So, I have a new design project coming soon! It seems to be taking me forever to get this second one out while keeping things up to date here. But in the meantime I wanted to post this little basic sewing lesson
Whenever I have a conversation with somebody about sewing and I tell them that I know how to make my own clothes, I’ve noticed that the first thing almost everyone says to me is that “I don’t even know how to sew a button.”
But it’s actually pretty easy! And sewing and fixing up your own clothing is a great way to keep them out of landfills, considering we throw out a significant amount already.
In 2017 8% of all municipal solid waste landfilled in the U.S. was textiles, or 11.2 million tons.
So in this post I want to show you 2 main hand sewing techniques you can use at home to fix up your own clothing, one of which is how to sew buttons!
Let’s get to work 🙂
Watch the full YouTube video below for the full tutorial:
Slip Stitch
This stitch can be used to sew up ripped seams.
Just start out with a needle and thread and knot one end of the thread.
Next put the needle in the crease of the seam at the back where the rip starts through to the front and pull the thread through.
Now take the needle and put it in the other side of the seam, in the creased edge directly across from where the thread came out on the other side. And slip the needle behind the crease of the seam for about 1/16″-1/8″ then push it outside again and pull the thread through.
Slip stitch sewing first step 
Put the needle in the other side again directly across from where the thread came out and continue this process until you’ve made your way through the entire ripped portion of the seam.
Once you get to the end of the rip go back down the other way towards where you started, continuing the same slip stitch process, to reinforce the seam and get any spots you might have missed.
When you get back to your start position, put the needle and thread through the back and knot it off to finish the stitch.
Buttons
2-Hole Button
Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.
Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through one of the holes in the button and pull through from back to front. Then put the thread through the front of the other hole and pull through from front to back.
Repeat this process a few times until the button is sturdy and reinforced through the fabric.
Lastly just make sure you end with the bottom at the back of the fabric and knot off the thread to finish it off.
4-Hole Button – option 1 – parallel stitch lines
Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.
Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through one of the holes in the button and pull through from back to front. Then put the thread through the front of the adjacent hole and pull through from front to back.
Repeat this process a few times. Then from the back go over to one of the other buttons and restart the process with the other 2 holes until the button is sturdy and reinforced through the fabric.
Lastly just make sure you end with the bottom at the back of the fabric and knot off the thread to finish it off.
4-Hole Button – option 2 crossed stitch lines
Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.
Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through one of the holes in the button and pull through from back to front. Then put the thread through the front of the diagonal hole and pull through from front to back.
Repeat this process a few times. Then from the back go over to one of the other set of buttons and restart the process with the other 2 holes until the button is sturdy and reinforced through the fabric.
Lastly just make sure you end with the bottom at the back of the fabric and knot off the thread to finish it off.
Jacket Button
Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.
Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through one of the holes in the button and pull through from back to front. Place another needle or pin flat over the button and sew the button on with the pin/needle resting on top of the button and under the thread.
This will allow for added ease behind the button for the thicker jacket/coat fabric.
Continue sewing as you would a regular button and then just slip the needle/thread out when finished
Shank Button
Now a shank button doesn’t have holes because it has a loop (shank) at the back. They tend to be half dome shaped.
This button is typically used for jackets and coats but you don’t need to sew with the added ease because the shank at the back does that itself.
Start out with a needle and thread and both ends of the thread knotted together.
Put the needle through the back of the fabric where the button used to be and then through the shank hole and pull the button to the fabric. Put the needle back through the fabric from front to back again to attach the button and continue this process until the button is secure.
I hope this helps you fix up your own clothing at home. Let me know if you have any questions or need any help in the comments!
SewSiz 