You need thread, a needle, and five minutes of your time
Sewing a button back on a coat is one of the fastest repairs you can do at home. You thread a needle, push it through the button holes and the fabric underneath, tie it off, and you are done. The whole job takes about five minutes once you have gathered your materials. You do not need a sewing machine, special skills, or experience.
The hardest part is usually finding a needle and thread that match your coat. If you cannot find an exact match, thread that is close in color works fine—it will be hidden under the button anyway. A coat button almost never falls off a second time if you sew it correctly, so this is a repair that actually lasts.
Key Takeaways
- Gather a needle, thread that matches your coat, scissors, and the button before you start.
- Thread the needle, knot one end, and push it up through the fabric from the back so the knot stays hidden.
- Sew through the button holes and back down through the fabric in a crisscross or parallel pattern, making four to six passes.
- Wrap the thread around the base of the button underneath to create a shank, then tie off the thread on the back side of the coat.
Gather your materials before you start
You will need a needle, thread, scissors, and the button itself. If the button is missing, you can use a spare button from inside the coat (many coats have one sewn to the interior seam), or buy a replacement at a fabric store or online. Bring the coat with you so you can match the size and color.
For thread, look in a sewing kit, a junk drawer, or ask a neighbor. The color should be close to your coat—dark thread for dark coats, light thread for light coats. If you have nothing that matches, any neutral color like black, white, or gray will work because the button will cover it. You only need about 18 inches of thread for one button.
A regular sewing needle works fine. If you have a needle threader (a small wire loop), keep it nearby—it makes threading much easier, especially if your eyesight is not perfect. If you do not have one, you can buy a pack of needle threaders for a few dollars at any drugstore.
Thread the needle and anchor it with a knot
Cut about 18 inches of thread from the spool. Hold the needle steady and push one end of the thread through the eye of the needle. If the thread keeps slipping out, wet the end slightly with your tongue or a damp finger—it will slide through more easily.
Once the thread is through, pull it so you have roughly equal lengths on both sides. Tie a knot at one end by making a small loop, pulling the thread through it, and pulling tight. The knot should be about the size of a pea. This knot will stay on the back side of the coat and keep the thread from pulling through.
Position the button and start sewing
Hold the coat so the spot where the button goes is facing you. Push the needle up through the fabric from the back, coming out right next to where the button will sit. Pull the thread until the knot catches on the back of the fabric. The knot should stay hidden on the inside of the coat.
Place the button on top of the spot where the thread came out. Most coat buttons have two or four holes. If it has two holes, push the needle down through one hole, then back up through the other hole. If it has four holes, you can sew in an X pattern (diagonal corner to corner) or a parallel pattern (top two holes, then bottom two holes). Either way works equally well.
Make four to six passes through the button
Push the needle down through one hole in the button, then through the fabric underneath. Come back up through the other hole (or an adjacent hole if the button has four). Pull the thread snug but not so tight that you bend the button. Repeat this motion four to six times, always going down through one hole and up through another.
After the fourth pass, check that the button feels solid. If it wiggles, make two more passes. If it is tight, you can stop. The button should not spin or rock when you tug it gently.
Create a shank to give the button room to move
A shank is a small space between the button and the coat fabric. It lets the button sit slightly away from the coat, which makes buttoning and unbuttoning easier and keeps the thread from breaking under stress. To create one, push the needle to the back of the coat but do not go through a button hole—instead, wrap the thread around the base of the button two or three times, going under the button but over the coat fabric.
This wrapping creates a tiny pillar of thread that holds the button up slightly. It is a small detail that makes the repair last much longer. After you have wrapped two or three times, push the needle back through the coat to the inside.
Tie off the thread on the back of the coat
Once the needle is on the back side of the coat, make a small loop with the thread and push the needle through it, just like you did when you tied the first knot. Pull tight. Make one more small loop and push through again. Two knots are better than one because the button will not come loose if one knot somehow breaks.
Trim the extra thread with scissors. You are done. The button should feel solid, and the thread should be completely hidden—you should only see the button and the shank underneath it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if the button has four holes instead of two?
Sew through the top two holes four times, then through the bottom two holes four times. This creates an X pattern and spreads the stress evenly. Alternatively, sew straight down through the left holes and up through the right holes to make parallel lines. Both methods work equally well.
Can I use a button from a different coat?
Yes, as long as it is the same size and fits through the buttonhole. Coat buttons come in standard sizes, so a replacement button from a thrift store or online will usually work. If the color does not match exactly, it will be less noticeable on a coat than on a shirt because coats are worn over other clothes.
What if I cannot find matching thread?
Use thread that is close in color—the button will cover most of it. If nothing matches, black, white, or gray thread works on almost any coat because the button hides the stitches. The thread color matters far less than making sure the button is sewn tight.
How do I know if the button is sewn tight enough?
Tug the button gently with your fingers. It should not move or wiggle. If it does, make two more passes through the holes. A properly sewn coat button will not come loose again, even after months of regular use.
Do I need to use a thimble?
A thimble protects your finger when you push the needle through thick fabric, but it is not required. If your coat is heavy wool or canvas, a thimble makes the job easier on your fingertip. If the fabric is thin, you do not need one.