We repair hand knits and crocheted items.
We do not repair machine knit garments (thin)
We do not repair woven fabric.
If an item has more than 8 holes we may not do that repair depending on the severity of the damage.
All items, especially those damaged from moths MUST be cleaned before entering our store.
If you are unsure if you have moth damage, call us at (413) 586-4331 upon arrival
and we will meet you outside the store for a consultation.
If you don't clean the moth damaged sweater and bring it into our store it severely compromises our merchandise.
We will kindly ask you to step outside as we finish our consult.
We will never take in a moth damaged item until it has been freshly cleaned.
If your item needs to be repaired due to wear and tear (seams, cuffs, elbows) that does not necessarily need to be freshly cleaned.
However, items can have both types of damage.
If we detect moth damage on any garment regardless of the repair it needs, we will kindly ask you to bring it back freshly cleaned.
We want you to win the battle against the moths.
The following tips will help!
Look for these 4 signs of moth damage:
1. If it is the first time you are taking a sweater out for the season and you notice holes that weren't there when you put it away, these are moth holes.
2. Small, white cobwebby bits or white tube cocoons
3. Holes only down the chest of a sweater
4. Sandy grit near holes.
(Shake sweater over a white sheet to see if any grit falls out. If so, wash that sweater and that sheet!)
If you don't clean the sweater, moths will never stop creating more holes.
Ways to clean your sweater:1. Soak in a bath of Eucalan Wool Wash for 45 minutes, rinse once without agitating fabric, lay flat to dry
2. Dry Clean (They may charge you a "moth fee")
When to clean your sweater:
1. Before bringing it in for repair
2. After wearing during a meal
3. Before putting in storage
4. After you first notice the moth holes
If you are nervous that cleaning near a hole will make the hole bigger, consider this:
When we close a hole, we use the surrounding area to secure the fix.
If the surrounding area is soiled, we are essentially trapping food that the moths will find, resulting in another hole.
So, how to prevent moth holes?
Over decades of experience, we have found that traps are the only way to stop the moth life cycle.
The traps we use and find to be the best are Bug MD Clothes Moths Boss. These are non-toxic and "made with potent pheromones that attract moths like a magnet and once they land in the trap, they're immediately stuck in PermaGlue." Trapping the adults prevents them from laying larvae that then eat any food in the fabric and the wool in that area.
The only concern for an adult moth is to lay eggs. They are attracted to animal fiber, anything with keratin (hair), and also sweat and food. By cleaning the fabric, you will get rid of the larvae so that no new adults will have food to grow. Your moth eradication will be more effective if you then thoroughly deep clean the storage area. Clear out the space to find any hidden cocoons in corners or cracks. Vacuum out any grit. Put up a fresh trap. Hang/place bag full of Cedar Roma in closet, drawers, bins, chests, etc.
Any sort of herbal sachet and cedar oil must be very fresh in order to be effective. Replace often. Once a month or so.
If an item was in a cedar chest and got moth damage follow these steps:
1. Empty chest
2. Thoroughly vacuum out chest, especially corners and seams to get out any cocoons and grit. If needed, use small brush to get debris out of corners/seams.
3. Wash all items that were in the chest to ensure no larvae remain.
4. Reapply cedar oil to the chest or place bag full of Cedar Roma in the chest.
5. Check each join and lid fit to ensure a good seal.
Any sort of storage container that is "air-tight" but has "seams" like between the lid on a plastic bin, the moths can get in. When storing items in containers with lids you can apply strong tape to entire seam. We strongly recommend you place bag full of Cedar Roma in the container to repel moths.
We are happy to answer any further questions you may have!
(413) 586-4331
For the first small hole/pull on an item: $20
For each additional small hole/pull on same item: $2
Example: We charge $26 for a sweater with 4 small holes
Neck Lines or Cuffs: $15 - $25
Simple Seams: $12/seam
For one large hole requiring a patch of any kind (inside patch, knitted-up patch, or leather patch)
$30 - $40 depending on the size and intricacy of the hole.
(This does not include the price of the actual leather patch.)
Sometimes these prices will be adjusted up or down depending on the amount of time the repair takes, but this is a guideline.
Important Note: A sweater with moth holes will also have weak spots in the fabric which are not yet holes. We do not fix these “pre-holes” unless they are obvious. When you start to wear the sweater or wash it, those weak spots can break open. We will gladly fix these new holes for the usual charge. You are more likely to notice these weak spots if you freshly wash the sweater before bringing it in.
If you would like to leisurely examine your garment at home and put scotch tape on or near each area that needs repair that will ensure we don’t miss any areas that need repair during intake.
Call us if you have any questions (413) 586-4331
Phone: (413) 586 - 4331
- Email: northamptonwools29@gmail.com
Monday 1:30pm - 5pm
Wednesday - Saturday: 10 am - 5 pm
* Closed Sunday and Tuesday