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Hand Worked Button Hole

I am trying to learn how to do button holes by hand for the coat and considering where I am in the basic learning curve, I am not too unhappy with the progress.

I would consider the best so far good enough for my coat but the problem remaining is that they are much nicer looking on the top side than the bottom. I presume they should look the same from both sides?

My coat is double breasted so the lapel would have the not so pretty side showing when not buttoned unless I stitched it upside down.

Is there any particular trick to making both sides look the same?

js

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Reply to
jack
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Dear Jack,

Did you overcast the edges of your buttonholes before you stitched them? If not, it's more difficult to get them to look the same on both sides. I make hand buttonholes all the time for my dolls, so the fabric is much easier to work with than your heavy stuff. However, if you use a single thread of a matching color, rather than your buttonhole twist, to overcast first, then make the buttonhole with the twist, you will have reined in all the little fuzzies. Try to insert the needle in the same line of fibers along the edge. It takes a little practice, but the overcasting works.

Teri

Reply to
gpjones2938

I did not overcast but I machine stitched a rectangle around the slit that defines the inner edges of the stitching and I presume adds a bit of strength.

Not sure I understand what you mean by overcast though... isn't that about what the button hole stitches are?

One of the problems is the coarseness of the weave. The carpet warp is much thicker than the twist and tries very hard to cotrol the needle. Sometimes I have to reinsert the needle 3 or 4 times to get it where I want it.

If anyone is interested, I added a pic of my coat in progress to bottom of the fiber page.

I just finished the weaving and am now cutting the sleeves and pockets.

js

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Reply to
jack

The coat is looking good! And I can't remember if I've told you this before, but your web pages are fascinating.

Doreen in Alabama

Reply to
Doreen

Dear Jack,

Overcasting is a little different, and needs to be done with a thin thread. Come up from the back on the machine stitched line; from the front, go to the back again right next to the first hole from the needle. The thread will straddle the edge. Go all the way around, then switch to the buttonhole twist to make the finished buttonhole.

The coat looks great, and the robin is a delight!

Teri

Reply to
gpjones2938

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