Mending dilemma

Thanks everyone for your great ideas. I have decided to try the lightweight iron-on vilene behind the hole to repair it and it seems to be successful. I hadn’t previously thought to use iron-on vilene. I have some iron-on mending tape at home, but this would have been too heavy. The vilene worked a treat. Thanks again.

If you have a dry cleaner nearby you could take it to them and ask if they can fix it they are usually good at minor repairs and at reasonable cost.

I would use clear thread and simply darn it to give more strength. Nobody will notice it so please stop feeling self conscious.

You could pay for invisible mending, but it's not cheap .

I , too would iron on either a commercial fabric repair kit or better - interfacing.

I tore a beautiful dress near the neckline on a rosebush .
I had some fine seed beads and disguised the hole after darning by incorporating the beads into the floral design - successfully .

But this tear is too far down the dress for such a repair .

PollyDolly

If the fabric is viscose is will easily fray as the weave is loose and the thread are 'heavy' for. want of a better word; viscose fabric hangs beautifully but can be a night mare to handle.

Personally, I would position a very small piece of iron-on interfacing to the wrong side, this will stabilise the fibres. then either machine or hand darn over the damaged part. If. you. don't have any lightweight iron on interfacing just PM me and I will send you a piece - save you buying a huge amount for such a small job.

Finally, once the repair is done, forget about it and enjoy wearing your beautiful dress.

Completely agree particularly in respect of the fraying capacity of viscose. The only thing is that the interfacing will need to be about twice the size of the hole just to stabilise the darning.

Sorry if this is obvious but I have known people to just fill the hole and not the surrounding weak area and end up with a much bigger hole.

If the fabric is viscose is will easily fray as the weave is loose and the thread are 'heavy' for. want of a better word; viscose fabric hangs beautifully but can be a night mare to handle.

Personally, I would position a very small piece of iron-on interfacing to the wrong side, this will stabilise the fibres. then either machine or hand darn over the damaged part. If. you. don't have any lightweight iron on interfacing just PM me and I will send you a piece - save you buying a huge amount for such a small job.

Finally, once the repair is done, forget about it and enjoy wearing your beautiful dress.

Get some fine/light weight iron on interfacing fabric, cut a bit larger to cover completely, iron onto the back. Done it several times with my children clothes, especially school uniforms. Works a treat.

Hi very visible repairing is the in thing at the moment. I know you want your repair to be invisible but have a look on the internet for the tutorials then use a matching rather than contrasting thread for your repair. You used to be able to buy a clear thread. It was nylon and a bit like fishing line but very fine - that may work.
You could also try iron on interfacing as you can get some that is very lightweight. Make sure you round off the corners to reduce the risk of it peeling off from the square corners. You could then lightly darn over that.
Good luck !

I’ve used iron hemming in similar repairs very successfully, the very fine kind that is almost see through. There is just enough room I think to put it close to the edge of the hem then over the hole. Good luck in what ever method you use.

Exactly as Nannarose suggests. I've done this before and it's barely noticeable. Good luck !

I used to repair my lace dresses with fine net - might this work? Give it some strength without weight?

Oh dear, you do need to catch that before it grows, what a shame.

Is there enough seam allowance to snitch a bit of fabric to make a tiny patch?

Failing that I think I'd go for the iron-on tape to stabilise it.
Good luck!

I would 'darn' this in the old fashioned way. I would simply use white (or cream?) thread and run some stitches as if weaving. Always difficult to tell from a photo, but I don't think it will notice. Any other 'mend' will draw attention.

Ps the dress is made of 100% Viscose. The photo, when it is enlarged, makes it look as if the fabric is knitted, but it isn’t stretchy at all.