How to sew on a button using your sewing machine, by So Sew Easy on YouTube. 5 min 39 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 39 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Unplug the machine before you change the needle or foot. Fit a fresh needle and thread the top and bobbin with thread that matches the button.
Lower or cover the feed dogs so the fabric will not move while you sew. On most machines this is a switch or lever at the back or under the plate.
Place the button on the fabric where you want it. If you have a button foot, snap it on. If not, lower the presser foot gently onto the button.
Set the machine to a zigzag stitch and turn the handwheel by hand to check the needle clears both the button and the foot.
Lower the needle into the left hole, then sew slowly with the handwheel or at low speed until the needle comes up through the right hole.
Sew five or six passes between the holes. For a four-hole button, sew two pairs of holes, then lift the needle and move to the second pair.
Raise the needle and presser foot, pull the fabric away and cut the threads, leaving a tail of about 10 cm (4 in).
Pull the thread tails to the back of the fabric and tie them off. Trim the ends, then raise the feed dogs again.
Tips and common mistakes
Put a piece of tape over the button holes before sewing and tear it away after, so the stitches stay flat and even.
Sew over a matchstick or thick needle between button and fabric if the button sits over a thick hem, then remove it to leave a thread shank.
Always turn the handwheel by hand for the first stitch so the needle does not hit the button and break.
Test on a scrap of the same fabric first to set the stitch width so the needle lands cleanly in each hole.
Questions
Can I do this without a button foot?
Yes. Lower the standard presser foot onto the button and sew slowly, turning the handwheel by hand if the foot does not sit flat. A piece of tape over the button also helps the foot glide.
How do I stop the machine from sewing the button too tight?
Sew a few passes only, then tie off at the back. If the button needs to sit above thick fabric, sew over a matchstick and remove it to create a small thread shank.
Do I need to change the stitch?
Use a narrow zigzag stitch so the needle moves between the holes. Straight stitch will not reach from one hole to the other.
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.
