Crafty Threads 'n' Yarns

craftylady

I'm making a bib apron for a WRI show in March.

The pattern is McCalls 5551 ( I can't do a link thingy correctly today sorry). The neck strap is all part of the bib and is fastened with 2 buttons.

My quandry is my sewing machine is nearly 30 years old now and doesn't have an automatic button hole function. I'm very inexperienced in doing buttonholes of any variety and was wondering if any of you clever peeps out there had any good hints or tips for doing them either by machine or by hand. It has to be really perfect for the judges so I'll need all the help I can get.

Thanks

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Ravelry id: cascade

harrysmum · Joined: 01 Apr 2007 Posts: 468 Location: Leeds UK

Fake it with a pres stud & a button on the outside?
Crochet a loop on one end instead of the button hole?
Send it to someone with an auto button hole?

If you have a 4 step button hole on your machine then that will be as good as an auto one - just go steadily. For a perfect button hole, mark carefully, practice on scraps and try some tear-away stabiliser underneath if the fabric is at all flimsy. (Shout if you need some scraps in the post!)
Good Luck!
Liz
xx

carolinne · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 8:35 pm Post subject:

http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/el_buttonholes2.html

try this link it explains how to make hand made button holes
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n · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 9:54 pm Post subject:

Have sent you a pm.

n
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The Yarn Yard

n · Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:04 pm Post subject:

Also have a look at the Threads site. There's an article about bungled buttonholes although it's more about salvaging disasters.

n
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The Yarn Yard

craftylady · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:04 am Post subject:

Thanks girls, my machine doesn't even have a four step buttonholer it's that old Shocked

although the sound of getting someone else to do them for me is apppealing I think it would be frowned upon by the judges if they knew. It looks like it will have to be a hand sewn one because I think it would be marked down if I went down the press stud route (it had occured to me though). It's a cotton material and the placing is re-inforced with an extra layer of material so I'd be working through three thicknesses. I think practice is required both with the hand method and by machine. I've not done a buttonhole before on the machine so wish me luck. I'll probably be back with pictures once I've done a few trial runs.

Should I buy the buttons before or after working the hole?
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Ravelry id: cascade

carolinne · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:30 am Post subject:

buttons first .....so you know how big to make th ebutton hole
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carolinne · Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:58 am Post subject:

be careful not make the buttonhole too big the button needs to fit snuggly
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craftylady · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:30 am Post subject:

Having tried a machine button hole last night it definitely won't be that sort. I'm too embarassed to even post pictures of the attempt. I'm gonna try a hand sewn one today in the daylight and make a choice then. If that doesn't work I'll go with poppers and a button on top and hang the judges.

Edit: Can you tell, I'm losing my patence with it now? Blooming rural!!
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Ravelry id: cascade

craftylady · Posted: Sun Jan 06, 2008 4:34 pm Post subject:

Well, I've practised a hand sewn hole and much prefer this to the poppers option. I'm now at the stage where sewing the buttons on and making the hole is all I have to do. I was wondering if there was a different kind of thread to Gutermann (sp) to use for the actual sewing. I would like a thicker type of thread, would I be able to use an upholstery thread for example or a decorative embroidery thread? I used a little fly tying wax on the ordinary sewing thread to prevent twists, can I do this with other types too?

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Ravelry id: cascade