How do I Troubleshoot Brothers Sewing Machines & Buttonholes?

Automatic buttonhole features save time in sewing.

Brother sewing machines with an automatic buttonhole feature can be adjusted to different buttonhole widths and lengths. To use the buttonhole feature, the special buttonhole foot must be used instead of the regular sewing foot. Once a buttonhole is made, the setting can be saved so that each subsequent buttonhole will be the same as the first. Troubleshooting a buttonhole using a Brother sewing machine includes checking the fabric, placing the garment underneath the buttonhole foot correctly and setting the thread length correctly.

Things You'll Need

• Brother sewing machine with automatic buttonhole feature
• Buttonhole pressor foot attachment
• Stabilizer, if needed

Instructions

1. Attach the buttonhole pressor foot correctly and place the fabric at consistent spots on the marked buttonholes. Mark each buttonhole on the garment at where the buttonholes should be, measuring to ensure each is spaced correctly. Place the fabric underneath the buttonhole foot and slide the frame on the bottom, back to the furthest position. Start the buttonhole sewing at the exact same spot on each buttonhole marking.

2. Use a stabilizer if the fabric is puckering. If the fabric is too slippery or thin, the stitching may pucker or bunch up at the buttonhole. Place the stabilizer--cut a few inches larger than the buttonhole itself--and begin sewing. After sewing, carefully remove extra around the buttonhole thread. Repeat with remaining buttonhole markings.

3. Adjust the stitching length if the two sides are not even, or if there is space between the buttonhole stitching. The stitching length helps to keep the buttonhole evenly spaced between each stitch. If there are wide gaps between the stitching, try reducing the stitch length. If the buttonhole thread is bunching up on the sides because of too many stitches sewn together, try reducing the length to give a little more space in between the stitches.

Tips & Warnings

• Sewing a sample buttonhole on the fabric being used will help fine tune the buttonhole setting before it is used on the finished garment.

References

• Brother International: Brother Sewing Machines & Manuals