Chapter 3: Mending

Created by Sarah Choi (prompt writer using ChatGPT)

Mending — Patches, Darning & Visible Repair

Wear, Weathering & Damage for Costume Concept Artists (Scuffs, Stains, Tears, Repairs)

Equally useful for concept‑side ideation and production‑side handoff. Plain, visual language for concept artists.

1) Why mending matters

Mending converts failure into feature. A well‑placed repair stabilizes a garment, anchors the wear story, and adds graphic rhythm. For production, repairs also create predictable edges for shaders, decals, and physics. Visible mending (“make it a badge”) is a design choice that can telegraph culture, resource scarcity, status, pride, or grief—without a single line of dialogue.

Key outcomes to design for:

  • Structure: stop a tear from spreading (darts, bar tacks, underpatches).
  • Comfort: remove scratch points, stiffen or soften as needed.
  • Readability: create a high‑contrast focal that survives gameplay distance.
  • Continuity: provide versions (Clean → Worn → Damaged → Patched) that scale across a campaign.

2) Repair decision tree (use this before you draw)

  1. Material type? Woven / Knit / Leather / Coated synthetic.
  2. Damage type? Hole / Slit / Fray / Seam failure / Delamination.
  3. Load path? Is this area under tension (knees, elbows, crotch) or mostly cosmetic (skirt hem)?
  4. Available tech? Hand stitch, treadle, industrial machine, adhesives, rivets, heat‑patch.
  5. Aesthetic intent? Invisible, discreet, or proud/visible.

Choose one primary technique and one support technique. Example: underpatch + sashiko grid or zig‑zag darn + bar‑tack stops.

3) Patch typology (overlay vs underlay and friends)

  • Overlay patch (top‑mounted): Fast, graphic. Edges visible. Best for holes/frays on wovens and canvas. Shape reads at distance.
    • Edge finishes: turned edge, raw pinked, bias‑bound, leather edge‑paint, riveted corners.
    • Silhouette note: large rectangles read military/utility; circles read handcrafted; wedges fit knees/elbows.
  • Underpatch (backing patch): Subtle. Supports fabric from below; edges show through hole like aperture reveal. Great for preserving original surface graphics.
  • Reverse appliqué: Intentionally cuts outer layer to expose underlayer color/texture; useful for storyful repairs (guild colors beneath).
  • Gusset insert: Replaces a stressed region with a shaped piece that adds mobility (e.g., diamond underarm, knee crescent). Reads as both repair and upgrade.
  • Rivet‑tab patch: Small leather or metal tabs at tear tips; stops propagation. Industrial, shipwright, or workwear vibe.
  • Heat‑patch film (synthetics): Clean oval/rectangle fused in; crisp edge with slight gloss shift; ideal for shells.
  • Sailcloth zig‑zag tape: Wide, bold zig‑zag track securing a ripstop patch; nautical/airship vibe.

4) Darning & reweaving (closing the gap without a patch)

  • Weave‑darning (warp/weft rebuild): Threads run across the gap, interlacing to mimic the fabric. Best on wool suiting, denim.
    • Visual: micro grid with subtle sheen shift; edges soft.
  • Knit darning (duplicate stitch): Loops re‑created along the ladder; best on sweaters, rib cuffs.
    • Visual: slight puff; color may not match perfectly → charming mismatch.
  • Machine zig‑zag darn: Dense zig‑zag spans a slit; notable on cuffs, elbows; reads like a textured bar.
  • Invisible reweaving (French weave): High skill. Thread pulled from hem to reweave. Nearly invisible; use to hint wealth or pride.
  • Net/mesh darn: Intentional transparency or ventilation panel over hole; sci‑fi athletic read.

5) Stitch & hardware vocabulary (graphic building blocks)

  • Running stitch / sashiko: rhythmic dashes; can form grids, chevrons, waves. Good for reinforcing zones (knees, elbows).
  • Whipstitch / overcast: wraps raw edges; visible on leather patches.
  • Blanket stitch: decorative edge armor on blankets, ponchos, cloaks.
  • Backstitch / saddle stitch: strong line, clean; classic on leather.
  • Bartacks: concentrated stitch bars at stress points (pocket corners, slit tips).
  • Rivets / grommets: metal stress relief; mix with stitches for hybrid logic.
  • Lacing bridges: tie‑up to close a tear when fabric shortage exists; pirate/salvage read.

Guideline: Keep stitch length and spacing consistent within a repair; vary between repairs to show time and different hands.

6) Placement logic at cuffs, knees, elbows

  • Cuffs (sleeve & hem):
    • Narrow binding or leather tape to halt fray; color‑contrast for visibility.
    • Small rivet‑tabs at back split; bar‑tack at facing end.
    • Underpatch where cuff has worn through on the fold; tie to dirt ring in your maps.
  • Knees:
    • Overlay crescents shaped to kneecap; bias‑cut denim patch for stretch; sashiko grid thru‑stitched for strength.
    • Gusset wedge over patella for crawlers; read as performance upgrade.
  • Elbows:
    • Classic oval leather or suede; edge‑stitch 2–3 mm from rim; slight polish on apex.
    • Zig‑zag darn on slit at elbow apex; add bar‑tack stops at ends.

Asymmetry: Favor dominant side. Use 1.4× size/intensity to sell handedness.

7) Material‑specific repair grammar

Woven cotton/denim

  • Frays; responds well to overlay patches and boro layering. Contrast thread sells read.

Wool/melton

  • Darns blend well; invisible reweaving possible. Leather elbow patches feel period/academic.

Leather

  • Use saddle stitch and rivet tabs. Color shift at pull‑up; edge paint chips first.

Knits

  • Prefer duplicate stitch and knit‑in darns. Overlay patches can distort unless stabilized.

Synthetics (nylon/poly)

  • Heat‑patch films and seam tape are canon. Stitching can perforate and start tears—use wider radii corners.

8) Color, value & roughness cues for repair reads

  • Fresh patch: slightly different chroma; edges crisp; roughness difference (matte canvas vs shiny shell).
  • Aged patch: dirt halo at stitch line; tiny puckers; thread fuzz; polish at elbow/knee apex.
  • Thread contrast: pick high‑contrast to advertise pride or low‑contrast for discreet repair.
  • Metal hardware: small spec hits on rivets/grommets; ring stains (rust) form vertical tears below.

9) Story & culture through mending

  • Pride‑of‑craft: uniform grid sashiko, color harmony, symmetrical placements.
  • Resource‑scarce salvage: mixed fabrics, odd shapes, lacing bridges, visible whipstitch.
  • Guild code: patch color/shape as rank signal (e.g., diamond = journeyman).
  • Ritual memory: golden thread mends after loss (kintsugi‑adjacent logic).
  • Stealth/invisibility: perfect reweave → wealth, access, or clandestine fixes.

Keep the repair language consistent across a faction.

10) Concept‑side workflow (A/B/C passes)

A — Landmark pass:

  • Choose 2–3 repair sites (knee, cuff, elbow). Block shapes: oval leather, crescent denim, grid darn.
  • Ensure silhouette readability; one patch should touch a contour for instant read.

B — Material pass:

  • Add stitch type, spacing, and thread weight. Switch normal/roughness: puckers around stitching, polish on high points.

C — Time pass:

  • Layer dirt halos, tiny loose threads, one micro‑repair on top of an older patch (meta‑repair). Add 1–2 cause clues (rust tear from rivet, oil halo at knee).

LOD: At gameplay range keep patch silhouettes and stitch bars; micro fuzz reserved for closeups.

11) Production‑side (texture/shader/geo)

  • Mask packing suggestion:
    • R: Patch ID (for tint/roughness offset)
    • G: Stitch mask (height/normal & spec boost)
    • B: Pucker/warp intensity around stitching
    • A: Metal/rivet/grommet highlights
  • Normals: add subtle bevel around patch edge; stitch height with anisotropic highlight.
  • Blend materials: use material layer for patch vs base cloth (separate tilers).
  • Decals: use for temporary field fixes (duct tape, safety pin shadows, fresh glue smear).
  • Geometry: thin geo for prominent patches at elbows/knees to avoid texture swimming; tie to rig with additional weights.
  • Cloth sim flags: slightly stiffer bend at patched zone; higher friction at leather bindings.

12) Case studies (concept → production)

  1. Courier’s denim (urban rider)
    • Concept: right knee overlay crescent in darker indigo; bar‑tacks at tips; chain‑oil freckles at inner right hem.
    • Production: unique mask for patch tint; stitch G‑mask; decal oil freckles; vertex color for inner‑calf polish.
  2. Scholar’s tweed (wool)
    • Concept: suede elbow ovals, warm brown; invisible reweave on left cuff nick; ink halo on right cuff.
    • Production: secondary material slot for suede; stitch normal; AO dirt catch at cuff fold; low‑contrast reweave normal detail.
  3. Shipwright’s coat (waxed canvas)
    • Concept: sailcloth reverse‑appliqué exposing lighter canvas; zig‑zag tape; rivet tabs at tear tips; tar smears.
    • Production: alpha‑masked reverse shape; parallax for canvas weave; roughness drop on tar; rivet spec hits.
  4. Arctic shell (synthetic)
    • Concept: heat‑patch ovals on elbows; lifted seam tape corner; salt ring at cuffs.
    • Production: glossy patch roughness; normal map for tape lift; A‑channel salt rings.

13) Common mistakes & quick fixes

  • Patches with no cause: Add a prior tear direction or abrasion field under the patch.
  • Perfect rectangles everywhere: Vary shapes; align edges to grain or motion. Use radiused corners on synthetics.
  • Thread scale too big: Keep stitch length proportional (3–6 mm real → subtle at texture res).
  • No pucker: Add slight inward pull around stitch line; it sells attachment.
  • Symmetry overload: Offset placements and sizes; keep one hero repair.
  • Leather patch on thin knit with no support: Add interfacing layer callout.

14) Variant matrix template (duplicate per character)

VariantCuffsKneesElbowsExtras
Cleannonenonenonen/a
Wornedge binding scuffwhisker creasesfaint polish—
Damagedfray at foldslit at patellacrackled coatingloose threads
Patchedleather bindingcrescent overlay + sashikosuede ovalrivet tabs + label date

15) Quick exercises (skill‑builder)

  1. Repair first: Place one bold patch, then paint the cause under/around it.
  2. Stitch banks: Create a 20‑tile sheet of stitch types at 1:1 scale; reuse as decals.
  3. Material swap: Re‑do the same repair across denim → wool → leather → nylon; note how edge/shine changes.
  4. Chronology stack: Paint Clean → Torn → Patched → Patched‑again layer order without losing reads.

16) One‑pager template (copy/paste)

Garment: ______ Role: ______ Env: ______

Repair sites: Cuffs □ Knees □ Elbows □ Other: ______

Damage type: Hole □ Slit □ Fray □ Seam pop □ Delam □

Technique: Overlay □ Underpatch □ Darn □ Reweave □ Heat‑patch □ Gusset □

Stitch/Hardware: Running □ Sashiko □ Zig‑zag □ Bartack □ Rivet □ Lacing □

Materials: Base ______ Patch ______ Thread ______ Hardware ______

Mask/shader plan: R patch | G stitch | B pucker | A hardware

Normals/roughness notes: __________________________

Asymmetry: __________________________

LOD: Gameplay vs close‑up __________________________

Final reminder

Repairs are verbs. Choose the technique that matches the cause and culture, make one repair the hero, and let material truth (grain, edge, sheen, pucker) do the talking.