˚tutorial˚ Sewing on a Button

The other day when I was taking the laundry out of the washing machine, I noticed that a button from the Mr's favorite shorts was missing. When I told him that the button had fallen off his shorts he was kind of upset. I just looked at him a little funny and said, "Its a button...we can just sew it back on." Come to find out, the Mr. once knew how to sew on a button, but he wasn't sure he could do it again without a little help. 

So, today I am going to show you how to sew on a button. But first...a story about why is the button missing from my blue skirt. One day I was in REI (love this place, do you remember the steal of a deal I got here?) We had a coupon, of course, and I was doing a little birthday shopping for myself (with the Mr. in tow). I fell in love with this skirt, but it was the only one my size, and the button was missing. So I found a store employee and haggled the price down by $5. I figured I would have to buy another button...and sew it on...and I would still be getting the better end of the deal. 

So I used my coupon, and got an additional $5. And after I got it home, I found a little something on the inside tag of my skirt. 

Whoever decided to include an extra button on clothing was a genius. 

Anyway....onto sewing buttons. Thread  about 10-12 inches of thread and knot the end a few times. 

Find out where to place the button by placing the button hole over the back flap of fabric, just like you would have it if there was a button attached. Mark the spot with a fabric pen if that would be helpful.

Starting from the back of the fabric, push your needle through one of the holes in the button.

Pull most of the thread through the fabric, but leave a little tail on the other side. Can you see the tail in the picture?

Now put the needle through the hole that is diagonal to the one your just came through.

Before pulling the thread tight, put the needle through the thread tail you left earlier. You want the needle to go through just under the knot. This will help secure the knot so it doesn't pull through the fabric.

Now put the needle through the button again, this time through a different hole.

And back through the last hole.

Can you see the little cross we made?

Do this about 4 more times alternating between the diagonals to secure the button well. When you have secured it well, push the needle from the back of the fabric to the front, but don't go through one of the button holes. Instead, push the needle up behind the button. Like this:

Now. wrap the needle around the button a few times like this....

And push the needle in the fabric to the back. 

Can you see the needle poking out of the back?

To tie off, grab a small portion of the fabric like this:

Pull the thread almost all the way through, but leave a little circle of thread to put your needle through. Can you see me putting my needle through the circle of thread in the picture below?

Tie another knot just to make sure everything is secure. And enjoy your new $5 off skirt. Oh wait...that was me.

 

By the way, have you seen my new fuzzy friend? Check him out here and purchase the pattern to make him here and come back later this week for a little giveaway. You won't want to miss it.