Gi Repair

[kcconnor]

New to martial arts forums, but been involved in karate for quite some time. I've been through a few gis, from cheap lightweights to mid-grade centuries to nicer gis like Juka and Tokaido.

While an inexpensive gi may not be worthwhile to repair to some folks, the nicer manufacturers seem worthwhile to attempt a repair. I've got a Juka Gold gi that is developing a hole in the actual fabric itself, in the small of the back. I'd like to repair this as soon as possible rather than allow it to develop even worse. Gi's are expensive!

Problem is... I have no idea what is an appropriate way to mend the hole. It's not on a seam at all, it's in the small of the back right in the middle of the fabric, and about half the size of a dime at this point.

To mend it, do you use a patch? If so, do you put the patch inside or outside of the jacket? Or do you just stitch it together with white thread, without a patch?

[tallgeese]

That's a good questions, and unfortunately, I don't have an answer. Hopfully, someone can give you some help.

On another note, welcome to KF, and don't be afraid to jump into some of the other discussions.

[white owl]

I do not know the right way to patch a gi either but since it is that small I would think it would not need a patch in my opinion. I would think just sew the ends together and make the stitches as small as you can so it will not be noticeable.

And welcome to the forums .

[DWx]

Darning would probably work, thats if you can do it or know someone who can. I always get my mum to do stuff like that for me. If you were going to simply patch it, personally I would put the patch on the inside. That way its less noticeable and it doesn't matter a great deal if its not that neat.

[bushido_man96]

Take it to a tailor, and see if they can repair it for you. Where I live, the dry cleaners also do tailoring and hemming, etc. I would try somewhere like that.

Welcome to KF!

[kcconnor]

Well, I ended up trying a hybrid patch/darning technique.

I started off trying to darn it, but the material is just too tightly woven together. The needle made larger holes than I liked and it would have taken about 18 miles of thread to darn/weave the half inch square hole closed.

I took a piece of a trashed gi top and cut a patch from it instead, and made a running stitch on the inside of the jacket. I then created a weave pattern on the outside of the jacket where the hole was. This is intended to halt the fraying of the existing hole. I then darned the weave into the frayed ends of the hole as well as into the patch below.

While the result is not quite professional, it is certainly presentable. I think it will hold up... this is my only gi until my new Juka Silver and my Tokon arrive in the next week. It worked fine for class last night and I don't think the washing machine will cause it too much damage.

[BstonJoker]

It is good to hear you saved it.

I have a couple of Toyo uniforms and I tend to alt them durning the week, I also use a lightweight uniforms when I am just practicing at home

[white owl]

I am glad you were able to save it.