Zipper Repair Kits and Misc. Sewing Tips

There is an assortment of zipper repair kits.  I never thought of repairing them before, but it makes sense.  Instead of having to rip out the old one, which you may or may not have a replacement for, you can save time and money by replacing what is wrong with it.  I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to replace zippers in coats and jackets, even in jeans.

These are some of the types of kits, I found on the internet:

Zipper kit for; outdoor gear like tents, backpacks and tents
Zipper kit for: clothing
Zipper kit for; tab replacement
Ezy zipper Glide; helps with sticky zippers

I haven’t tried any of these yet, but I intend to in the near future.  Do any of you have any recommendation on brand and where to order them?

If you do a lot of sewing, you know there are many different needles you may want to store.
Sewing needle type: regular point, (fine point) ballpoint, (knit material) and chisel point (leather) Sizes 9 for the thinnest to 16 the thickest.
Crocheting needles all sizes
Knitting needles all sizes
Quilting needles all sizes
Regular hand sewing needles; #1 to 10
Self- threading needles (for bad eyes) yes I have several packages.  Just don’t pull to hard or the thread comes out of slot.

A few things I forgot to mention are;
Grommets all sizes and shapes (good for canvas and heavy duty material)
Snaps and Velcro, Velcro especially is good for all material (even shoes)
Regular and pinking shears
Seam ripper, it’s a one in a million tool (I own three)
Bobbins for your machine
Pincushion

See also  The Wonderful Wonder Oven/box

My husband and I went to a medical/pharmacy store closing yesterday, talk about feeling old, they had everything to make your life easier in case of illness. Anyways I picked up some heavy duty needles,  for carpet, canvas, tents, leather, mattress and furs.  So keep an eye out for store closings, all of them have something you can use.

Preparedness Mom

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5 thoughts on “Zipper Repair Kits and Misc. Sewing Tips”

  1. use it up,wear it out, make it do or do without….while at fabric stores like joann fabrics or hancock fabric, there is always a sale on something or a closeout on something else. last week it was cotton prints for $1. a yard….sometimes it is a 50% off or more sale…on buttons, needles of all kinds, trims, fabric etc…and if you are a regular customer, sign up to get their sales flyers in the mail-they have great coupons. i sew and quilt items that i sell so part of my three year odyssy of preparing for hard times has been in the sewing department-i even bought and restored a treadle sewing machine to use should there be a problem with electric power. i have stocked up on fabric by the yard and in three yard measures as well as stocking up on yards and yards of plain cotton fabric like muslin, and solid colors. don’t forget to check out the remnant bins and the decorator/upholstery remnants as well. at these fabric stores you can also find other things like the soles for slippers, snaps,zippers of allkinds, velcro closures of all kinds and weights, hoops, thread for everything and so on so forth. for cold weather preparation, there are all kinds and weights of fleece. (lightweight and warm). then there is batting for quilting and forms for pillows etc…

  2. Whenever I’m at the local thrift store I check for clothes, always a $1 each, for usable zippers, buttons, special closures, etc and also for crochet hooks, knitting needles and other sewing aids. I also purchase sheets, towels, and clothes for yardage.

    For example yesterday I bought a full sized well made afghan, 2 queen sized sheets, a half package of twin sized batting and a table runner (to be used for a knitting needle case) and 2 yds of cotton material (to be used for the pockets of the knitting needle case) for a grand total of $5. They sell knitting needles and crochet hooks for 25 cents – when they are available because they go fast.

    I also store all my sewing needs in boxes that are clearly labeled with contents.Cigar boxes if you can find them and plastic shoe boxes are my favorites. One is marked everyday sewing and includes needles, scissors, black & white thread, pins…in other words a sewing kit that I’ve put together.

    As I’ve found books on making repairs hard to find I’ve turned to the internet, especially YouTube, for visual instructions. Practicing before actual needing is necessary.

  3. for those who are purchasing large amounts of fabric, sheets, pillowcases, clothing etc….be aware that these items should be stored inside cotton bags (old pillowcases are great for that). this list should also include quilts, blankets etc… do not store any of this stuff in plastic bags….you will save yourself a lot of trouble not using plastic bags/garbage bags/plastic containers of any kind…the plastic causes mildew, discoloring and also speed up dryrot. cardboard boxes are also not a great idea for the same reasons.. if you use tissue paper to wrap these things before storing be sure to use acid free paper products.

  4. A veteran who is preparing

    Do not forget repairing equipment like rucksacks and load bearing gear. I have been repairing my own equipment since I was a Private. I found that most thread is useless in repairing gear. I use mono-filament fishing line usually 10lb or 20lb test depending on how much weight it must support. Also have some sets of replacement buckles, etc… I have found them on ebay and also in surplus catalogs. When you get real good at it you can design and assemble your own custom gear to suit your needs. I usually modify existing designs to meet my needs. One example would be an old set of body armor. I removed the inserts (while doing the work) and added MOLLE style straps to it to put pouches on. This gave me a cheaper set of armor that meets my needs without having to pay over $1000 for one that is already on the market.

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