<p>D has a trench-coat-style wool coat that has the typical little belts around each sleeve at the cuff. One of the plastic buckles snapped off and was lost. She removed both the buckle-less belt and its partner, and I can cut off the belt loops so the sleeves are just plain, but it’s shame to lose the detailing. I think it would be a simple matter to replace the buckle, even with my pathetic sewing skills, but we haven’t had a fabric/sewing store in our area for years. Can anyone could suggest an good online source for this type of sewing supply? I came up empty using my best Googling skills. I just need black plastic buckles about one inch by one and one-half inch. (All my problems should be this trivial, right?)</p>
<p>Joann?
[buckles :</a> Shop | Joann.com](<a href=“http://www.joann.com/joann/search/searchall.jsp?keyword=buckles&catPath=All%20Products////Product%20Home////UserSearch1=buckles&_requestid=5376473]buckles :”>http://www.joann.com/joann/search/searchall.jsp?keyword=buckles&catPath=All%20Products////Product%20Home////UserSearch1=buckles&_requestid=5376473)</p>
<p>I thought this was about backed up septic tank. Whoops.</p>
<p>Barrons…I had the same thought.</p>
<p>Just a thought for the OP…do you need the buckles? Can you sew the little belts together and sew them onto the coat without the buckles?</p>
<p>Add me to camp that was going to read about backed up toilets!</p>
<p>Any tailor shops in your town?<br>
DS was handed down a beautiful expensive long wool coat. He was grateful to have it as he had NOTHING to wear with formal clothes he often needs to wear for work/school.
BUT the length and sleeve length was tooo long.
Tailor hemmed coat, shortened sleeves and relocated the buckle thingys on the sleeves.
It was not very expensive and well worth it for him to have the finished product.</p>
<p>My septic system is just dandy, thanks! It will be the first spot in the yard where the snow melts–always a little unnerving to think that it’s producing that much heat!</p>
<p>Joanne’s website doesn’t have anything simple enough. And I was hoping to avoid paying a tailor for such a minor thing. The buckle probably cost 10 cents to produce. I can sew the belt together, but than all those belt holes will look weird. Guess it’s best to just clip the loops off and move on to other similarly monumental matters.</p>
<p>Momma, do you have any tack shops near you? I have bought many buckles over the years from our local one and they usually have thousands to choose from (it may take some digging). I’ve replaced shoe, boot, goalie pad, and everything but horse gear buckles thanks to them! They usually charge me less than a $1 and if there’s leather to be sewn they’ll do that very cheap too.</p>
<p>Yes, there’s a tack shop one town over, I’ll give it a try, thanks! I had to buy D boots and a helmet there for horseback riding at overnight camp years ago. Boy, did I feel like an outsider among the horsey set there. It’s a whole different world.</p>
<p>Well, give it whirl if you’re nearby…in my area, most horses either work (Amish-owned) or race, so our “horsey set” are pretty down-to-earth folk! I’ve attracted some odd looks over the years as I was digging through the drawers of buckles and holding them up to hockey equipment, but a mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do:)</p>
<p>MommaJ, would this one work:
<a href=“http://www.ejoyce.com/pmain?cmd=e_view[/url]”>http://www.ejoyce.com/pmain?cmd=e_view</a></p>
<p>There are plenty of other buckles on that site. I’ll look for other sites as well.</p>
<p>Lots of buckles here: [Tandy</a> Leather Factory - Leathercraft and Leather Craft Supplies](<a href=“http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/default.asp]Tandy”>http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/default.asp)
Don’t see any black ones, but perhaps one of the metal finishes would look okay?</p>
<p>Hate to say it, but Walmart seems to be a crafters delight these days. I would check out their craft section … also any other craft stores in your neighborhood, such as Michaels.</p>
<p>Walmart’s is my choice around here, but here’s another idea: have you gone to the goodwill or a thrift store near you? Sometimes, the perfect thing is attached to some other coat.</p>
<p>“home sewers” [as in SO-er] not a sewer system [as in SU-er]: lol</p>
<p>I would check with an outdoor outfitter such as REI. They sell buckles & other repair parts for outdoor clothing & gear. For example, [url=<a href=“http://www.rei.com/search?search=buckles&seq=21&hist=query%2Cbuckles]here[/url”>http://www.rei.com/search?search=buckles&seq=21&hist=query%2Cbuckles]here[/url</a>] is a package of four buckles from $.80 to $1.75. REI has 3/4, 1, 1.5 and 2-inch durable plastic buckles.</p>
<p>Some ideas:</p>
<p>Lots of interesting web sites – try Atlanta Thread Company or Clothilde.</p>
<p>Have you contacted the coat’s manufacturer or the strore where you bought it?</p>
<p>You might also talk to a local dry cleaner, particularly one that provides tailoring services.</p>
<p>New York and San Francisco (and probably some other big cities but I don’t know them)_ have “fabric districts” or notably large fabric supply stores. Don’t be afraid to talk to wholesalers; if they can’t sell to you for whatever reason, they are often willing to set you up with a client who carries what you need.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that you may have to buy 2 of something similar rather than one that matches.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>In order to get matching buckles, you may have to lose the good buckle and replace it and the broken one with new ones. JoAnne Fabric will probably be your best bet for replacement buckles…or you might visit Goodwill or Salvation Army, purchase a similar coat and ‘rob’ the buckles…</p>
<p>Sadly, home sewing is becoming a lost art.</p>
<p>Try this place: [Decorative</a> Trims, Cords & Fringe from M&J Trimming](<a href=“http://www.mjtrim.com%5DDecorative”>http://www.mjtrim.com) </p>
<p>They sell all kinds of delightful things for sewing buffs.</p>
<p>I don’t know where you’re located, but it’s in NYC on Sixth Avenue in the 30’s.</p>
<p>Maybe one of these would work? [Hardware</a> for Sewing](<a href=“http://www.seattlefabrics.com/slides.html]Hardware”>Sewing Hardware | Bar Slide Buckle | Seattle Fabrics) If not, try elsewhere in the hardware section of their website - they seem to have everything!</p>
<p>Thanks all–you guys are a treasure trove of great ideas! I ordered two buckles, with prongs (figured out that was what I needed after perusing the photos on the websites–some have prongs, many don’t–now I’m am expert) from ejoyce, suggested by Momcat2. </p>
<p>I was rather traumatized by a sewing class in junior high school (in those days every girl, regardless of academic track, took sewing, “home management” and home nursing–hard to imagine now, isn’t it?), so I never wanted to even think about home sewing. H worked for a major sewing machine manufacturer early in his career and I was always being offered high-end sewing machines and sergers for practically nothing and declined every time. Even back then home sewing was dying as more and more women entered the workforce–I imagine the US market is decimated now. The only person I know who actually sews her own clothes these days is one of D’s friends, who has an incredible sense of style and always looks like she walked out of a magazine, as opposed to the kids I knew back in the day whose clothes were always obviously mom-made. But I can still handle minor repairs and do a decent hem by hand, skills my kids’ generation leaves to the dry cleaner.</p>
<p>There are still lots of home sewers who do crafts. Quilting is still very popular. My 81-year-old mom uses her sewing machine all the time. But I don’t know anyone who makes clothing any more.</p>
<p>I had “home ec” in junior high too, for one trimester in 7th and 8th grade. The sewing instruction was very strict and painful and enough to turn anyone off to the idea. I love sewing by hand, and I like fixing and repairing clothing. My D is happy to have me do it!</p>