I was in Chicago at a networking event three years ago and ran into a problem.
The dress shirt I was wearing had apparently “shrunk” at the collar because I couldn’t get to button it until above. Although I could normally skip my tie, this event was more formal and going tieless was not an option. What was a man to do?
With 30 minutes to spare, I went to the hotel lobby and asked for an emergency sewing kit. 5 minutes later he was cutting the offending button and within 5 more minutes he had moved it 3/4 inch. He was still a little tight, but the shirt buttoned much easier and I got through the event with no problem.
So today’s question is: do you know how to thread a needle and how to sew on a button? You might think that sewing is a “girl thing” and rely on your mom or wife to change your buttons. But you never know when you’ll be alone and need this skill in a pinch; Knowing how to sew on a button is a small way to become more self-sufficient.
If you don’t know how to sew on a button, but want to learn, here’s how to professionally sew on a button in 5 easy steps.
FYI, if you want more quick style fixes, read this classic AOM article.
Tools you’ll need :
- <li Needle (2 if possible) – Any basic sewing needle will do, the thinner the better.
- Thread – you will need about 12″ for do the whole process. If you double the threads (a little stronger and easier to knot), use 24″. Try to use a thread that matches the color of the garment, but in a pinch, black or navy are unobjectionable.
- Button: The original, if it is possible, otherwise just use what you can find. Most shirts will have a spare set of buttons sewn inside the bottom front. Note: Some buttons have two holes, others have four. The method here is for a four-hole button, but can be adapted to two-hole buttons as well.
- Cutting Tool – Scissors, knife, or something sharp to cut off the excess Of thread. You can use your teeth in a pinch.
If you’re traveling and don’t have the above supplies, ask your hotel front desk for an emergency sewing kit. Very often they will have one to give you. But since you never know where and when one of the buttons will come loose, I recommend always carrying your own emergency sewing kits in your bag and car, as I explain below:
How to sew on a button
Remove the garment if possible, although in my previous story I simply performed the procedure in front of a public bathroom mirror. If you work on the front button of your pants, find a bathroom.
Step 1: Thread the needle” />
Place the button on the “X” anchor and start sewing by pushing the needle back to front through the first buttonhole. At this point you want to add the spacer (a second one can be used a needle or a toothpick, a pin or a stick).
Push the needle up from the bottom of the garment and through one of the holes in the button. bottom of the fabric.Use your fingertip to hold the button in place.
Twist the needle and push it down through the hole opposite the one it came out of. Push through the button and pulling the thread tightly.You should be left with a single short line of thread through the button, connecting the two holes.
You will repeat this process for six passes, three for each set of holes in the button.
Step 4: Create the Stem
In your last repeat of the previous step, go back up through the fabric but not through the button. Go up as if you were going to go through the normal button hole, but move the needle out of the way and out from under the button.
Use the needle to wrap the thread around the threads under the button. Make six loops around the thread jumpers that connect the button to the fabric, behind the button itself.
Pull tight, then dip the needle back into the base to tie it on the other side of the fabric .
Step 5: Tie It Off
Tie a small knot at the back of the fabric. You can use the needle to guide the thread through a knot, or you can cut the needle thread and tie the knot with your fingers, but either way you want it to sit snug against the back of the fabric.
Probably the easiest knot to tie is a simple loop tied with the needle still attached. Pin the thread just against the back of the fabric, below the button, then make a small loop in the thread just past your fingertip and thread the needle through the loop. Pinch it, and then cut off the excess fabric.
These instructions can be used on shirt buttons, suit buttons, or pant buttons. Hope I can put it to good use!
If you’d like to see this in video format, here’s a short 4 minute video explanation:
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Written By:
Antonio CentenoFounder – Real Men Real StyleCreator of the most comprehensive style video library on the Internet
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