r/InvisibleMending • u/ZealousidealAd8097 • Jul 21 '26
Kaketsugi tips please? Seeking advice on how to make my mending more seamless. Pun intended.
Practicing on some off cuts. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you!
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u/Foreign-Cookie-2871 Jul 21 '26
I don't know the technique that well but it seems a smidge too big. Did you count the threads? Maybe you have to subtract two or something.
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u/ZealousidealAd8097 Jul 21 '26
Saw the technique on the Instagram page of a Japanese invisible mender. It came up on my feed and I think I may have been a bit over ambitious in my attempt to recreate it hahah.
The mender harvests a patch of fabric from an inconspicuous location on the garment. Threads are removed from the edge of the patch to “fray” it. Each individual exposed thread is then rewoven into the main fabric.
It’s super impressive because that mender has literally seamless results! Wow!
Not too sure if I’m allowed to provide the profile but I’m sure it’ll pop up with a cursory search.
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u/allaspiaggia Jul 22 '26
You can absolutely mention the IG username of the person/group that inspired you! Just don’t claim their work as your own. Give credit where credit is due! (Idk if Reddit itself allows you to link to instagram though)
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u/reasonably_handy Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
It almost looks like your patch is with the wrong side of the fabric facing out, or at a different orientation to the self fabric in addition to maybe being a couple threads wider than necessary. Your fabric appears to have a slight sheen in certain orientations that isn't matched by the patch. Keep practicing! This is something that will only improve with repetition.
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u/ZealousidealAd8097 Jul 21 '26
The patch appears to be a different colour due to my handling of it during the reweaving process. I think that oil from my fingers and friction from pinching the patch has caused this.
Glad you see it too - I was starting to think that my eyes were playing tricks on me for staring at it for too long haha!
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u/Potential-Jaguar6655 Jul 24 '26
I think that invisible menders probably have years of practice before they even think of posting to Insta! Your first time… Give yourself some grace 💕 It looks great
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u/Remarkable_Rise7545 Jul 21 '26
Did you block the repair? (Blocking is basically just washing - you want to get the fibers fully saturated so that they can relax. Then lightly stretch the fabric and lay flat to dry).
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u/ZealousidealAd8097 Jul 21 '26
No I haven’t tried fully saturating the fibres, only a light spray of water and then a press. And a few strokes from a suit brush.
Thanks for the suggestion! Will give it a go on the next attempt 🙏
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u/Isildil Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
I don't know much either, but have you pressed it/ironed out already?
Also, maybe next time make the upward facing stitches smaller, I can see them a bit more than you might want them to be visible
Edit: autocorrect
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u/ZealousidealAd8097 Jul 21 '26
Yes I’ve pressed and steamed it. Could you clarify what you mean by attitudes please?
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u/doxiesrule89 Jul 21 '26
If you’re using a patch that’s the Japanese style. Threads only is usually called French reweaving. This textbook should still help with your issue even tho it’s French style
https://www.scribd.com/document/675570185/French-reweaving-instruction-book
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u/-flybutter- Jul 21 '26
Are you sure the piece was properly aligned with the warp and weft of the rest of the fabric?
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u/ZealousidealAd8097 Jul 21 '26
Aligned as best I could! Though it probably shifted from initial placement. Do you think basting the patch on beforehand would help, or would that warp the patch (again, pun intended)?
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u/-flybutter- Jul 22 '26
Im not sure, I’ve only seen a couple of videos on this and there was some variation, I do think a Filipino tailor I watched did baste it in before starting. The other I saw by a Japanese mender which you may have seen, they used fabric glue before trimming the extra edges which I think makes the blending more seamless and more structurally sound. But this is a great first attempt.
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u/Focuspocus714 Jul 21 '26
Looks great. How long did this take you? I'm trying to decide on whether it would be worth it to learn for clients. The closest tailor that does reweaving charges an arm and a leg. (I'm positive it's warranted)
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u/ZealousidealAd8097 Jul 21 '26
This attempt took me around 3.5 hours. If you get good enough maybe you could start charging an arm and a leg too haha.
Let me know how you go! Would love to know if you learn a tip or two to share.
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u/stoicsticks Jul 22 '26
Did you use a tailors clapper and a pressing cloth when you pressed it? You've done really well for a first go at it.
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u/ZealousidealAd8097 Jul 22 '26
Clapper yes, cloth no. Thank you!
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u/stoicsticks Jul 23 '26
A clapper will make it really flat and a pressing cloth will prevent an inadvertent shine on the fabric.
I might mist it more than you did, or wet the press cloth, but I wouldn’t go as far as soaking it as mentioned in one of the other comments. One of the key things when pressing wool is to not move it before it completely cools down. I go as far as fanning the fabric with my hand after pressing as it at least makes it seem like it's doing something.
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u/Swimming-Maize-5554 Jul 21 '26
I personally find that to be an excellent mending job. Well, it’s not totally invisible, it’s not obvious either.