Buttons are one of the greatest, and cheapest ways to add a bit o' bling to a project. However, with the button comes something many sewers find intimidating: the buttonhole. Luckily, the majority of today's sewing machines do most of the work for you. Our tutorial will allow you to confront your fears, and will show you how easy buttonholes really are. This tutorial covers two ways of making buttonholes: 1) using an automatic buttonhole feature on a sewing machine, or 2) using a four-step buttonhole feature on a sewing machine. Most machines these days will offer at least one four-step or automatic buttonhole. If your machine doesn't offer one of these, it is possible to create a manual buttonhole. But in all honesty, getting a new machine is probably a better option. Then you can make buttonholes 'til the cows come home. And we all know how much the cows love a good buttonhole. However, some specialty fabrics or buttons may demand the extra attention of a manual buttonhole. Check back for a future article detailing this technique.

What You'll Need

• Sewing machine
• Buttonhole foot
• Practice fabric or a project that needs a buttonhole
• Button of choice
• Fabric marking pen
• Thread in color to match or contrast with fabric
• Small, sharp scissors or seam ripper
• Straight pins

The Most Common Buttonholes

This is a square buttonhole, which is widely used on medium to heavy weight fabrics. It is a standard buttonhole, and the one you would be most likely to use in home decor projects.

This buttonhole is used on fine to medium weight fabrics, especially for blouses or children's clothes.

This buttonhole is rounded at both ends and is used on fine, delicate fabrics, such as silk.

The Keyhole buttonhole is widely used on medium to heavy weight fabrics. It is also suitable for larger and thicker buttons because the keyhole at one end allows a bit of an extra opening to push in the button.

This buttonhole can be used on stretch fabrics. It can also be used as a decorative buttonhole.

This buttonhole is also suitable for knit fabrics or as a decorative buttonhole.

Testing and Marking

You should always make a test buttonhole on an extra piece of the fabric you are using to check your settings.

If your fabric is heavy, stretchy, or if you are using specialty threads, you may need to adjust your buttonhole. Make a test buttonhole according to the instructions below to make sure the settings are suitable. If the button doesn't fit through your test buttonhole comfortably, you can lengthen the size of the buttonhole by pulling the button holder back a little bit on an automatic buttonhole, or by lengthening your markings for a four-step or manual buttonhole.

It is also important to mark your buttonholes on your fabric before you start your project. You can use your test buttonhole as a guide for placement. Additionally, you can use this formula for determining how long your buttonhole should be: Diameter of button + ¼".

Use the marking pen to mark the placement of the buttonhole.

Instructions for Making an Automatic One-Step Buttonhole

This is a buttonhole foot for making an automatic buttonhole. As you can see, it is much different than a traditional sewing machine foot. This foot works with a sensor on your sewing machine so that it makes the exact size buttonhole for the button you are using. The button is placed in the slot at the back of the foot, and the foot adjusts to the size of the button. There is a sensor on the machine which works with the foot to create a buttonhole the appropriate size. This is an incredibly easy way to make a buttonhole! There is one down-side, however. It works best with flat buttons. If you have a button with a raised surface, or a button that is not round, this option won't work as well. In that case, it is best to go with the four-step buttonhole, or a manual buttonhole.

1. Carefully mark the buttonhole(s) on your fabric. Use the following formula for determining size: Diameter of button + ¼".
2. Place the button in the sensor slot of the buttonhole foot. Pull down the buttonhole sensor. Attach the foot to the machine.

3. Select a buttonhole stitch from the stitches available on your machine.
4. Place the fabric with the buttonhole mark under the needle. Align the front/top mark with the needle hole of the foot. Lower the needle into the fabric and adjust placement if necessary.

5. Start the machine and sew the buttonhole. The machine will sew the front bartack of the buttonhole, then down the left side, then return to the starting point and sew the right side and the back bartack.
   
6. The machine will stop automatically at the end of the buttonhole.
   
7. Remove the fabric from the machine.
8. Open the buttonhole using small sharp scissors or a seam ripper. Be careful! You can place a pin in the end of the buttonhole to be sure you don't accidentally cut the bartack stitches.
   

Instructions for Making a Four-Step Buttonhole

This is the foot for making a four-step buttonhole. This foot is generally clear for easy viewing, and has a needle hole that will accommodate zig zag stitches.

1. Carefully mark the buttonhole(s) on your fabric. Use the following formula for determining size: Diameter of button + ¼".
2. Place the fabric with the buttonhole mark under the needle. Align the back/bottom mark with the needle hole of the foot. This is backwards to the way you traditionally sew and opposite of how you aligned for the automatic buttonhole (above). You can use the handwheel to lower the needle into the fabric to be sure you begin sewing in the precise location. Once you're satisfied with placement, lower the presser foot.
   
3. Set the stitch length on your machine to 0.5-1 and the pattern selector dial to 1.
   
4. Slowly sew forward until you reach the front/top marking on your buttonhole. The machine will be making tiny zigzag stitches. Be sure that you stop on the LEFT swing of the zigzag (I believe that would be the "zag").
5. Set the pattern selector dial to 4/2.
   
6. Sew the front bartack. The machine will make a number of stitches back and forth in the same place.
7. Set the pattern selector dial to 3.
   
8. Sew until you reach the back/bottom marking of the buttonhole. Stop sewing on the right swing of a zig zag stitch
   (you got it ... the "zig").
9. Set the pattern selector dial to 4/2.
   
10. Sew a few bartacks and remove the needle from the fabric by turning the handwheel.
11. Open the buttonhole using small sharp scissors or a seam ripper. Be careful! You can place a pin in the end of the buttonhole to be sure that you don't accidentally cut the stitches.