How to Hand Sew a Buttonhole

From time to time, you'll need to sew a new buttonhole on your clothes. Here is a quick and easy approach to sewing buttonholes.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Interfacing
• Button
• Fabric marker
• Straight pins
• Scissors
• Thread
• Needle

1. Prepare the garment. Be sure to put interfacing in between the facing and the front of the garment. You can sew it in or you can use iron on interfacing.

2. Mark the buttonholes with fabric marker or tailor tacks. Use the button to get the correct length. Make sure each buttonhole is exactly the same length and the same distance from the front edge of the garment.

3. Cut the buttonhole open with a pair of sharp scissors. In a machine buttonhole, you do this step after the buttonhole is finished.

4. Thread your needle. You can use regular sewing thread or you can use special wax-coated buttonhole thread if you prefer. You can also wax your own thread.

5. Make a small knot in the end of the doubled thread. Insert the needle on the backside of the buttonhole and bring it to the front.

6. Bring the needle from the front to the back of the garment. Insert the needle into the buttonhole and pull it to the front again. Sew another stitch about three threads to the left of the first thread. Before you pull the needle through the fabric, use your hand to loop the thread underneath the needle to form the buttonhole stitch.

7. Repeat Step 6 until you get one side of the buttonhole finished. Take three stitches to tack the end. Turn the garment around and work your way back to the other end of the buttonhole. Take three more stitches to tack that end. Tie off your thread to finish your buttonhole.