Things You'll Need:
- Button Needle Thread Scissors
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Step 1
Choose your button. Sometimes the button falls off in the washing machine and you can retrieve it. Some shirt manufacturers include extra buttons on the inside of the shirt, right below the buttons or button holes. If you don't have the actual button that came with the shirt and matches the rest of the buttons, you will need to get one. If your fabric store doesn't have what you need, try the local thrift store. Many thrift stores will sell small jars of buttons they've taken off stained or otherwise unsellable clothing, and the whole jar can cost less than $1.
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Step 2
Choose your thread. Once you have a matching button, look carefully and see what color thread is used on the original buttons. Does the thread match the shirt or does it match the button? Again, if you don't have the right color thread, take the shirt to the store and match the button thread.
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Step 3
Thread the needle. Use about an arm's length of thread on each side of the eye, and cut. Knot the two ends together; you will be sewing with a "double thread."
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Step 4
Sew on the button. It should be obvious where exactly the button is supposed to go. There may be threads left from the last button or, if you look carefully, there may be holes in the fabric where the thread used to be. Either way, line up the button so it will go through the correct button hole once it's sewn on, and make sure it's in line with all the other buttons on the shirt. Hold the button in place between the thumb and forefinger of your non-dominant hand.
If the button has two holes, bring the needle up through the shirt and one hole, and down through the other hole and through the shirt. Repeat four or five times, knot the thread on the underside of the shirt, and snip the unused thread off.
If the button has four holes, look and see how the other buttons were sewn on---does the thread go in one hole and out the next, making a tiny "equal sign" with the thread? Or does it form an X shape? Copy the pattern. If the thread on top of the other buttons looks like a tiny "equal sign" repeat the steps for the two-hole button, above. and repeat for both sets of holes before knotting. If the thread on top of the button makes a little X, make your diagonals by bringing the thread up through one hole and down the diagonal hole four or five times each. Knot and trim as above.
