hand sewing buttonholes? What's the trick?

I've been trying samples of hand-sewn buttonholes all morning and they look terrible.  There has to be some sort of trick to this.  I tried a few different threads and none of them look any good.  

Machine button holes don't look a lot better, but certainly better than my mess.  I would rather not have to get the machine out (it's in storage for the holidays) as I sewed the rested of this project by hand, it feels a bit miffy to admit defeat and use the machine for the finishing touches.  

So what's the trick to getting good-looking buttonholes by hand?

Have you gone back over the buttonhole a second time?

1. Are you dealing with an "attitude" issue? Do you have examples of hand-sewn button holes that are better than your attempts, or are you comparing modern machine ones to your attempt? That may not be fair/kind to yourself.
2. My only attempt at a "button" hole turned out like this:

It was in a pretty firm fabric, and yet was quite small. It certainly doesn't compare to modern machine sewn.
3. I recently made hand sewn "grommets" for a drawstring. This was through a single thickness of a heavy flannel. To reinforce it, I made a circle of feed bag string 3 times around, and then did a regular stitch over it. The second one at the bottom in the picture, turned out better than the first. I think I read about that being done in some cases in the past.

4. I think I read a complicated system somewhere, but it really was more or less a blanket stitch done in reverse when I analyzed it. Either that, or I just didn't understand it at all because they claimed there was a "knot" at the edge to take wear and tear and I couldn't see it! Some things are hard to replicate just from images or words when you can't look at it and analyze it and watch someone do it.

You could also try making a bound buttonhole;  the internet has photos and instructions all over the place.  They aren't too hard to make, and look very tidy.

Something I have done is before I started sewing the hole, I stitched/wove in more threads parallel to the edges where I was going to anchor it. That made it pull less and not turn into a puckered blob.

Anne Miller wrote:Have you gone back over the buttonhole a second time?

not yet.  I'll give it a try.

Jay Angler wrote:1. Are you dealing with an "attitude" issue? Do you have examples of hand-sewn button holes that are better than your attempts, or are you comparing modern machine ones to your attempt? That may not be fair/kind to yourself.

That could be part of it.  I tried putting the buttons in the samples and it looks better, but still shows the frayed edges.

I feel like my thread is pulling and shredding the fabric.  I have four layers so I thought it might be enough.  

G Freden wrote:You could also try making a bound buttonhole;  the internet has photos and instructions all over the place.  They aren't too hard to make, and look very tidy.

That's an idea.  The buttons are pretty small and I've already finished all the edges of the garment, so I don't know if it will work for this one.  but a good idea for future projects.

Pearl Sutton wrote:Something I have done is before I started sewing the hole, I stitched/wove in more threads parallel to the edges where I was going to anchor it. That made it pull less and not turn into a puckered blob.

That might do it.  I'll give this a try with the next sample.  

Although I'm getting to the point where there are more sample button holes than will be on the garment.  sigh.  

a big part of my problem is I'm using variations of sewing thread.  Even doubled, it still seems too fine for the fabric.

But if I quadruple it, I get big tangles.

 If the sewing thread is too thin, have you considered using embroidery floss instead?

There is also a special thread called Buttonhole Twist.

If you plan to continue hand-sewing buttonholes this thread might help.

From Britannica:

What is a buttonhole twist?
Buttonhole twist is a strong, lustrous silk about three times the diameter of normal sewing silk, and is used for hand-worked buttonholes, for sewing on buttons, and for various decorative effects.

r ranson wrote:a big part of my problem is I'm using variations of sewing thread.  Even doubled, it still seems too fine for the fabric.

But if I quadruple it, I get big tangles.

Have you tried rubbing the strands with beeswax? When I've had thread that was too inclined to twist on itself and tangle, I tried the wax trick and I was amazed how much it helped.

In the book Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing there are detailed illustrations of hand worked buttonholes. Cording the buttonhole with embroidery floss or crochet thread will make it more durable on thick or loosely woven fabric.

I have not attempted handstitched buttonholes so far, but handstitched grommet holes (if that's what you call it). I treated myself to a nice pattern that called for this technique (elastic tie blouse).

The linen I used had to be enforced by some iron-on interfacing. And then I just practiced on a piece of scrap fabric. It helped to draw the contours of the circle with trickmarker. It looked bad when it was too small, and if it was too big.
In the end they looked quite ok, not perfect but acceptable for me.

here we go.  These are some of my better samples.

Even with the topstitching thread doubled, I still feel it was too thin a thread for the fabric.

But the embroidery thread I have isn't in the right colour and I haven't been able to find button hole twist in town.

I've got four layers of linen but no interfacing because I didn't have an iron for this project.

These are just thoughts to consider:
1. 4 layers may be making it harder rather than easier.
2. All 4 layers appear to have about the same thread count, and it's on the loose side - would you have a scrap of really high thread count cotton to try as the lining?
3. What happens if you put the extra inside layers on the bias to the outside layers? Would it reinforce it in a different way?
4. I think May's picture of the corded button hole also might be a help.
5. As a spinner, what happens if you take your existing thread and actually spin it into "ply" thread that is thicker?

The garment is already constructed,  so I cannot make any changes there this time.

The linen layer are two weights.   The grey is handkerchief,  the dark a garment weight.

So this is not for big button hole on loose coating fabric that I thought. Is your concern that you can only use sewing thread with matching color and need to make it heavier?

Here I tried twisting a strand of general purpose sewing thread on my lap into a 2-ply twine, then I did it again to make it 4-ply. The resulting twine/floss was quite strong and with enough thickness. I then hand sewed a buttonhole over four layers of shirt weight linen. I still need some practicing but it seemed the result was satisfying without frayed edge. It took 1.5m of thread to make a 1.5cm long buttonhole so it was a bit of work.

It honestly sounds like you need to look at a variety of ways of making buttonholes and explore them.
Examples:
~ Try sewing bound buttonholes (also by hand) by using cloth that you then turn inside the garment. This doubles the fabric and provides a strong base where the threads won't pull and distort. https://www.thelaststitch.com/how-to-sew-bound-buttonholes/
~ Try sewing over a piece of thread or twine to give a guide and clean base for the button hole to be stabilized by.
~ Use stabilizer or a dissolving material to give you a base that will strengthen the buttonholes and stitches.

Look up on You Tube or Threads Magazine for styles of buttonholes that will help you gain skill and confidence. Its a matter of techniques and practice, just like any hand craft or skill.

Kat

Maybe not cutting the hole in the fabric until after you hand sew the buttonhole?
Looking at all the photos I would opt for the bound buttonhole when hand sewing, its not that much more difficult, looks professional and strengthens the area tremendously.

This video was suggested to me by youtube, and it is extreemly detailed on how to make buttonholes on different fabrics with different threads and with different styles.

It also mentions having the "knot" of the buttonhole stitch land at the top, rather than inside the buttonhole.

I learned a LOT from it, and hopefully it helps someone else, too!

First you need the right thicker buttonhole thread. Second you need to stitch very narrowly. Third some people stitch a thick thread in to give it a bit of fullness. There is a hand sewing group on FB.

This is a really nice way to make a buttonhole. It would take a lot longer but wow what a difference! Since the advent of sewing machines you dont get a lot of info on hand sewing but this buttonhole can be hand sewn.
https://www.threadsmagazine.com/2015/05/26/how-to-sew-a-bound-buttonhole