Repairs and alterations by hand: How to sew on a button.

Sewing on a button is such a handy skill – it can take just a few minutes but means your garment is back in the wardrobe and ready to wear again.

You’ll need:

• Needle – sharp hand sewing needle
• Thread – regular polyester sewing thread
• Scissors – preferable small and sharp
• Button

Thread your needle

• Cut a length of thread about 40–50cm (not too long to avoid tangling).
• Double it up for strength.

Position the button

• Mark the button position. If a button has fallen off, you may see leftover thread or a small mark showing where it was. If not, place the buttonhole over the area where the button should sit. Check that everything is aligned, then push a pin or your needle through the buttonhole to mark the exact spot.

Start stitching

• Tie a small knot at the end of your thread, or secure it by making a few tiny stitches in the same spot on the fabric. This will anchor the thread firmly before you begin sewing the button.

• Bring the needle up from the back of the fabric to the front, coming out at one of the button holes. Pass the needle down through the opposite hole. Pull the thread so it is slightly relaxed and not to tight. Repeat this 3–4 times so the button.(For 4-hole buttons: work two parallel stitches across one pair of holes, then switch to the other pair, or stitch diagonally for a criss-cross finish.)

Make a thread shank

• Before the final stitch is pulled tight. Wrap the loose thread around the stitches underneath the button a few times to form a “shank.” This gives the button space to sit nicely and makes fastening easier.

Secure the thread

• Push the needle to the back of the fabric.
• Make a couple of small stitches under the fabric to knot off securely.
• Snip off the excess thread.