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Buttonholes are fairly quick and easy to sew. All it requires from you is a bit of patience and some careful marking and measuring beforehand. Keep reading to learn how to make them.
Steps
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Put your buttonhole foot on the machine if you have one. While you can make a buttonhole with the "regular" presser foot attachment, the buttonhole foot helps you measure and make buttonholes of equal length easily.Advertisement -
Measure the placement of your needed buttonhole(s).
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Mark the placement with pins or tailor's chalk.
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Place your presser foot at one end of the buttonhole marking.
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Zig Zag or Satin Stitch a bar the entire width of the buttonhole. (See No. 1 in drawing)
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Set the stitch width to half the width and stitch down on side of the button hole to the other end. (See No. 2 in drawing)
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Zig Zag or Satin Stitch a bar the entire width of the button hole at the far end. (See No. 3 in drawing)
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Re-set your stitch width to half the width and return back to your starting point, keeping your second stitch line parallel to the first. (See No. 4 in drawing)
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Repeat the process for a thicker and more solid stitching line (and therefore buttonhole edge).
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Use a seam ripper or sharp scissor to open the area between the sewn edges. Take care not to cut into the threads.
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Measure and mark your buttonhole carefully.EXPERT TIPBespoke TailorDavid Reeves is a Bespoke Tailor and the Founder of Reeves: Modern English Tailoring, based in New York City. David has been in the bespoke tailoring business for over 25 years and specializes in designing and creating custom, high-end suits. David has worked with influential names in the United Kingdom and the United States such as Richard James of Savile Row, Prada, Commes Des Garcons, and Timothy Everest.
Hand-stitching buttonholes adds a personal touch to garments. Hand-stitching buttonholes is a hallmark of quality craftsmanship in tailoring. The silk thread and wax build structure and form, while each stitch reflects the tailor's skill. Not just aesthetic, these buttonholes showcase personal attention to detail in a bespoke garment.
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Snip or cut the opening, taking care to leave few, if any, loose threads.
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Bring the needle up from the back side of the material.
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Loop the thread through the buttonhole and back up through the material.
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Pass the needle through the loop formed and pull snug.
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Repeat at close intervals.
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Continue around the perimeter of the buttonhole slit until all raw edges are covered firmly and smoothly. You can roll the raw edge slightly as you stitch if you wish.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionWhy are buttonholes important in dress making?Community AnswerThey are only important if the dress you are making has buttons on it. Since most dresses have buttons, learning how to sew buttonholes is important.
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QuestionWhat factors determine the vertical or horizontal buttonhole?Community AnswerMost "store-bought" clothing will have vertical buttonholes because they are faster and easier to sew in the factory. Horizontal buttonholes do not slip open as easily so are most common in home-sewn and quality clothing. A buttonhole placed on the front of a woman's blouse directly in line with the largest point of her breasts will prevent gaping that occurs when the button is placed incorrectly (as is done most often in manufactured clothing).
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QuestionWhich side do the button holes go into on the back of a girl's dress?Community AnswerThe right side. Girls' and women's clothes are right over left. Men's and boys' are left over right.
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Tips
- If you're just starting out, make a "practice" buttonhole on an extra scrap of fabric before making one on a project, especially one that's nearly finished.Thanks
- Using a heavy thread is helpful when making buttonholes by hand.Thanks
- Different sewing machines use different methods of sewing buttonholes. Some require use of the "reverse" knob, while others will sew the entire buttonhole for you without your intervention at any point. Check your user manual for individual machine idiosyncrasies and instructions.Thanks
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Warnings
- Needles and scissors are sharp. Handle with appropriate care.Thanks
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About This Article
Article Summary
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To sew buttonholes by hand, start by measuring and marking your buttonhole carefully. Next, snip or cut the opening. Then, bring a threaded needle up from the back side of the material, loop the thread through the buttonhole and back up through the material. Pass the needle through the formed loop and pull it snug. Repeat this stitch at close intervals around the buttonhole slit until all of the raw edges are covered firmly and smoothly. To learn how to sew buttonholes with a sewing machine, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Assuming I have a fancy machine is not going to help me. Seeing the good pictures of how to hand sew is valuable, as well as for a "no bells/no whistles" machine. Increased my comfort level, since the pattern said "make a buttonhole" and left me there." ..." more
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"Assuming I have a fancy machine is not going to help me. Seeing the good pictures of how to hand sew is valuable, as well as for a "no bells/no whistles" machine. Increased my comfort level, since the pattern said "make a buttonhole" and left me there."
..."
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"How to hand sew a button hole with the loop, and repair a broken zipper was helpful. After getting a high price to replace zippers, I decided to try it myself. The tips were helpful and saved me money."
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"I was checking if buttonhole was made on right side or backside of sewing project. Right side. My sewing machine has very detail directions to make buttonhole. Thank you."
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"I never knew I could do my buttonholes using the free hand, especially how to loop the thread. It was really helpful. Thank you."
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"Was very helpful. I had never sewn a buttonhole before, turned out great. Thanks for the info."
