HOW TO SEW A BUTTON ON, PROPERLY! (Tailoring Technique) - with Rajiv Surendra, by Rajiv Surendra on YouTube. 27 min 20 s.
- Video length
- 27 min 20 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Pick a thread strong enough for the button. Fine thread suits light shirts, thicker thread or buttonhole twist suits coats and jackets.
Run the thread over a block of beeswax, then press it flat with an iron between paper. This stops tangling and adds strength.
Thread the needle with a single strand and knot the end. Bring the needle up from the back of the fabric so the knot stays hidden.
Take two small stitches in the same spot under the button to anchor the thread. Keep them on the underside so nothing shows.
Lay the button in place and sew through the holes, going through only the top layer of fabric if the garment is lined.
Leave a small gap between the button and the fabric. This gap becomes the shank that gives the button room to move.
Make four to six passes through the holes for strength, then bring the needle out under the button.
Wind the thread around the stitches between button and fabric a few times to build the shank, then push the needle to the back.
Anchor the thread on the underside with a couple of small stitches, then trim the end close to the fabric.
Tips and common mistakes
Skip the shank on very thin fabric or the button will flop around, but keep it on coats and jackets.
Waxing the thread is the step most people skip and it is what keeps the thread from fraying.
Check other buttons on the same garment and tighten any that wobble before they fall off.
Cut a loose button free with small sharp scissors, not by pulling, so you do not tear the fabric.
Questions
Do I need special thread for sewing on a button?
Not always. Buttonhole twist or doubled cotton is best for heavy buttons, but ordinary thread works on light shirts if you make enough passes.
Why does my button keep coming off?
Usually the thread is too short or there is no shank, so the button pulls tight against the fabric and the stitches snap. Build a small shank and anchor the thread well.
Can I sew a button on a lined coat?
Yes. Sew through only the outer layer so the stitches do not show on the lining, and anchor the thread on the inside of that layer.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
