The Fabric Mender repairs tears, holes, and other defects in fabrics, such as draperies, linens, parachutes, and tents.
Duties:
The Fabric Mender measure and hem curtains, garments, and canvas coverings to size, using tape measures. The Fabric Mender operates sewing machines to restitch defective seams, sew up holes, or replace components of fabric articles. The Fabric Mender spreads out articles or materials and examines them for holes, tears, worn areas, and other defects. The Fabric Mender stamp grommets into canvas, using mallets and punches or eyelet machines. The Fabric Mender trims edges of cut or torn fabric, using scissors or knives, and stitch trimmed edges together. The Fabric Mender patches holes, sews tears and ripped seams, or darn defects in items, using needles and thread or sewing machines. The Fabric Menders check repaired and repacked survival equipment to ensure that it meets specifications. The Fabric Menders sew labels and emblems onto articles for identification a part of their job function. The Fabric Mender repairs holes by weaving thread over them, using needles in most projects assigned. Often the Fabric Mender must clean stains from fabric or garments, using spray guns and cleaning fluid.
Activities:
The Fabric Mender must be able to use hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. The projects that they are working on are not normally heavy, however, many projects may come boxed up in one box and these boxes may be heavy. The Fabric Mender observes, receives and otherwise obtains information from all relevant sources before starting a project. Then the Fabric Mender must develop specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish their work. The Fabric Mender uses control mechanisms like sewing machines or serge’s in order to complete projects. In some cases the hand held method of using threads and needles is required to complete a repair project. The Fabric Mender must provide information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person concerning how the project is progressing and how soon it will be accomplished. When the Fabric Mender has been given a project for repairs they need to be able to identify information about project by categorizing, e-mail, or in person.
Abilities and Skills:
- The Fabric Mender must have the ability to keep their hand and arm steady while moving the arm or holding the arm and hand in one position. In other words they should be able to hold the item they are repairing steady and not make the repair job worse than it is originally.
- The Fabric Mender needs good manual dexterity which is the ability to quickly move the hand, the hand together with the arm, or two hands to grasp manipulate, or assemble objects.
- The Fabric Mender needs the ability to see things at very close range on a continuous basis.
- The Fabric Mender needs the ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
- The Fabric Mender needs the skill to give their full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- The Fabric Mender needs the ability to conduct tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- The Fabric Mender needs the ability to understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem solving and decision making.
- The Fabric Mender must have the ability to teach others on the team how to repair the project using the proper tools.
- The Fabric Mender must have the skill to determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do the repair job and make adjustments whenever necessary.
- The Fabric Mender must have the skill to understand written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- The Fabric Mender must have knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing effective manufacture and distribution of goods. This knowledge helps them to understand the project that they are working on and how to assess the type of repair that will be needed to complete the project.