Button Sewing Instructions

Button sewing is one of those skills that almost everyone should possess. It is likely that at some point, a button will become loose or lost from an article of your clothing. When you know how to properly sew on a button, this event will be a mere annoyance instead of a crisis.

Choose Your Button

If you are matching a button on an existing article of clothing, it is possible that the clothing manufacturer included a spare button or two inside the bottom hem. If there are no spare buttons, check to see if you have a button that will match existing buttons as closely as possible. If you can't find a match, consider replacing all of the buttons.

Buttons come in all shapes and sizes. The two button styles are called "sew through" and "shank." Sew-through buttons are flat buttons with either two or four holes in the center. Shank buttons do not have holes in the center and have a shank underneath with a hole for sewing on the button.

Common button sizes range from ¼ inch to 1 inch, with smaller and larger buttons also available.

Sewing a Sew-Through Button

Thread a needle with a double length of thread approximately 8 inches long. Knot the end securely. Insert the needle into the fabric at the place where the button will be sewn and make one very small stitch. Take another stitch directly over the first stitch. Put the button in place over the stitches made and insert the needle up through one of the holes. Insert the needle back down through another button hole and down through the fabric. Pull the needle and thread taut. Slide a pin between the stitched thread and button to create a shank. Make four stitches through each pair of holes in the button. End by inserting the needle back down into one of the button holes, but do not insert it into the fabric. Remove the pin and wrap the thread three times tightly around the sewn threads under the button to create a thread shank. Insert the needle down into the fabric, pull the thread taut and tie a secure knot. Clip the thread.

Sewing a Shank Button

Thread a needle with a double length of thread approximately 8 inches long. Knot the end securely. Insert the needle into the fabric at the place where the button will be sewn and make one very small stitch. Take another stitch directly over the first stitch. Put the button in place over the stitches made and insert the needle through the hole in the shank. Pull the thread through and insert the needle back down through the fabric. Pull the thread taut. Insert the needle back up through the fabric and through the hole in the shank again. Take four complete stitches in this fashion, ending with the needle on the underside of the fabric. Pull the thread taut and tie a secure knot. Clip the thread.

References

• Sewing Basics: Creating a Stylish Wardrobe With Step-by-Step Techniques; Pat Moyes; 1999