Which Button is Best?

Buttons are not only fun to collect, but they are great closures to use on shirts, jackets, pillow backs and other garment or home decor items. ZJ Humbach shares some helpful information about several common types of button including when they are typically used and how to sew them in place.

Button Types

If you are sewing a garment from a pattern, odds are there will be suggested buttons recommended on the pattern or some other guideline with tips for selecting buttons. If you are designing your own pattern you get to choose what kind of buttons you prefer. ZJ shows several common button choices including small and large two and four hole buttons. She explains that four hole buttons are generally used on menswear such as shirt and jackets, as well as on other garments where the button could potentially be under repeated stress. She then explains that two hole buttons are used where not as much stress is going to be applied to the button, so on garments made from thinner fabric. ZJ also explains that there is another popular type of button known as a shank button. She explains what makes it different from two and four hole buttons and how it is generally sewn in place.

Sewing

When it comes to sewing a button in place it can be done either by hand or machine. Many machines have a pre-programmed feature on them that allows the machine to easily stitch a button in place. ZJ explains that no matter what diameter of button you are sewing the distance between the holes is the same, which makes using the button sewing feature on your machine quick and easy. ZJ also explains that if your machine does not have that feature you can still use your machine to sew a button in place by simply using a zig-zag stitch with an appropriate width.