Throughout the years your backpack and or purse goes through a lot. Perhaps a hole or fraying is an excuse to purchase a new one. If you are having trouble letting go of your beloved bag, because it has been with you through thick and thin, here are some ways to mend it. Let me state that the bag which I use in this tutorial is well over twenty years old, and is one of my all time favorites. The wear and tear on it is pretty brutal.
Visable holes to the point of sticking multiple fingers through the bag as well as massive fraying is evident on my bag. To aid in repairing holes I created a patch with some iron on interfacing and then a second layer of Tender Touch. These are two materials I already had in my craft closet so if you just have iron on interfacing, use multiple layers, same with the Tender Touch. The goal of this inner patch is to strengthen the walls of the bag.
Once all holes are addressed, then you can move on to the fraying areas that caused the holes. Try Fray Check and/ or clear nail polish to prevent any further damage. The Fray Check is an adhesive that will lock the fibers together and strengthen the already loose threads. Clear nail polish was a bit of an experiment to use but I believe it did help with attaching the fibers to the underside of the bag. It’s the same thought process of clear nail polish stopping a run in pantyhose.
If all else fails try an appliqué. However, this will change the overall appearance of the bag which is why I did not use this method in the tutorial below. There are small patches you can purchase or you can make your own. Watch my appliqué video next if you would like help creating a one of a kind patch for your bag. Another method is a mending patch which is done through hand embroidery. A mending patch is cute and often blends into the design of the original item rather than an appliqué which somewhat bubbles at the surface.
MaddieAutumn 