How to Fix a Large Moth Hole in a Vintage Dress

If you wear vintage, I have no doubt that you have in your time, come across the dreaded moth hole! Those pesky moths just love to feast on fine vintage garments and take a snack on your prized fashion items!

Moth holes are notorious for ruining otherwise good vintage. Did you know the moths actually eat the fabric! So with the combination of time ( the dress might be 70 years old remember!) and the fact that vintage garments are mostly made from natural fibers (which moths love, think wool), it is a losing combination.

Watch the video here for the full tutorial I made on how I repaired the large moth holes on this vintage dress, and then how I further disguised the patches I just made with a beautiful organza collar!

Maybe you have a piece that has just been ruined by moths, or maybe you have a piece that has come to you in its current state of despair, either way, there are a few ways you can repair the moth hole damage to your beloved vintage garment!

The ‘sewing surgery’ you will need to perform will depend on the fabric, the size of the hole and the placement of the hole. All this will determine what might be the best course of action for your vintage item.

I was making repairs to a bulk lot of vintage garments for a local vintage dealer and came across this stunning 1930’s gem, that was tragically riddled with moth holes! Most were not too bad, except for the giant holes the hungry little moths ate along the front shoulder line where it would have been perched on the coat hanger.

To cover a hole this size it needs to be patched over as there is too much fabric missing. And because of its location, right at the neckline, I also decided that it needed disguising! And so I devised a plan to make a simple organza, peter pan style collar to cover the patches they are not noticeable when it is all done.

I hope you find this tutorial useful and it gives you a chance to revive a vintage garment that the pesky moths may have had their way with!

Watch the video on my Youtube channel here

Let me know what inspiration you took from this video in the comments below! And if you have any other tricks for this problem so we can all read about it!