Those who practice self-reliance and prepping usually start with the basic necessities of life - water, shelter, food, energy. But to really be self reliant, and to be prepared if the peanut butter really does hit the fan, we need to have skills to repair and produce clothing when necessary.
These skills I mention are not intended to be a tutorial, but , rather, a launching off point. I want to get you thinking beyond the day to day skills and look at what comes beyond the necessities. These skills are no different than our grandparents and our great-grandparents had at the beginning of the 20th century, and they are not impossible to regain.
The skills mentioned here will start at the basic level and go to some very advanced fabric skills. Don't be intimidated by what seems complex or unattainable.
Before you can mend your clothes, you will have to have the necessary tools.
These are easily found, but if you want to make repairs that last, you will need good tools. Thankfully, good tools are not too expensive...yet. And sewing tools can make good barter items.
Needles I like to have a set of all purpose needles so I can chooses which one would be appropriate for the fabric I am mending. You will need a strong sharp needle to mend denim, and a lighter one to mend lighter fabric. I can recommend these needles on this link. They are not expensive and you get a variety of sizes.
Thread For a crap hits the fan situation, you really want to have thread that will not break easily. Regular sewing thread will work if it is not cheap thread. I like heavy duty thread for replacing buttons, repairing jeans, and fixing other work clothes.
Threader and Thimble Threaders will make it easier for you to get your thread through the eye of the needle. We sometime have difficulty with this, especially when the eyesight gets weaker or we need glasses. And if you are working with some thick fabric, a thimble will be useful so you don't drive the end of the needle into your finger. That could be the voice of experience talking, so listen!
Fabric scissors (only used for fabric!) A good pair of scissors will make any sewing job easier. From cutting out patterns accurately, to trimming extra fabric, a good pair of scissors is worth their weight in gold. Don't use them for anything else, though! You will hurt the blade if you cut anything other than fabric with those scissors!
Darning mushroom You stick a darning mushroom inside your holey sock so you can make repairs so your socks can last. If the crap hits the fan, and you have a lot of outdoor work or walking to do, your socks will wear out quickly!
The most basic level of skill that you will need for self reliance is the ability to mend your clothing when you have tears or loose and missing buttons. Clothing is currently readily available and is not that expensive at the moment, but if you have a grid down situation, or a societal collapse or even an economic or financial disaster like a job loss. You will have to make your clothing last.
Sewing a seam
Here is a link to a site that clearly explains how to hand sew fabric items. Alicia's pictures and instructions are very clear and easy to understand.
Replacing a button
This link is to an awesome site called The Art of Manliness. Despite being very male oriented, it has excellent basic instructions for even sewing tasks. Have a look around the site and you will see how practical it is.
Darning a sock
Update: The site I originally posted caused some ad issues for some visitors. Here is another site with a great video. It is not hard to learn how to darn, and it can be used to repair more than just socks. Click on the image to access the site.
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A short conclusion Like I mentioned, this post is only a starting point for you to think about your clothing and fabric needs in case of a larger disaster. And any sewing skills you learn now will not be wasted! You will use them for the rest of your life and save money as well because you can repair your own clothes. and your family's clothes.
Have Fun Prepping!
Ruth
PS. I'm required to let you know that I am an Amazon Associate, and there are clickable links on this page. If you happen to purchase from Amazon through those links, I get a small commission. You are never obligated to purchase anything, but if you do....Thank you so much!
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