Everyday projects

Mend a Split Seam

Close a seam that has come open along its stitching line. This suits a beginner when the fabric on both sides of the split is intact. It needs more advanced technique when the fabric is frayed or torn, or the seam is under heavy strain.

Beginner20 minHand

What you will learn

Following an old seam line
Backstitching
Securing thread

Before you start

Turn the garment inside out and lay the split seam flat.
Trim any loose threads at the split. Check that the seam allowance is at least 3/8 in (1 cm) wide.

Step by step

Examine the split. Find where the original stitching stops holding. Pull gently to see whether the seam continues to open. If the old thread is loose, pull it out back to where the seam is firm.
With the garment inside out, fold it so the right sides face each other and the seam allowances line up. Pin across the seam every 1 in (25 mm).
Look at the old stitching line and mark where the split begins and ends. If the seam was sewn 1/2 in (12 mm) from the edge, mark that line on the split section with chalk.
Thread the needle with 18 in (45 cm) of thread and knot it. Start about 1/2 in (12 mm) before the split, inside the old seam, so that you overlap the sound stitching.
Sew backstitch along the seam line. Use 1/8 in (3 mm) stitches and push each stitch into the end of the last.
Backstitch along the seam line, overlapping into the sound seam at the start.
Sew past the end of the split by 1/2 in (12 mm), going into the sound stitching.
Finish with two small stitches in the same place and a knot. Bury the tail between the layers.
Press the seam flat, then open it, using the heat setting on the care label.
If the seam allowance edges are fraying, overcast them or finish them with whipstitch.

Tips for a neat result

Start and end 1/2 in (12 mm) into the sound seam.
Match the stitch length of the original seam.
Use polyester thread for strength.

Common mistakes and fixes

The new seam does not line up with the old one.

The line was not marked. Mark the old seam with chalk before stitching.

The seam puckers.

The thread was pulled too tight. Loosen your tension.

The seam splits again.

The seam is under strain or the stitches were too long. Sew shorter stitches and add a second row.

Check your result

The seam is closed along its original line with no gaps.
The fabric lies flat and the seam does not pull apart when you tug it.

When to use a professionalThis is a beginner repair on woven fabric. Take it to a tailor if the fabric on either side of the split is torn or too frayed to hold a stitch, or if the seam is in a stretch fabric or a stressed area such as a crotch seam.

Projects that use this

Fix a Popped Seam in a Stretchy GarmentConfident Beginner25 min