Download S134H Basic Apparel Management

Outdated Publication, for historical use.
CAUTION: Recommendations in this publication may be obsolete.
Handout E
Make A-Mends
Sewing On A Button
Keeping clothing in good repair allows you to enjoy them longer and keeps the “to do” list
manageable. Loose or missing buttons is a common clothing repair. But how many of us
have lost buttons and then tossed the clothing into the mending pile only to never see it
again? The best time to resew a loose button is when you discover it. Following this advice
will save time and money because you won’t be shopping for a replacement or searching
the house for the one button that “got away.”
Where Do You Begin?
From your sewing kit select:
Thread to match the fabric
Button
Needle
Toothpick
Straight pins
Pencil
Ruler
Scissors
Button Types
2 or 4 hole, or shank
Threading the Needle
Wind off of the spool approximately 30" of thread, and cut at an angle across the thread
with scissors. Cutting at an angle with scissors makes the thread easier to insert into the eye
of the needle. Put the angle-cut end through the needle eye, and bring the two ends
together and knot.
Make a Knot
Take the two ends together, and loosely wrap around the end of your finger. Tuck the ends
through the loop, and pull ends to close the loop. Trim remaining tails within 1/8" of the
knot. Repeat the process if the knot pulls through the fabric.
Buttons
If the button is lost, try to locate one that is similar. Check with your local fabric or
discount store for buttons. A good idea for next time is to have a container to put extra
buttons in as they turn up around the home.
Prepared by:
Marla Day, Extension Associate,
Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design,
Kansas State Research and Extension
7
• Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service •