tension the yarn with, the twist will either work with or against you. I knit with yarn in my right hand, so I prefer a Z twist yarn. People who tension with their left hand often find S twist yarns work better for them.

As Inge said, a firmer knitting gauge will also produce a longer lasting fabric. Historically, items were knit with smaller yarn and at a tighter gauge than today, because they needed things to last.

When I knit with any yarn, I use the needle size that makes a fabric I like. This is typically two or more sizes smaller than what the ball band says, though it depends on how I’m knitting it (some knitting styles produce a tighter gauge for me than others). For example, 8 ply/DK yarn’s recommended  needle size is 4mm - 4.5mm. I usually knit it on 3.25mm - 3.5mm needles, and I’d go lower if the situation called for it.

I do carpentry and homesteading. As a woman who short but not thin I find pants at a farm supply or sporting goods store work best. They are built for rugged use and have big pockets. For shirts I like to go to yard sales on the last day in the country. Last summer I found an enormous supply of new and almost new cotton buttoned shirts long sleeved and short and a couple of jackets for 50 cents and a dollar each.
Generally men's clothes are made better than women's if your goal like mine, is to get some work done and look decent in permies. I have some things to wear at home that work well but don't look good enough to wear out on a job. I've also been able to get socks second hand.work jackets also are available at farm stores and sporting goods stores. I just watch for a sale. Mine have lasted a couple of years. As a former volunteer fire and rescue team member I know good clothing makes a lot of difference when you are trying to get a job done. Bad clothing is a distraction and a deterrent. Cotton is my top choice.

Good discussion! My preference is linen for comfort, but heavy duty twill weave pants in cotton or linen for heavy outdoor work. I haven't worn through a pair of carharts I've been wearing since 2015, though I only wear them when doing heavy work. In fact, there is no wear on them at all, just stains. They are so heavy though, that if I wore them every day, my skin would wear instead, so there's that problem. They are not lined, which would help with that for sure.

With linen clothing, I use heavy woven fabric, and I always sew in a grosgrain or twill tape along every seam, sewing on either side of each seam (so it looks like it has three seams everywhere). If I don't do this, the seat seam and backs of shoulders seams will slowly pull apart and be irreparable because the threads are pulled away from the seam on either side. I have several pairs of pants that have lasted me years because of this prevention. I have done this with medium-weight cotton too, but I never find the effort worthwhile with cotton; its just too flimsy overall, and linen has all the attributes I would like in a cotton anyway. Long fibre linen is obviously a much more durable fabric, but I have been able to wear brushed linen for many years too, and it is much more comfortable at the joints.

I also never use elastics with linen, but instead, because I need to adjust the waist-size for different activities (ones requiring being bent or crouched for long periods, for instance), I use a long piece of twill tape as a front closure tie. I use the cross-over cinch style with two exit holes so I can adjust quickly on-site as needed and my pants don't fall down.

With my children, I used to sew on stylish woven linen knees and reinforce seat seams when we lived with silt absolutely everywhere (Yukon) that sanded through their pants and shorts, but they're older now and we moved.

I love wool for heavy socks and sweaters, but I can't seem to withstand the weight of durable wool clothing, so I wear my light-weight knit merino cardigans until they are literally threadbare and falling off like a shedding muskox. I have lengthened the life of merino base layers using traditional Japanese Sashiko, which I love and highly recommend for clothing repairs- very effective and looks lovely if you enjoy the [shabby-chic] aesthetic.

Imogen Skye wrote:I have lengthened the life of merino base layers using traditional Japanese Sashiko, which I love and highly recommend for clothing repairs- very effective and looks lovely if you enjoy the [shabby-chic] aesthetic.

I'm very interested to hear more about this - do you have any pictures you could share? My merino base layers tend to get holes around the end of the sleeves and under the arms and I'm keen to make them last longer.

HI all,

I wish to amend my previous reply regarding the beautiful Japanese Sashiko. I had learned this as an embroidery technique from seeing and watching people who called it Sashiko. So that's what I've been calling what I've done with my garments to lengthen their useful life. I just learned that what I am doing is NOT SASHIKO! It is called "Boro" and it differs from Sashiko in that it is deliberately a mending stitch technique, and not the (sometimes sacred) cultural practice of Sashiko. The two are similar, but different in intent and usually also result. Sashiko is typically made using indigo blue fabrics patched together to make a new garment from old ones that are no longer in use. It is an expression of the philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, and similar to the practice of mending broken ceramics with gold and continuing to use them, to appreciate the beauty in imperfection, and to respect the life of the object and everyone who has interacted with it. I encourage anyone interested to look up Sashiko and Boro online to see them. Sashiko is NOT "shabby-chic!" It is just beautiful. Boro is shabby-chic and more intended for my purposes.

Like Sashiko, Boro is a Japanese running stitch embroidery technique using repeated geometric patterns and/or parallel lines through fabric that is worn, either just on its own with the embroidery reinforcing it, or by adding pieces of patching fabric over or under the worn section, and attaching the patches with the running stitch patterns. Often the edges of the patches are left raw and fraying. Any type of fabric can be used to patch, to make it contrasting, or to make it match well. The repeated patterns in Sashiko may be more complex than in Boro. Boro is more practical in nature and Sashiko is philosophical and sometimes sacred.

Sashiko, being a practice of Wabi-Sabi, requires the use of more precious materials that are chosen specifically for this practice, so silk embroidery floss instead of cotton, for instance. It elevates the imperfect rather than makes do, such as in Boro. In Boro, cotton floss or anything you have on hand can be used. In Sashiko, the final garment is made from pieces of previous precious garments or cloth also, so the whole finished piece is very special and appreciated in a very different way than mending my base layers with any suitable patch fabric I have, to be used in the garden.

I apologise for my mistake, and thank you for asking because I would not have discovered my error otherwise!

As for cuffs, I'm not sure what's best. In the past, I have carefully cut the wrist areas off and added the cuffs of a shirt or sweater whose cuffs were still good. I have also turned them inwards and sewed them in place, but that only worked when the sleeves were long enough, which for me is very rare.

I definitely use Boro for knit base-layer underarm reinforcement. It works very well in that spot because it follows the shape of the garment without adding bulk that chafes with movement- way better than a patch! And if I have any, I use the same fibre and weight of yarn instead of embroidery floss- colour doesn't matter, whatever I have. It's similar to plain darning, really, only nicer and without the weaving aspect, just straight running stitches.

I am wondering the same and struggle with finding clothing that fits and wears well. I am going down the rabbit hole of making things myself because I just can't find anything I like. Working on drafting a pattern for just a basic t-shirt now.

I will preface my response that I am: cheap, tall, fat, allergic to wool and have sensory issues with some textures.
The result is that clothes have always been a challenge. I've thrifted my clothing all my adult life and over the past few decades, have gotten more extreme in terms of modifying, remaking and constructing from scratch.

Consistently, men's clothing from several higher end designers/manufacturers that were made in the 80's and 90's tend to be the highest quality and best wearing stuff I have. I'm also typically going for cottons and linens since those are washable and work for my comfort.

I have found that it can be amazing how much of a difference in comfort, wearability and function, a few small modifications can make to your clothes. Due to the severity of my requirements, if I didn't take stuff that was 75%+ of what I was looking for, I wouldn't have anything. I'll often pick up things that are close, but not quite right. With a few tweaks they can still work. Too tight? Add a gusset or open the bottom of a seam. It gaps between buttons? Sew it closed and leave enough so it can be a pullover. Sleeves too long? Cut them off and move up the cuff.
Figuring out what works for you, how you wear things, will let you modify in the ways that reduce the wear on your things and let you make the best quality finds work.

For designing from scratch, I started with my favourite pieces and thought about why they were the best and then used them to make patterns for new pieces. A few years ago, I also made a dummy of my body with shipping tape and expanding foam. That has been a total game changer and she makes it super easy for me to both fit things and see how they look!

Dian Green wrote:I will preface my response that I am: cheap, tall, fat, allergic to wool and have sensory issues with some textures.
The result is that clothes have always been a challenge. I've thrifted my clothing all my adult life and over the past few decades, have gotten more extreme in terms of modifying, remaking and constructing from scratch.

Consistently, men's clothing from several higher end designers/manufacturers that were made in the 80's and 90's tend to be the highest quality and best wearing stuff I have. I'm also typically going for cottons and linens since those are washable and work for my comfort.

I have found that it can be amazing how much of a difference in comfort, wearability and function, a few small modifications can make to your clothes. Due to the severity of my requirements, if I didn't take stuff that was 75%+ of what I was looking for, I wouldn't have anything. I'll often pick up things that are close, but not quite right. With a few tweaks they can still work. Too tight? Add a gusset or open the bottom of a seam. It gaps between buttons? Sew it closed and leave enough so it can be a pullover. Sleeves too long? Cut them off and move up the cuff.
Figuring out what works for you, how you wear things, will let you modify in the ways that reduce the wear on your things and let you make the best quality finds work.

For designing from scratch, I started with my favourite pieces and thought about why they were the best and then used them to make patterns for new pieces. A few years ago, I also made a dummy of my body with shipping tape and expanding foam. That has been a total game changer and she makes it super easy for me to both fit things and see how they look!

Holy Cow, Dian

Thanks for posting all this!

I haven’t worn clothes that fit, other than jeans and tee shirts in decades.  I have a small-ish rib cage and large bust.  Mass produced clothes don’t fit me.  And most women’s clothes are designed to accentuate not minimize the bust.  Even when I was young and beautiful, I did not enjoy the sexual overtures generated in response to my figure, let alone seek to invite them. How my body looks is definitely not the most important thing about me, nor what I want to be known for!

I’ve thought I needed a dressmaker form so I could make from scratch and remake thrift store finds for a long time, but NEVER had the idea of making my own.  That’s BRILLIANT!

I’m lousy at guesstimating how to alter a pattern or garment, and I have a feeling the foam and tape body double is really going to be a game changer for me.  Thank you!

Thekla McDaniels wrote:Holy Cow, Dian

Thanks for posting all this!

I haven’t worn clothes that fit, other than jeans and tee shirts in decades.  I have a small-ish rib cage and large bust.  Mass produced clothes don’t fit me.  And most women’s clothes are designed to accentuate not minimize the bust.  Even when I was young and beautiful, I did not enjoy the sexual overtures generated in response to my figure, let alone seek to invite them. How my body looks is definitely not the most important thing about me, nor what I want to be known for!

I’ve thought I needed a dressmaker form so I could make from scratch and remake thrift store finds for a long time, but NEVER had the idea of making my own.  That’s BRILLIANT!

I’m lousy at guesstimating how to alter a pattern or garment, and I have a feeling the foam and tape body double is really going to be a game changer for me.  Thank you!

Thekla, somewhere in this forum, we have a thread that has quite a lot about doing exactly this, with a few different methods of accomplishing it in decent detail. I can't recall which thread it is, or if link it here - but maybe Jay, Pearl, or r would remember...

Thanks, Carla.
I found that thread, or one of them if there’s more than one .

https://permies.com/t/212650/sewing/Pros-Cons-Mannequin-Dressmakers-Form

Consensus there seems to be the personalized duct tape forms are superior to the commercial, professional ones.

There’s valuable discussion there, and a link to an article in threads magazine, and I brought the link over:

https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2008/10/24/quick-and-easy-duct-tape-dress-form

One of the places I typically have fit issues is on my upper arms so I made my form to include them to about 1/2 way to my elbows.
As it turns out, my arm scythe placement is sitting consistently farther forward than any patterns I've tried so it has made a huge difference in my ability to fit correctly.

While I am generally too cheap and lazy to fully make "muslin" trial pieces, I will make the first of any design with the cheapest/most abundant fabric that is suitable. I have a roll of kraft paper that I'll template pattern pieces on and then, as I trim the fabric to fit on the form, I'll keep the scraps and use them to trim the paper pattern to match. I have also used leftovers of fabric for pattern making since cheap thrifted fabric has been easy to find here.

I've also cheated on fitting lined things by making and fitting the lining first, and then using it to correct the shell pattern. I've found lining fabrics to way more common and, even thrifted, a fraction of the value, of anything it's worth making a shell with.