How to sew on a button
Sew a flat (two- or four-hole) or shank button back on by hand in about ten minutes, with a thread shank so it buttons easily and stays put.
- Time
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Low cost
- Steps
- 6
- Checked
What you’ll need
- Hand sewing needle Search Amazon for hand sewing needles
- Thread to match (polyester all-purpose is fine) Search Amazon for sewing thread set
- Scissors
- The button (or a spare from the garment label)
- A pin or cocktail stick
- Tailor's chalk or a washable pen (optional) Search Amazon for tailors chalk
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. The Amazon links go to search results, so you can compare what’s available.
Safety first
- Keep needles and small buttons away from young children and pets: they're a choking and swallowing hazard.
Step by step
-
Step 1: Mark the position
Button the garment up and line the buttonhole over where the button goes, or find the old thread holes. Mark the spot with chalk or a pin.
Next: step 2 -
Step 2: Thread the needle
Cut about 40 to 50 cm of thread. Pass it through the needle and pull the ends level so the thread is doubled, then knot the ends together.
Next: step 3 -
Step 3: Anchor the thread
Push the needle up from the back of the fabric at the mark and take one or two tiny stitches on the spot so the knot is secure.
Next: step 4 -
Step 4: Sew through the holes over a spacer
For a flat button, lay a pin or cocktail stick across the top of the button. Stitch up through one hole and down through the opposite hole, over the pin, five or six times. For four holes, do two parallel bars or a cross. For a shank button (one loop underneath), just stitch through the loop and the fabric four or five times; it doesn't need a spacer.
Next: step 5 -
Step 5: Make the thread shank
Remove the pin. Bring the needle up between the button and the fabric and wind the thread round the stitches under the button three or four times. This little stem lets the button sit above thick fabric.
Next: step 6 -
Step 6: Finish off
Push the needle to the back, take a few small stitches through the thread on the back, make a knot through the last loop and trim.
Tips
- Put a dab of clear nail varnish on the threads at the back to stop them fraying on heavy-use buttons.
- Spare buttons are often sewn onto the care label or a seam inside.
Questions people ask
What thread should I use?
All-purpose polyester for most clothes; buttonhole or upholstery thread for coats.
Why add a shank?
Without one, a button on thick fabric is too tight to do up and the threads wear through quickly.
Sources
Checked 9 October 2026. We wrote this guide in our own words, using:
- Sew4Home: How to sew on a button by hand (sew4home.com)
- Patagonia Worn Wear: How to sew a button (patagonia.com)
Was this guide helpful?
Report a problem with this guide
Printed from howtoguides.uk/guides/how-to-sew-on-a-button/ · Checked 9 October 2026 · General information only. For gas, electrics, structural work, medical, legal or money decisions, use a qualified professional.