How to Sew Buttons by Hand on a Knit Garment

Sewing buttons on knit

Finishing a hand knit garment can be a tedious process, and one that many knitters put off. Knowing and understanding finishing techniques, including how to sew buttons on a hand knit garment, can make this process easier and allow you to take more projects from the unfinished object stage to a finished wearable. Choose the right buttons in both size and shape for your garment, then sew the buttons on properly to make certain that they function well and last for years.

Things You'll Need

• Finished hand knit garment
• Buttons
• Hand sewing needle
• Coordinating sewing thread or embroidery floss

Instructions

1. Finish your knit garment. Sew all seams and if appropriate, block the garment into the correct shape. In the case of many items, like cardigans or a button front vest, use this time to make sure that your buttonholes are straight and line up correctly with the other side of the knit garment.

2. Choose buttons for your hand knit item. Keep the size of the button in mind. Shank style buttons often work best when sewing in knit. However, a two- or four-hole button can work on a finer gauge garment. Your buttons should fit snugly into the buttonholes without stretching them out of shape. You may find it helpful to take your finished knit garment along when shopping for buttons.

3. Mark the placement for your buttons. Use a bit of scrap yarn or a coil-less safety pin to mark the correct placement for each button on your hand knit garment.

4. Thread your needle with a doubled strand of thread or embroidery floss, threading the ends through the eye of the needle. Choose the largest needle that will comfortably go through the hole or holes in your button for ease as you hand sew buttons on knit garments. Secure the thread to your knit garment by creating a slipknot when you pass the needle through the loop created by the end of your doubled strand of thread.

5. Sew buttons securely to your hand knit garment in each marked space. Be sure to double-check the alignment with each buttonhole, especially if you will be sewing buttons in multiple locations on the garment. If using a four-hole button, stitch in either an X pattern or two lines as you prefer. Once the button is securely sewn onto your knit garment, pull the thread to the back of the button, between the button and the garment. Wrap the thread around the stitching several times creating a shaft or shank to allow room for the knit fabric. Tie your thread off by passing it several times through this shank.

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Tips & Warnings

• Sew an extra button into the side seam allowance for ease of replacement in the future.