Learning to perform a buttonhole stitch

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

In today's world it is difficult to imagine a sewing industry without sewing equipment, that is, one where everything is done by hand. But once upon a time it was. And it was very fashionable to decorate clothes with hand embroidery. Progress has brought many changes, but hand embroidery is still appreciated today. Many needlewomen are happy to embroider and applique on fabric. Therefore, it will be interesting and useful to learn something new about the buttonhole and its application.

A manual buttonhole stitch is always performed from left to right, the needle must be inserted towards you. It is important to secure the edge of the thread well before starting work to avoid unraveling. The finished seam will turn out neat if you first make a markup with an erasable pencil, outlining the lines along which you will sew. The buttonhole stitch includes many varieties that are suitable for a variety of uses.

Getting started and securing the thread

You cando it in two ways:

1. In the first case, the needle is inserted on the front side, leaving a short tip of the thread. A few stitches are made, after turning the work to the wrong side, weave the left tip of the thread behind the back walls of the stitches. In the same way, the thread is fixed at the end of work. This method is used when embroidering pattern fragments.
2. In the second case, the needle is inserted into the upper edge of the seam line, and the tip of the thread is left on the front side. Then the working thread is laid on top, covering the tip of the thread, and the next stitch is sewn. After completing a series of stitches, pull the thread to the wrong side and make 2-3 small stitches over your last straight stitch, only grab the back with the needle. Fasten the thread at the beginning of work in the same way. This method is used when finishing edges or for applications.

Learn to sew

Before we look at how to sew with a buttonhole, let's first learn the golden rule. It lies in the fact that between the stitches there should be a distance equal to their depth. If the stitches are deep, then they should be further apart. The classic depth and distance between the stitches of the buttonhole is 0.5 cm.

Button stitch - how to do it right?

1. The needle is inserted at a distance of 0.5 cm from the edge of the part and at the same distance from the stitch that secures the working thread.
2. The working thread is pulled into the loop formed around the edge of the part. At the same time, make sure that the needle remains in front of the thread.
3. Continue repeating the same action with subsequent stitches.

If you have little experience and not everything works out the first time, no need to worry. A little practice and desire - and everything will turn out like real craftswomen!

The following errors are possible during operation:

• The stitches are not the right size and the seam looks ugly. To prevent this, mark the stitch depth and the required stitch spacing.
• The stitched edge is wrinkled. This was due to the fact that the working thread was too tightened or the stitches were made very deep. To avoid this, do not tighten the thread too much and watch the depth of the stitches, it should not exceed the distance between them.

Buttonhole stitch (its other name is edge) is used when sewing loops, overcasting the edges of a product or embroidering. Its main application is the processing of crumbling edges. They are also used in the manufacture of felt crafts. With this seam, applications are fixed, decorative edges are finished, and embroidery is filled. It consists of loops intertwined with each other, which is why it got its name. Seams are made along straight or curved lines.

Having learned about this original seam, you'll want to try it in your work. Next, we will look at how to embroider with a buttonhole, what are its varieties, where they can best be used.

Overlock stitch

Overlock buttonhole stitch is the main variety of this stitch andused most often. It is indispensable for processing the edges of the product. The lower thread of its loops can be located either along the cut of the fabric, or along the edge. All stitches of the interlaced loops of such a seam will be evenly spaced. Using it in embroidery, stitches can be made at different levels, alternating between long and short ones.

Fill Overlock Stitch

It is also the main one in its subgroup, great for embroidery around the circle, so it is quite popular with needlework lovers.

Done like this:

1. The needle is brought to the front side and injected on the bottom line towards the top, stepping back a little to the right. Now the needle is inserted near the first puncture and the thread is under the tip of the needle.
2. Passing the thread through the fabric over the working thread, tighten it so that a tight loop is formed on the bottom line.
3. Do the rest of the stitches in the same way, making sure they are the same distance and the same height.

Fill overlock stitch can also be called a tight stitch, in which the stitches will always be located at a close distance from each other. To make it beautiful, follow this advice: the stitch size should match the thickness of the thread. If you embroider with a thick thread with small stitches, the pattern will come out not only too voluminous, it will be uneven. If, on the contrary, the threads are chosen thin, and the stitches are made very large, such a pattern will resemble a cobweb, and the loops will look shapeless.

Closed seam

1. Having made a marking on the fabric of two parallel lines, start working from the bottom left edge. The needle is inserted from the top line and withdrawn to the bottom (the stitch is made at an angle), the thread will remain under the tip of the needle.
2. The thread is carefully pulled out, the needle is stuck at the top of the previous stitch, the stitch is sewn with an inclination to the right. You will have a triangle.
3. After pulling the thread, complete the first closed stitch, then the thread is passed under the tip of the needle. Continue the entire row, doing the same, keeping the same distance between stitches.

Cross Stitch

1. Make two parallel lines on the fabric and start from the bottom left corner. Stick the needle into the upper line on the right and bring it to the bottom line, the stitch should turn out with an inclination to the left, the thread is held under the needle.
2. Inject the needle on the top line to the right of the previous stitch and bring it out on the bottom line. The thread is under the needle, bring the needle out under the top point of the first stitch.
3. The thread is carefully pulled out and you have the first cross stitch. The thread is held under the tip of the needle. Continue sewing other stitches at the same distance.

Double stitched

1. Before you start, mark 3 parallel lines. Start sewing from the bottom left corner. Make a series of overcasting stitches along the marking of the bottom line. Keep the distance between the stitches small, they should protrude slightly beyond the center line.
2. Thenturn the fabric 180° and sew under the first row a second row of the same overcasting stitches as before. They need to be placed between the lines of the first row.

Worth mentioning is also the tight buttonhole stitch, it can be found as a surface embroidery or it can act as a main stitch in welt embroideries such as cutwork.

Loop stitch in knitting

Great uses for buttonholes can also be found in knitting. It is not suitable for stitching the details of the product, but it can be used to beautifully finish the edges of appliqués or embroidery.