Sewing buttonholes made easy with these instructions

Sewing a buttonhole: A real challenge for many sewing enthusiasts. In this guide, I'll show you how even beginners can create beautiful, durable buttonholes!

The most important things at a glance

• With this guide, even buttonhole beginners are guaranteed to create a beautiful, well-functioning buttonhole
• An automatic buttonhole is sewn using the sewing machine's buttonhole stitcher
• You sew a manual buttonhole using only the sewing machine, but without the automatic stitcher
• Buttonholes are by far the most heavily stressed part of a garment, so you should use thread that can withstand the strain

Feeling a bit intimidated? Sewing a buttonhole is really easy!

Are you also a buttonhole avoider (like I was for a long time)?

Then here's the good news: sooner or later, we can't avoid it in our sewing journey: we have to sew buttonholes! :)

But that's not enough! They shouldn't just work well. They should also look beautiful. And give the self-sewn garment a high-quality appearance.

In this post, you'll learn what you need to know about sewing buttonholes with the sewing machine's buttonhole stitcher. There's also a short section on sewing buttonholes manually. :)

Reading tip: Sewing on a button

What is the difference between a manual and an automatic buttonhole?

An automatic buttonhole is sewn using the sewing machine's buttonhole stitcher.

You sew a manual buttonhole using only the sewing machine, but without the automatic stitcher.

Sewing a buttonhole: Which thread is right?

Do I need special buttonhole thread? The answer is: yes and no! Your self-sewn buttonholes can certainly be very beautiful.
However, they will be more durable if you sew them with special buttonhole thread.

Keep in mind: Buttonholes are by far the most heavily stressed part of a garment. Once a buttonhole is torn, it is very difficult to repair it so that it looks decent again.

Therefore, you should choose a thread from the start that can withstand the strain.

Gütermann offers a thread^* that is specially designed for heavily stressed seams. And that's exactly what a buttonhole is: a seam!

You can use this thread not only for buttonholes. It is also very good for topstitching on trousers or jackets.

It's best to choose a neutral color, such as a medium gray. You can use it for many sewing projects.

As an alternative to buttonhole thread, you can also use jeans or topstitching thread^*.

You should also test this version on a sample piece.

My tip: If you have some jeans thread left over afterwards: You can also use it for beautiful, durable topstitching on bags!

Which bobbin thread should I use for buttonhole thread?

Since buttonhole, jeans, or topstitching thread is usually quite thick and strong, the buttonhole would become bulky if you also filled the bobbin with this thread.

Instead, choose a thread in the fabric color. An all-purpose thread^* is very suitable for this.

What does a buttonhole foot look like?

A buttonhole foot is part of the sewing machine's buttonhole stitcher. It has a plastic guide that the button can be placed into. Once the button is in the recess, it is clamped in place with a small bar.

Based on this step, the machine automatically calculates the length of the buttonhole required for this button.

On the front right, you'll see a kind of metal "flag" with a small slit-shaped recess.

This is a holder that can accommodate a reinforcement plate. This is especially useful for stretch fabrics and knit fabrics.

The reinforcement plate also helps when sewing buttonholes on edges or lapels.

Calculating buttonhole length

The buttonhole length is calculated from the button's diameter + height.

Calculating buttonhole spacing: How do you do it?

When calculating buttonhole spacing, you can make it very easy: There are special spacers^* that automatically calculate the spacing between the buttons as you pull them apart.

Simply pull the accordion-like spacer to the correct width. Then you can mark the buttons at equal intervals.

Important for women's outerwear: A button should be placed exactly at the fullest part of the bust. This prevents the button placket from gaping there later.

Sewing a buttonhole: What stitch tension should I use?

Stitch tension can play a major role in the appearance of a buttonhole!

You should definitely test beforehand with the sewing thread on a sample piece of the fabric you want to sew, which stitch tension is right.

Also make sure to test the seam with a double layer of fabric or with interfacing on the back if necessary. This can make a big difference.

On the far left, you can see a buttonhole that I sewed with a stitch tension of 4. For the heavy denim I chose, this stitch tension is too high.

You can tell the stitch tension is too high if the bobbin thread is visible on the top.

In contrast, a stitch tension of 0.5 - 1 looks much fuller, shinier, and better.

This is what the buttonholes look like from the back:

Here you can also follow your personal preferences for the look. I think that buttonholes sewn with a low stitch tension look much nicer.

What is a buttonhole stitch?

A buttonhole stitch is generally a tight satin stitch that neatly frames and stabilizes a buttonhole.

What is a buttonhole punch?

A buttonhole punch is sometimes also called a buttonhole puncher^*. It is a small chisel. It is placed in the middle of the buttonhole and opens it with light pressure.

If you (hopefully from now on!) :) like to sew a lot of buttonholes, this is a purchase that can certainly be worth it.

The advantage of a buttonhole puncher is that you work specifically from top to bottom. If you open the buttonhole with a seam ripper, the seam can easily be damaged.

Although: In this guide I also show you how to easily open the buttonhole with a seam ripper. ;)

How do I sew a buttonhole without an automatic stitcher?

It's not that difficult. The most important thing is that you are comfortable with changing the stitch widths on your sewing machine.

The hand-sewn buttonhole without an automatic stitcher consists of two lengthwise seams with two short bars at the ends. The bars are twice as wide as the satin stitches + the distance between the satin stitches.

• If you have calculated the buttonhole length as described above, mark the buttonhole in the corresponding place
• Leave 1 mm free on the right and left of the mark
• Lower the needle into the fabric
• Start with a 2-3 mm wide, dense zigzag stitch
• Sew until the end of the buttonhole with the set satin stitch
• When you have reached the top end, stop when the needle enters the fabric on the outside
• Set the stitch length to a 6 mm wide and dense zigzag
• Sew a 6 mm wide bar by sewing back and forth 5 - 6 times
• When the needle enters the outside on the left side, stop
• Turn the fabric around 180 degrees
• Set the stitch length back to 2 mm and sew back along the mark
• Sew the lower bar exactly like the upper one
• Finish with a tack stitch on your sewing machine
• If your sewing machine does not have a tack stitch, set the stitch width to 0 and sew a few stitches in place
• Done!

What is a piped buttonhole?

The piped buttonhole is also called a "cased buttonhole". This is a very classic method of buttonhole processing. It is suitable for high-quality, tailored outerwear.

The buttonhole is framed by two buttonhole lips. These are pulled through the buttonhole sewn right sides together and folded from the wrong side towards the center of the buttonhole.

Then the buttonhole is topstitched from the right side in the seam allowance.

What is the difference between vertical and horizontal buttonholes?

With horizontal buttonholes, the ends can be different. For example, you can imagine an eye buttonhole where one end is rounded and the other is straight.

With vertical buttonholes, both ends are the same. They are usually sewn with a lengthwise bar. But rounded ends are also possible.

Sewing a buttonhole with the sewing machine: Here's how!

You need this accessories to sew a buttonhole

• Buttonhole foot
• Sewing machine with buttonhole stitcher
• Seam ripper^*
• Sewing thread (or special buttonhole thread^*)
• Button
• Straight pins^*
• If necessary, interfacing^*
• Fabric

How do you insert the buttonhole foot?

Open the rear holder wide enough so that the button can be placed inside.

Place the button in the buttonhole holder.

Press the holder together so that the button is firmly in place.

To the left of the button, you can see a small adjustment screw. With this, you can adjust the length of the buttonhole if needed. Turn it towards L if the buttonhole should be longer, e.g. for thick buttons.

Turn it towards S if the buttonhole should be shorter.

Remove the presser foot.

Insert the buttonhole foot.

Place the sewing machine's spacer between the two stoppers of the buttonhole foot. Since every sewing machine is different, it is worth taking a look at your machine's manual.

On my Janome, it looks like this:

Now place the fabric underneath. Fabric is usually sewn in double layers (e.g. with a facing or lining) or (sometimes also!) reinforced with interfacing .

This helps to stabilize the fabric so that the buttonholes do not tear.

Now choose a suitable buttonhole stitch.

What is a buttonhole stitch?

Buttonhole stitches frame the buttonhole so that it does not tear.

Usually, the machine sews a straight stitch first, which is then over-sewn with a zigzag stitch.

This is what the buttonholes look like that my Janome sews automatically:

What are the different buttonholes used for?

This is what the sewn versions of the buttonholes look like:

• 23: Rectangular buttonhole: suitable for medium-weight to heavy fabrics such as denim, canvas, corduroy, etc. It is also called a "standard buttonhole with a longitudinal bar". It can be used for dresses, shirts, blouses, lingerie, and much more
• 24: Round buttonhole with a longitudinal bar: It is suitable for fine to medium-weight fabrics, especially for blouses and children's clothing, as well as jackets made from lightweight fabrics
• 25: Buttonhole for fine fabrics: It is rounded at both ends and is suitable for fine fabrics such as silk, cupro, or chiffon
• 26: Eye buttonhole with a longitudinal bar: It is suitable for jackets, boleros, coats, and suits made from thick fabrics
• 27: Eye buttonhole with a round bar: Suitable for trousers, coats, sportswear, and outerwear made from thicker fabrics
• 28: Eye buttonhole with a wedge bar: suitable for denim and corduroy trousers, jackets, and coats that are particularly heavily worn. Eye buttonholes are always used when a shank button is to be attached. They offer particularly plenty of space for the button to pass through and do not distort. My Janome came with a buttonhole opener in the accessories. Its purpose is to open the eye buttonhole without damaging the seam
• 29 - 31: Stretch buttonholes: suitable for lightweight to medium-weight fabrics such as jersey or sweatshirt fabric, but also for knitwear. Buttonholes sewn with this stitch stretch with the fabric and do not tear out
• 32: Piping buttonhole: Serves as a template pattern for the hand-sewn, encased, or piped buttonhole

Stitch selected? Then it's time to sew!

Important: Make sure you sew with a sharp, new needle. Only then can you ensure that the buttonhole will really look beautiful and be durable.

Slide the fabric with the marking under the needle.

Push the slider of the buttonhole foot all the way to the stop directly in front of the opening for the needle.

Lower the presser foot and start the buttonhole automatic.

On most sewing machines, the buttonhole automatic starts at the bottom left, then sews backwards, and finally ends at the bottom left again.

Let the program run through completely once until the machine sews at a point.

Important: Do not guide the fabric and do not hold it. The machine transports it all by itself. :)

This is what the finished buttonhole looks like now.

What happens after sewing the buttonhole?

What actually happens with every good seam: It is pressed.

This helps the seam to set and smooths the fibers. The steam makes the fabric a little supple, so that the buttonhole can then be cut more easily.

How do you cut open a buttonhole?

Secure the top and bottom ends of the buttonhole with a horizontally inserted sewing pin.

Now you need a sharp seam ripper.

Insert it at the bottom end of the buttonhole directly behind the needle.

Carefully push it through the buttonhole until you reach the back needle.

The perfect buttonhole is finished! :)

And now: Make more of them!

Happy simple sewing,

your Sabine

Frequently Asked Questions