
As fun as it is to create bold, stand out clothing repairs, sometimes a subtle mend is more appropriate. This can be particularly true for repairs on formal wear, office attire and school uniforms.
If you have a repair like this, here are some tips for helping your repair to blend in:
- match your thread or yarn colour to your garment as closely as possible.
- use a thinner thread or yarn. The more chunky the thread, the more it will stand out.
- if patching, match the patch colour to your garment.
- put the patch on the inside of the garment instead of the outside.
- small neat stitches will be less visible. Fortunately, this gets easier the more you practice.
Instead of my usual favourite approach, which is to use that I have on hand, a less visible repair may mean that more time needs to be invested in finding the perfect thread colour or just the right fabric for patching.

Subtle repairs can be a little trickier than bright, bold, visible ones. But with some practice and following the tips above, your work or school uniform repairs will be done in no time.
Would you like some help to improve your repair skills? Check out my current list of workshops and learn to repair your clothes with me.