Buttonholes

Hand-worked buttonholes

Reference: Complete Guide to Sewing, Reader’s Digest, pg. 347.

1. Mark buttonholes, with the length being button’s diameter + height, with a touch of ease. Test the length by cutting a slit in a mock-up. The button should easily pass through.
2. By machine, sew a box around the long edges of the buttonhole at the desired width to stabilize the fabric.
3. Cut open, and whip stitch the raw edges to prevent fraying.
4. Sew buttonhole stitches (and bar tacks, if applicable) to finish the buttonhole edge.