How to sew on a button
Two-hole, four-hole and shank buttons, sewn by hand so they stay put. The secret is a small thread "stalk" under the button.
Pinny's tip
Slide a cocktail stick under the button while you stitch. Pull it out at the end and you get the perfect bit of slack for the stalk.
Slide a cocktail stick under the button while you stitch. Pull it out at the end and you get the perfect bit of slack for the stalk.
What you'll need
- Hand-sewing needle: a medium "sharps" needle is fine.
- Strong thread: doubled general-purpose polyester thread.
- Cocktail stick or pin: a spacer for the stalk.
- Small scissors: for snipping the ends.
Step by step
- Cut about 50cm of thread, thread the needle, pull the ends level and knot them together, so you sew with a double thread.
- Mark the spot. On a repair, the old holes show you where. Take two tiny stitches in the same place to anchor the thread.
- Bring the needle up through one hole and slide the button down the thread. Lay the cocktail stick across the top of the button.
- Two holes: go down through the second hole, up through the first, and repeat 4 to 6 times over the stick.
- Four holes: sew a cross (corner to corner), or two parallel bars. Repeat each pair 4 to 6 times, always over the stick.
- Pull out the stick, lift the button so the stitches stand up, and bring the needle out between button and fabric.
- Wind the thread tightly around the stitches 3 to 6 times to make the stalk (the "shank").
- Push the needle to the back, take two small stitches, knot, and snip. Check the button fits through its buttonhole.
- Shank buttons (with a loop underneath): no stick needed. Stitch through the loop and the fabric 3 to 5 times, then knot on the back.
Watch
How to Sew a Button by Hand (2:03)
By Howcast · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 2-minute video from Howcast on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
Why the stalk matters
A button sewn flat to the fabric has no room for the layer of fabric that goes through the buttonhole. It strains, puckers and pops off. The stalk should be about as long as that layer is thick: short on a shirt, longer on a thick coat.
Quick fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Button too tight | No spacer | Re-sew over a cocktail stick |
| Button wobbles | Stalk too long or loose | Wind tighter and shorter |
| Keeps falling off | Too few passes, weak thread | Double thread, 6 to 8 passes |
Watch it done
- How to Sew a Button by Hand by Howcast on YouTube. Opens on YouTube; the video belongs to its creator.
Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.