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From: sjbk1
Date: 02-23-2006, 04:57 PM (1 of 12)
Hi all, I am very new to sewing. I have almost finished my first project, simplicity's new look 6504 pattern A. I am stuck on the button holes however. I marked and cut following the pattern exactly but when i try to sew around these to finish them, they end up looking huge,  Any advice??? Thank you in advance!! This is truly a wonderful site, so glad I found it... 
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User: sjbk1
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 2 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 02-23-2006, 05:30 PM (2 of 12)
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What kind of button holes are you making? Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: AndreaSews
Date: 02-23-2006, 05:35 PM (3 of 12)
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Are you using a buttonhole attachment on your machine? I usually need to do a number of dry-runs on layers of scrap fabric berfore I start on the garment. I wonder if the stitch width is set too wide. That would make the buttonholes look very big and chunky. You could try turning the dial to a lower number for that. If you're using the attachment, then I'm guessing you've popped the button into it, and that makes sure that the buttonhole is the proper length. You said "when I try to sew around these to finish them..."--I wasn't sure what you meant there. I hope these tips help get you over the hump!
Andrea
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User: AndreaSews
Member since: 02-18-2005 Total posts: 1007 
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From: debsews
Date: 02-23-2006, 06:47 PM (4 of 12)
| If you marked the buttonholes off the pattern for size - don't! They are just there for placement and not for the actual size. You'll need to do a dry run with your buttons to see what size to actually make. I'm guessing this is what you're talking about when you say you marked them off the pattern. |
User: debsews
Member since: 09-16-2005 Total posts: 254 |
From: sjbk1
Date: 02-23-2006, 10:45 PM (5 of 12)
| Okay the dress I'm making fastens with a button on each shoulder. They are 1 inch buttons, I marked them from the pattern, but yes they look huge...I have sized them to 1 inch adding 1/8 to each end. On my practice run, I cut the fabric as I would be doing on my dress, double layers and all, and it looks fine, until I went around it with the machine..having it set on 1 for the stitches (and no I dont have a buttonhole attachment). The stitches look fine, they are straight and tight, but I opened it up huge...I'm so confused...lol |
User: sjbk1
Member since: 02-23-2006 Total posts: 2
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From: paroper
Date: 02-23-2006, 11:38 PM (6 of 12)
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A lot of machines do not have a button hole attachment but may have a built in button hole. Many of these are either two or four steps, depending upon your machine...what I mean is that they may have one stitch for the side and one for the ends or there may be one that goes down one side, another across the end, another back (other direction) on the other side, and then another across the end. Check your book and see what it says about making the button holes. Usually they are satin stitch, very close together rather narrow zig zag stitch down the sides and a thing called a bar tack at the end which is like long zig zag stitches. With some of the older machines, they went around the button hole twice. The first time was a very very narrow zig zag and the next round was a little bit wider. That made the button holes look raised and rich. At the same time, it filled in the blank spots from the zig zag. There may also be a type of overcast stitch on your machine that could be used.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: paroper
Date: 02-23-2006, 11:39 PM (7 of 12)
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PS Be sure that you interface those button holes or they will stretch out of shape.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-24-2006, 08:51 AM (8 of 12)
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I don't think I would add 1/4 inch (1/8 on each end) unless your buttons are really thick. Try adding just 1/8 inch. Sometime the button holes look bigger than they are. If you don't have an attachment or built in buttonhole stitch just zigzag down one side with a narrow zig zag and short stitch length. At the end do a wider zig zag stitch with short length (bar tack) and zig zag up the other side. At the top put in another bar tack. If the zig zag isn't really solid go over the whole thing again. Pam, I'd never heard of the wider zig zag over the narrow one before. I'll have to try that. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 02-24-2006, 09:10 AM (9 of 12)
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I usually add 1/8 inch for shanked or covered buttons, slightly less for buttons that are flat.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Dede
Date: 02-24-2006, 09:11 AM (10 of 12)
| sjbk1, you have to do the buttonhole zig zag first THEN you cut the hole in the middle. It's usually just a slit between the 2 rows of sewing. Use very sharp scisors or an exacto knife on top of a cutting board. Depending on what I'm making, I also use fray check. |
User: Dede
Member since: 03-23-2001 Total posts: 469 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-24-2006, 09:46 AM (11 of 12)
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You can prevent an accident by slipping a pin at each end, under the bar tack, before you cut or slit the button hole. That way you don't slip and cut too far. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: paroper
Date: 02-24-2006, 10:00 AM (12 of 12)
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I was taught to fold the button hole in half and use sharp scissors to start the hole, open it up and trim to the end. Now I would tell students to put a seam ripper in the middle and poke the point up and out at the end so that there is nothing between the ripper and the point but button hole to open. Then gently push the ripper toward the point. If your point is sticking up inside the button hole there is no way to rip past the end. I think that there is less chance of cutting through the sides this way too. There have been a few times I opened up the button hole crooked and clipped some threads. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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