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How to Sew a Button - Beginner Sewing Series

Jane and Sonja
We're going back to basics with this post on how to sew a button by hand.
5 from 1 vote

Ingredients
  

  • Thread
  • Needles
  • Thread Wax

Instructions
 

2 Hole Button

  • Mark placement of button with washable marker, chalk or wax.
  • Cut thread 24” long.
  • Thread through the eye of the needle.
  • Pull thread all the way through until cut ends match up.
  • Knot the two ends together.
  • At marked placement, insert the needle through the fabric on the back side. Push the needle through all the way and gently pull until the knot catches against the fabric.
  • Secure the ends further by pushing the needle back down and up in the same area.
  • With the threaded needle on the right side of the fabric, grab the 2 hole button and thread the needle through one of the holes. Push it all the way through.
  • Next, thread the needle through the other hole in the opposite direction.
  • Push the needle through the fabric close to the same position.
  • Pull needle and thread all the way through until the button lays flush with fabric.
  • Repeat this 3 or 4 times until the button feels secure.
  • To finish, insert the needle back through to the front side but not through the button.
  • Wrap the thread around the back of the button two times.
  • Then creating a loop with the thread, insert the threaded needle through to knot it in place. Repeat this twice to make it secure.
  • Trim off the loose threads.

4 Hole Button

  • Two Ways: Criss Cross Stitching and Straight Stitching
  • Method 1 - Criss Cross Stitching
  • Mark placement of button with washable marker, chalk or wax.
  • Cut thread 24” long.
  • Thread through the eye of the needle.
  • Pull thread all the way through until cut ends match up.
  • Knot the two ends together.
  • At marked placement, insert the needle through the fabric on the back side. Push the needle through all the way and gently pull until the knot catches against the fabric.
  • Secure the ends further by pushing the needle back down and up in the same area.
  • With the threaded needle on the right side of the fabric, grab the 4 hole button and thread the needle through one of the holes. Push it all the way through.
  • Next, thread the needle through the other hole on the diagonal in the opposite direction.
  • Push the needle through the fabric close to the same position.
  • Pull needle and thread all the way through until the button lays flush with fabric.
  • Push the needle back up through the fabric and insert through one of the other open buttonholes and then thread the needle back through the other hole on the diagonal in the opposite direction, creating a criss cross pattern.
  • Repeat this 3 times in the exact same pattern until the button feels secure.
  • To finish, insert the needle back through to the front side but not through the button.
  • Wrap the thread around the back of the button two times.
  • Then creating a loop with the thread, insert the threaded needle through to knot it in place. Repeat this twice to make it secure.
  • Trim off the loose threads.
  • Method 2 - Straight Stitching
  • Mark placement of button with washable marker, chalk or wax.
  • Cut thread 24” long.
  • Thread through the eye of the needle.
  • Pull thread all the way through until cut ends match up.
  • Knot the two ends together.
  • At marked placement, insert the needle through the fabric on the back side. Push the needle through all the way and gently pull until the knot catches against the fabric.
  • Secure the ends further by pushing the needle back down and up in the same area.
  • With the threaded needle on the right side of the fabric, grab the 4 hole button and thread the needle through one of the holes. Push it all the way through.
  • Next, thread the needle through the neighbouring hole (adjacent to the first hole) in the opposite direction.
  • Push the needle through the fabric close to the same position.
  • Pull needle and thread all the way through until the button lays flush with fabric.
  • Push the needle back up through the fabric and insert through one of the other open buttonholes and then thread the needle back through the remaining open hole, creating a straight pattern.
  • Repeat this 3 times in the exact same pattern until the button feels secure.
  • To finish, insert the needle back through to the front side but not through the button.
  • Wrap the thread around the back of the button two times.
  • Then creating a loop with the thread, insert the threaded needle through to knot it in place. Repeat this twice to make it secure.
  • Trim off the loose threads.

Shank Button

  • Mark placement of button with washable marker, chalk or wax.
  • Cut thread 24” long.
  • Thread through the eye of the needle.
  • Pull thread all the way through until cut ends match up.
  • Knot the two ends together.
  • At marked placement, insert the needle through the fabric on the back side. Push the needle through all the way and gently pull until the knot catches against the fabric.
  • Secure the ends further by pushing the needle back down and up in the same area.
  • With the threaded needle on the right side of the fabric, grab the shank button and thread the needle through the ring hole on the back side. Push it all the way through.
  • Push the needle through the fabric close to the same position.
  • Pull needle and thread all the way through until the shank button lays flush with fabric.
  • Repeat this 3 times until the button feels secure.
  • To finish, insert the needle back through to the front side but not through the ring hole.
  • Wrap the thread around the back of the button two times.
  • Then creating a loop with the thread, insert the threaded needle through to knot it in place. Repeat this twice to make it secure.
  • Trim off the loose threads.

Hook and Bar

  • Mark placement of hook and bar with washable marker, chalk or wax.
  • Cut thread 24” long.
  • Thread through the eye of the needle.
  • Pull thread all the way through until cut ends match up.
  • Knot the two ends together.
  • Attaching Hook
  • Mark the placement of the hook and bar at the inner front waistband of your pants. The hook should be placed on the side that overlaps the waistband (the side facing your body) while the bar should be on the side that faces outward.
  • At marked placement, insert the needle through the fabric on the inner waistband only. Don’t push the needle through to the top side otherwise the stitching will be visible. Instead push the needle back out about ⅛” away and push it through the fabric. Gently pull the thread until the knot catches against the fabric.
  • Secure the ends further by pushing the needle back down and up in the same area. Again avoid pushing through to the top layer of the waistband.
  • Grab the hook and thread the needle through the top hole. Push it all the way through.
  • Push the needle through the fabric close to the same position and back up about ⅛” away.
  • Pull needle and thread all the way through until the hook lays flush with fabric.
  • Repeat this 3 times
  • Continue this method with the other holes on the hook until it’s secure.
  • To finish, create a loop with the thread and insert the threaded needle through to knot it in place. Repeat this twice to make it secure.
  • Trim off the loose threads.
  • Do the same steps with the bar component of the closure on the other side of the waistband.
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