Sewing 101 - Buttons

While finishing a gift for my new little nephew, it occurred to me that not everyone knows how to sew on a button. Well, some might argue that I don't know how to sew on a button...but that's not the point!

Here is MY basic instruction on how to sew on a button!

NOTE: Buttons are NOT a good fashion accessory for children who can put things in their mouths. This shirt is going to a newborn who could care less about eating buttons.

You'll want to thread your needle like this - by taking one long piece of thread, fold it in half, and thread both strands through the eye of the needle. This gives you a loop at the bottom and that's how you're going to secure your thread.

Hold your button EXACTLY where you want it and these little guys like to travel and move around so be sure you have a firm grasp on it. (And make sure the button doesn't twist, making the holes go diagonally.)

Come up from the bottom of the button without pulling your thread all the way through. You want to leave a loop in the back. Then take the needle down through the diagonal button hole and turn the fabric to the back where you can see - STILL HOLDING YOUR BUTTON FIRMLY. It will still travel.

You should still have a loop there from where you started.

Put your needle through the loop and pull on it, creating a secure knot. Well, I don't really think it's a knot - but your thread is VERY secure this way!

You can't see the little, teeny, tiny knot thing very well, but that's what it should look like. (Nevermind all of the other stitching - just part of the shirt.)

Now criss cross your stitching inside the button holes, making an "X" formation on top.

Keep holding that button in place for the first few stitches because it will still move! (very frustrating)

To finish off your button, you're going to come down in between the threads and grab some with your needle like this and don't pull the thread all the way through - just make a loop like we did before.

So with this loop, you're going to put your needle through it coming from the left and pull tight.

Then repeat the step above - take the needle back down into the threads and up again, creating another loop.

This time bring your needle through the loop coming from the RIGHT side and pull tight. You should have created a little knot. If you need to, repeat the last 3 steps and make another knot.

Your button should be secure and it wasn't even that difficult!