DIY rug repairs - Wally or other handy bod?

[Anna.C]

The leg straps on one of Harry's rugs have both failed in exactly the same place (nice one Masta!). The little metal bit that slides up and down to adjust the length has snapped in half, meaning that the straps are permanently at full length, and therefore no good for anything.

While I'm quite at home with a concrete mixer or drill, sewing ain't my thing (I nearly lost a finger in a horrendous stiching incident and am still traumatised). But I reckon the easiest way to fix this is to sew the straps to the length wanted and do away with the adjustable thing altogether. I'm guessing that the most suitable tool for sewing nylon webbing would be some sort of sailing needle - and what would be the best kind of thread to use? Is there a website or somewhere that does mail order for this stuff. I am dead centre in the middle of Devon and don't make it to the coast - where presumably all the sailing suppliers are located.

Any help on this would be appreciated - I am so hamfisted at this stuff you wouldn't believe. Once made curtains using nothing more than a length of cloth and a large stapler.... but that's another story.

[MadWoman]

Hi Anna,

For anything that needs to last outdoors, I tend to use waxed thread which you can get from any decent cobblers. If you can't get hold of any, then buy some strong upholstery thread and wax it by rubbing it along the side of a normal household candle, making sure you get a good covering of wax on the thread. Any strong needle with as good sized eye, such as a darning or a leather needle should do for it.

I make lots of things out of lether or heavy material that need to last outdoors for my re-enacting, and find the above method isn't necessarily pretty, but it's strong and it lasts!

Good luck with it!

[Catherine]

I do all my own rug repairs and also do it as a part-time money-spinner to help pay for the horses. As a result, I have rather an extensive "library" of bits and bobs, so if you tell me what colour the leg straps are and what your address is, I will send you a few yards of matching thread. It's shame to buy a whole reel if you're not likely to use it again. I use upholstery thread, as my sewing machine is designed to cope with it.

I can also send you new adjusters if you like, with a few drawings explaining how to put them on. It's really not difficult, honest, and if you're going to stitch the straps anyway to make them shorter, you can use that effort to stitch the adjusters in place. There is also a very easy way for refitting adjusters without doing any sewing at all, just a decent knot, so maybe that will convince you?

If you do want to stitch them, as you're going through two layers of webbing - presumably the inch-wide sort - you just need a strong needle with an eye that's big enough to take the thread double.

I've had problems with the leg straps on 3 different Masta rugs myself, and have stopped buying them now! If yours actually detach from the rug altogether (which they probably don't), I'd be quite happy to repair them for you, if you would pay return postage. The materials themselves cost about 4p for an adjuster (I use plastic, as they don't rust and don't slide of their own accord so easily), and about 0.5p worth of thread!!!!

Let me know either way!

[Anna.C]

Wow - such expertise! I think I'm going to have to have a good look at the straps when I get home tonight and try and figure out what I'm capable of doing. Replacing the adjusters would make sense if its as easy as you say Catherine. The legstraps aren't detatchable - I've never bought another Masta since, but at the time was lured by the cheapness - big mistake.

I'll post again this evening when I've had another look.
Maybe I should be ashamed of being so useless with a needle and thread... :o

[Catherine]

I can't programme a video to save my life and was very nervous about driving our new car as it was an automatic!!!!

Whatever you fancy trying, just PM or e-mail me!