A buttonhole is a reinforced slit that holds a button in place

Your sewing machine can cut and finish a buttonhole in one operation using the buttonhole foot and your machine's built-in buttonhole stitch. The machine stitches a rectangle of tight stitches around the opening, then a blade inside the foot cuts the slit open. The whole process takes about 30 seconds per buttonhole once you have marked the placement and threaded the machine correctly.

The buttonhole foot is a small metal or plastic attachment that sits on your presser foot bar. It has a groove underneath that guides the blade, and a slot on top where you set the button size. Most machines made in the last 20 years have a buttonhole stitch built in; older machines may require a separate buttonhole cam or may not have this feature at all. Check your machine's manual to confirm you have the buttonhole function and to find the exact steps for your model, because the process varies slightly between brands.

Key Takeaways

  • The buttonhole foot attaches to your presser foot bar and holds the button in the slot so the machine stitches the correct size.
  • Mark buttonhole placement with a pencil or fabric pen before you start, measuring from the button band edge and spacing them evenly.
  • Thread your machine with thread that matches the garment, use a fresh needle, and test the buttonhole on scrap fabric first.
  • The machine stitches all four sides of the buttonhole, then the built-in blade cuts the slit; you do not cut it yourself with scissors.
  • Buttonholes on knit fabrics or stretchy materials need a stabilizer underneath to prevent the stitches from puckering.

Gather the buttonhole foot, thread, and a test scrap

Before you start on your garment, you need the buttonhole foot that came with your machine. If you have lost it, you can order a replacement from the machine manufacturer by model number—check your manual or the machine's nameplate for the exact model. You will also need a button that matches the ones on your garment, thread in a color that matches the fabric, a fresh sewing machine needle (size 80/12 or 90/14 for most woven fabrics), and a small piece of scrap fabric the same weight as your garment.

The scrap is essential. Buttonholes are one of the few things that look wrong if you get the tension or stitch length wrong, and testing first saves you from having to unpick stitches on the actual garment. Use a scrap at least 4 inches square so you have room to work and can see how the stitch looks. If your garment is a knit or stretchy fabric, also gather a piece of tear-away stabilizer—a thin paper-like backing that prevents stitches from puckering. You can buy it at any fabric store in a roll or pad.

Mark the buttonhole placement before threading

Buttonholes should be marked on the garment before you sit down at the machine. Measure from the edge of the button band (the edge closest to the center front of the garment) and mark the center point of each buttonhole with a pencil or fabric pen. Space them evenly—usually 2 to 2.5 inches apart on a shirt, closer on a blouse. Mark a short line showing the length of the buttonhole; it should be about 1/8 inch longer than the diameter of your button.

For example, if your button is 5/8 inch across, mark a line 3/4 inch long. This extra length gives the button room to pass through without straining the stitches. Mark the line parallel to the edge of the button band, not at an angle. Use a ruler to keep the marks straight and even. Once marked, you are ready to thread the machine.

Thread the machine and insert the buttonhole foot

Thread your machine with the thread color you chose, following your machine's threading diagram exactly. Use the same thread in the bobbin. Raise the presser foot lever to open the tension discs, then lower it again once the thread is threaded—this is a step many people skip and it causes tension problems. Insert a fresh needle, making sure it is fully seated in the needle clamp.

Remove your current presser foot by pressing or unscrewing the foot holder (depending on your machine type). Slide the buttonhole foot onto the presser foot bar and find it. The foot should sit flat and level on the fabric. Set your machine to the buttonhole stitch—this is usually marked with a symbol that looks like a rectangle with a line through it, or labeled "buttonhole" in your stitch menu. Consult your manual if you cannot find it; different machines have different ways of selecting this stitch.

Set the button size and test on scrap fabric

Place your button in the slot at the top of the buttonhole foot. The foot has a small lever or dial that you adjust until the button fits snugly in the slot—not loose, not forced. This setting tells the machine how wide to make the buttonhole. Once the button is set, place your scrap fabric under the foot, lower the presser foot lever, and position the needle at the marked starting point.

Press the foot pedal slowly and let the machine stitch. It will stitch down one side of the buttonhole, across the bottom, up the other side, and across the top, then stop. Do not lift the presser foot or move the fabric while it is stitching—the machine controls the movement. Once it stops, raise the presser foot and remove the fabric. Look at the stitching: it should be tight and even, with no gaps or loose loops. If the stitches look wrong, check your thread tension and try again on a fresh piece of scrap before moving to the garment.

Cut the buttonhole open carefully

Once the stitching is complete, the slit inside the rectangle still needs to be cut open. Your machine's buttonhole foot has a small blade built into the bottom—a sharp metal piece that cuts the fabric when you press a button or lever on the foot. Check your manual to find this button or lever; it is usually on the side or back of the foot.

Place the stitched buttonhole on a firm surface like a wooden cutting board or a thick magazine. Press the blade button or lever firmly. The blade will cut the slit open in one motion. Do not try to cut the buttonhole with scissors—the blade is designed to cut only the fabric inside the stitched rectangle, leaving the reinforced stitches intact. If your foot does not have a built-in blade, you can carefully cut the slit with a seam ripper or small scissors, but stop just short of the stitches at each end to avoid cutting the thread.

Stitch buttonholes on the garment using the same method

Once your test buttonhole looks good, you are ready to stitch on the actual garment. If your garment is a woven fabric like cotton or linen, you can stitch directly on the marked line. If it is a knit or stretchy fabric, pin or baste a piece of tear-away stabilizer to the wrong side of the fabric behind each buttonhole mark. The stabilizer prevents the stitches from sinking into the fabric and puckering.

Position the first marked buttonhole under the foot, lower the presser foot, and stitch exactly as you did on the scrap. Stitch all buttonholes the same way, then cut them open. Once all buttonholes are cut, tear away the stabilizer by hand—it will pull away cleanly. Sew your buttons on and test each one to make sure it passes through the buttonhole without strain. If a buttonhole is too tight, you can carefully enlarge it by cutting a tiny bit more from the center, but do this only as a last resort.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if the machine skips stitches or the buttonhole looks uneven?

Skipped stitches usually mean the needle is bent or inserted incorrectly. Remove the needle, reinsert it fully into the clamp, and try again on scrap fabric. Uneven stitching often comes from wrong tension—check your manual for the correct tension setting for buttonholes, which is sometimes different from regular sewing. If the foot is not sitting flat on the fabric, the stitches will be uneven; make sure the presser foot bar is level.

Can I sew buttonholes on a button-up shirt that is already finished?

Yes, but mark the buttonhole placement carefully before you start. If the shirt has interfacing or a facing behind the button band, the needle will go through multiple layers, which is fine—just make sure your needle is strong enough for the weight. Test on a scrap of the same layered fabric first. The blade will cut through all layers at once.

What size needle should I use for buttonholes?

Use a size 80/12 or 90/14 needle for most woven fabrics like cotton and linen. Use a 70/10 or 80/12 for lightweight fabrics, and a 100/16 for heavy fabrics like denim or canvas. The needle size is printed on the package. A needle that is too small will bend under the pressure of the tight buttonhole stitches; too large and it will leave visible holes in the fabric.

Do I need to backstitch at the beginning and end of a buttonhole?

No. The buttonhole stitch is designed to lock itself—the tight stitches at the corners hold the thread in place without backstitching. Backstitching can actually cause the stitches to bunch up at the start and end. Just start and stop where the machine tells you to.

What if my machine does not have a buttonhole stitch?

Older machines may not have this feature. Check your manual to see if a separate buttonhole cam is available for your model—some machines use a cam system instead of a built-in stitch. If your machine has neither, you can sew buttonholes by hand using a buttonhole stitch, though this takes longer and requires practice. A sewing teacher or experienced seamstress can show you the hand method.