Who doesn’t love a beautiful hand knitted garment? But the wrong button can detract from the beauty and feel of the garment. Vogueknitting gives the following advice:
- The button should be appropriate to the yarn. For example, wood, leather or stone buttons work best on tweedy, rugged yarns for outdoor garments, and fancy glass buttons are best suited to tailored or dressy styles.
Traditional Wood Sweater Buttons
Vintage Glass Buttons
- Take along a yarn sample when you buy buttons to find a good match. If possible, purchase an extra button or two to replace any you may lose.
- Match the size of your button carefully to the size of your buttonhole so that the button will fit properly. You can also alter the size of the buttonholes as you knit, but of course this means you have to purchase the buttons before you knit the garment.
- Buttons that cannot be washed should always be removed before cleaning. When you purchase buttons, look for any special care instructions on the package. If you use buttons that cannot be washed, attach them so that they can be removed and reattached easily.
You can always make a button by making one from the yarn that the garment was made of. There are three basic styles :
- Crocheted on a ring This uses the little plastic or bone rings that you often find in grandma’s sewing basket along with the buttons and other loose items. You basically cover the ring tightly with single crochet and then fill in the center by taking the long tail of yarn, threading it on a yarn needle and picking up the outside loop from every single crochet stitch. You pull the strand to the back, tie it off and use it to sew on the button.
- Self stuffed crochet or ball button. This is fairly simple to make as well. You make a slip knot and chain three. Slip stitch into the first chain to join. Work two single crochets into each of the three chains. Continue to increase until there are 12 single crochets. To decrease on the next round, work two single crochets together six times. Cut the yarn, leaving an 8″/20cm strand. Stuff the button with matching yarn. Then thread the tail onto a yarn needle and pick up the outside loop from the three top single crochet loops, pull tight and tie off.
- Embellished patch on a button form. Knit a square patch at least 3 times the size of your button form, or the size of the diameter of the cloth circle pattern you get with your button kit. Then with contrasting thread and needle, make a running stitch the size of the top edge of your button. This defines your embellishment area. Using various yarns, threads and beads, create your personalized design. When finished, mount this creation onto your button form and follow manufacturer’s directions for finishing button.
