How do I sew on a button?
How to sew a button so it stays on — including the shank that most people miss, which is what stops it pulling off again.
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Time
- 15 min
- Read
- 3 min
Short answer
Thread a needle with doubled thread, anchor it with a few small stitches where the button will sit, sew through the holes six to eight times over a matchstick or pin laid across the top, then remove the spacer and wind the thread around the threads underneath to form a shank before knotting off.
A button sewn flat against the fabric has nothing to accommodate the thickness of the material it fastens through, so it strains and pulls off again. The shank — a small stalk of wound thread under the button — is what makes the repair last, and it's the step almost every improvised repair skips.
What you'll need
- Needle
- Thread matching the garment
- Scissors
- Matchstick, cocktail stick or pin
- Thimble (optional)
Step by step
- Cut about 60cm of thread, thread the needle and bring the ends together, knotting them.Doubled thread is twice as strong and half the passes.
- Mark where the button goes, using the original thread marks or the buttonhole position.Do the buttons up on the garment to check alignment before committing.
- Make two or three small stitches on the spot to anchor the thread.On the right side, where the button will cover them.
- Lay a matchstick or pin across the top of the button, between the holes.This is the spacer that creates the shank. Without it the button sits flat against the fabric.
- Sew up through one hole and down through the other, over the spacer, six to eight times.For a four-hole button, do two parallel bars or a cross — either is fine, just be consistent.
- Bring the needle out between the button and the fabric, and remove the spacer.You'll now have a small amount of slack under the button.
- Wind the thread tightly around the threads under the button five or six times.This forms the shank. It's what lets the button sit above the fabric and take strain properly.
- Push the needle through to the back and knot off with two or three small stitches.Knot against the fabric rather than in mid-air, so it can't slip.
Tips
- Sew a small flat button on the inside of the fabric behind the main button on heavy garments — it spreads the load and stops the fabric tearing.
- Use thread that matches the original stitching rather than the button, and use a heavier thread for coats.
- Check the other buttons while you have the needle out. They usually loosen at the same rate.
- Most new garments come with a spare button attached to an inside seam. Cut it off and keep it somewhere you'll find it.
Common mistakes
- Sewing the button flat against the fabric — There's no room for the fabric thickness, so it strains and pulls off again.
- Too few passes through the holes — Six to eight is right. Two or three won't hold under normal use.
- Knotting in mid-air — The knot slips through. Knot against the fabric.
Questions people ask
What is a shank and why does it matter?
It's the small stalk of wound thread between the button and the fabric. It gives room for the material the button fastens through, so the button isn't under constant strain. It's the difference between a repair that lasts and one that doesn't.
What thread should I use?
Polyester all-purpose thread for most garments; a heavier button thread for coats and anything under strain. Match the colour to the existing stitching.