We are currently undergoing maintenance and currently you may be unable to login to your account. Please bear with us, this should be resolved shortly.

How to use a buttonhole foot
How to use a buttonhole foot
  1. For a buttonhole foot with button placement, you will see two protruding arms on the left of the foot. Push the back one away from you to open it up. Place your button in the gap and bring the back of the foot forward again so it is held snugly.

  2. Clip the foot into place on your sewing machine, then pull down the lever which is tucked under the back-left side of the sewing machine, adjacent to the needle mechanism. It will have a little button illustration on it. Pull it down so it butts up against the front protruding arm on the foot.

  3. Select the buttonhole stitch. Try it out on fabric scraps that are the same type and thickness as the one you will be working on (make sure there are at least two layers of fabric, preferably interfaced for added stability). Most machines will stitch the hole from front to back.

  4. When the buttonhole is complete, take the thread tails to the back of the work and feed them between fabric layers before snipping off. Push the buttonhole lever back up.

  5. If your foot doesn’t have the sliding back for the button, it will have markings to help you achieve the buttonhole size. First measure the diameter and add 3mm. Mark this length on your fabric. To create the right size buttonhole, you will stitch from the first marked line down to the second. Attach the foot as above, with the front marking on the foot in line with the mark on your fabric.

fb-big twitter-big email-big pin-big

More Helpful Tips...

Shape Up Your Sleeves

Shape Up Your Sleeves

Give extra shape to frocks and tops with this handy sleeve enhancement. You can easily add interest to the head of the sleeve, and how it travels over the top of the arm, simply by using tucks, gathers, pleats and darts. Each of these will require a sligh

Improve Your Rolled Hems

Improve Your Rolled Hems

Guarantee flowing hemlines that hang like a dream. Keen dressmaker Sarah Greeff has colourful memories of her first attempts at making a rolled hem. “I was first asked to make rolled hems for a colleague at Fenwick of Bond Street, a lovely Thai lady who h

Know Your Overlocking

Know Your Overlocking

Get to grips with the best overlocking finishes for everyday stitching. The overlocker has a different feel to a regular sewing machine. The trick is to let the feed dog guide the fabric. Use your right hand to support the edge of the material, taking car

Master French Seams

Master French Seams

Get to grips with a clever seam favourite for a continental finish! French seams are common in clothes for children, where the skin is extra sensitive, as the inside is completely smooth. They also create a beautiful effect on structured garments, as they

Fix a Frayed Pocket

Fix a Frayed Pocket

A quick fashion fix with Amanda Bowden's classic miracle mend. The dread of torn stitching can be traumatic. Pockets are a common site of injury for catching on things, to say nothing of natural wear and tear as hands go in and out, and even the continued

Copyright © Artichoke Media Limited is a registered company number 14769147 in England and Wales
Registered Office Address: Jubilee House, 92 Lincoln Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, PE1 2SN