Everyone should know some sewing basics, especially during those cold winter months, when overconsumption of turkey and mashed potatoes might just cause a few buttons to, ahem, pop! It’s easy to sew a button onto pants, jackets, shirts or even winter hats. Sewing a button only takes a couple of simple steps and just a few materials!

What you will need:

A needle, thread (in a color of your choice) and buttons! Make sure to choose thread that matches or is complementary to the fabric or button you will use.

Plan ahead:

It’s also best to use the original button if you still have it! If your button pops off and you cannot sew it on immediately, use a safety-pin to hold the garment closed.

When you buy your clothes with extra buttons, keep them in a special place where you will not lose them. Better yet, keep them in separate plastic baggies and label which garments they came with so your buttons will not end up mismatched on the wrong clothing.

STEP ONE: 

Measure out approximately 8” of thread and cut.

STEP TWO:

Take the end of the thread and insert through the eye of the needle.

Tie a knot at the end of thread.

STEP THREE:

Bring the ends of the thread together and make a knot at the end to secure it. (You don’t want the thread to accidentally come through the button holes).

Position button on fabric.

STEP FOUR:

Position the button on the material where you want it to be placed. You can do this by lining up the loose button with the other buttons on the garment. If the button was on correctly before, you can often go by the holes in the fabric where the button was located.

Push needle through fabric.

STEP FIVE: 

Take threaded needle and come up from under the material through one of the holes in the button. Pull the thread all the way through on each stitch.

STEP SIX:

Push the needle down through the next hole and through the fabric, pulling the thread all the way through again. Continue going up and down through the holes with your needle and thread at least three times around.

STEP SEVEN:

Tie off the thread underneath the button to secure it.

STEP EIGHT:

Trim off the excess thread.

These instructions are specifically for a button with two holes, but if you are working with four holes you can sew the thread in an “X” shape or if you want two parallel lines of thread showing, choose the next hole that is opposite the first.