Free Step by Step Directions to Sew Bound Buttonholes

• A perfect bound buttonhole is rectangular and no wider than 1/4" unless you are working with fabric that is exceptionally thick or bulky. This would make each side of the inset no wider than 1/8".
• If you are making a series of these buttonholes it is best to make each step on each buttonhole before moving on to the next step.
• When machine sewing, do not back stitch. It usually results in an unperfect rectangle.
• Always use interfacing or underlining on the garment fabric to provide stability.
• To practice making bound buttonhole and "get the hang of it", try making larger than normal buttonholes. Practice on scraps until you feel confident.

Fully mark your buttonhole placement. Use a running stitch of hand basting or a marking pencil on the interfacing, that will not show through.

Mark the following:

1. Center of garment.
2. Buttonhole placements.
3. 1/8" on each side of the buttonhole.
4. Ends of buttonholes.

• Make a patch of the fabric which will compose the inside lips of the buttonhole. Make the patch on the straight grain of the fabric. The patch should measure 2 inches wider and 1-inch longer than the buttonhole.
• Place the patch right sides together, centered over the buttonhole. Hand baste around the edge of the patch, to hold it in place.
• Stitch using very small stitches along the rectangle lines.

Depending on the size of the buttonhole, slit the center as in the diagram. Be sure you leave yourself a triangle on each end, which is large enough to be able to grab it.

• Remove any hand basting stitches that were holding the patch in place.
• Turn the patch to the inside.
  • Work the corners until they will lay flat.

Using the original buttonhole line as a guide. Fold the long edges of the patch to meet in the middle of the rectangle, keeping both sides equal.

Hand baste the folds to each other.

• With right side up, fold the right side back to expose the slit and original stitches. Stitch directly on these stitches.
• Repeat for the other side of the buttonhole.
• Working from the right side, fold back the ends, to expose the triangle of slit fabric. Tug back as far as possible, and stitch on original stitches. * Repeat for the other end of the buttonhole.
• Press.

For the lining

• Sew an identical rectangle as you marked on the fabric layer, but just in a layer of lining.
• Slit as you did the buttonhole and fold back all fabric to the stitches.
• Hand stitch the lining into place around the buttonhole.