Removing fabric pulls

[MikeF]

While in Toronto this weekend, I picked up a high-twist Armani Collezioni coat for $250 that retailed last season for $2100. The only catch: there are about 12 or 13 very small pulls in the fabric on one of the sleeves. One option is, of course, to leave the coat as is and not to stress about the pulls. Another option would be to ask my tailor whether the fabric can be repaired (I expect that it can, although it may be pricey). Someone once suggested to me that pulls in a tie could be easily eliminated by running a lighter or match over the fabric. Apparently, wool and silk are somewhat resistant to flame. Has anyone ever tried this technique? I'm looking for something tightly-woven that I can experiment on, but I don't really have anything suitable.

 

[bengal-stripe]

I wouldn't attempt to use on open flame on a garment. If it doesn't work, the damage will be irreversible. You should also never cut, as this weakens the fabric and might result in a hole or a ladder (in knitwear).

Try it first the way my mother has told me: Take a piece of sewing cotton, put one end through the centre of the pull, gather both ends and put them through the eye of a needle. Now who have a needle with a thread loop on one end, which in turn holds, chainlike, the pulled loop. Push needle through the centre of the pull and pull loop through, to wrong side of fabric. Remove needle and thread and, voillà, pull has disappeared to inside and has become invisible.

 

[Steve B.]

Many better tailors or seamstresses can repair the damage as well. I've heard they use crocheting or similar needles to pull the fabric back through, effectively reversing the process that produced the pull in the first place. I'm taking a knit sweater to mine tomorrow in fact. I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Dan Summer]

Thank you and thanks to your mother. This is absolutely brilliant - why didn't I think of this first moment !!!