I have a nice dress shirt that needs an extra button near the bottom. Would it be possible without a machine for a novice to add a button and button hole? I have sewn many buttons on, but its the whole that throws me off. Any ideas? Thanks.
I'm not a novice, but I probably wouldn't try to work a button hole by hand, at least not if it was a shirt I was fond of. If my sewing machine was out of order I'd take the shirt to the dry cleaners. They have a gal there who handles alterations.
With no machine I would take it to a cleaners, or a place that does alterations. It shouldn't cost much. With a machine, it wouldn't take 5 minutes for a pro to do.
It's possible to do it by hand but not everybody can do a decent job with it. It takes that special skill. It's better for you to just spend a little and send it to a shop for them to do the alteration.
Not difficult at all if you know how to sew buttonholes well by hand. However, it would not match all the machine sewn buttonholes already on the shirt and so might stand out. If you want it to match, and you cannot do it yourself, ask at the dry cleaners or look in the yellow pages for a local dressmaker who would do this for you for a small consideration.
Sure, though I'd urge you to practice buttonholes before you started on the shirt. It's not difficult, but you do want to keep your stitching as even as possible.
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alternative, if the new button will never peek over the beltline,is to use a snap -- easy to sew by hand. e.g.:
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can even sew a button to the outside of the placket over the snap;if anyone spots the fakery while it's on, they're probably too close not to be interested in more than the shirt.Or an alterations shop should be able to put a new button and buttonholeon for a few $.
You guys are really great to take the time to respond. I guess when I read a "by-line" like the poster I would automatically assume that it is a "troller" who is just sitting back busting a gut while we are racking our brains trying to walk them through all the ways they can add a button "hole" to their whatever. After all.....there are whole chapters in sewing books written on the subject. Better either take the advice to go to a professional or go to the library! (hint - no offense....but if you like your dress shirt and the button hole will show - practice on other fabric first!) Joy in Michigan
A troll from another group I frequent posted a question here yesterday. I have him kill-filed, but I saw another person answer the question. I had to wonder if it was a real question or somebody trying to stir up trouble.
I don't even know how to "kill-file"....guess I should take the time to figure that one out. But, in the meantime, I just read what interests me and ignore what I choose. I muddle by.
Troll???. Has it gotten that bad people? The simple act of asking a question that I thought would be relevant to the alt.sewing group and your paranoid its a troll? No, Im not sitting back busting a gut. I had a question, the nice people were more than helpful which I appeciate, thats it. No trolls here. I hope if anyone posted a question in the groups that I hold knowledge about, I wouldn't assume they are trolling, but looking for an answer to something they may not know. Geesh.
Is that a codpiece? As odd as things often seem, looking at current Hollywood fashion, if you stop to remember what people have worn in the past that was considered appropriate, it does cast a different light on the subject.
Someone sent me a site which illustrates (rather graphically) the difference color can make. Now, anyone who is the slightest bit delicate in sensibilities should definitely _NOT_ look at this:
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