How to Sew a Buttonhole on an Old Machine?
Last Updated: May 19, 2021
Last Updated: May 19, 2021
Along with the advancement of technology, we have seen remarkable changes in the sewing arena too. And one of the most crucial bits in modern garments — a buttonhole — now has hundreds of efficient ways to achieve excellent results.
However, things can be drastically different if you’re trying to learn how to sew a buttonhole on an old machine. Of course, a person may have an old machine for various reasons, which is out of the point.
The point is that the old machines don’t have any built-in buttonhole stitching options or automated stitches, which require you to do things manually. Here’s how you can sew a buttonhole on with your trusty old friend.
Many users ask whether they’re better off knitting the buttonholes because they don’t have a modern machine, going back to the hand sewn buttonholes vs machine sewn holes debate.
But in that case, you’d need to learn the types of knitted button bands and then how to knit a buttonhole band, which is a chore. And that’s not the end of it either.
You’d then need to master the way to knit a buttonhole in garter stitch or knit a buttonhole in moss stitch, which are the most common ones. Unless you are particularly interested in them, we suggest steering clear.
Before we get started, we need to ensure that the machine can perform the essential bits without a hiccup. The basic features are present on most old products, and using them can still be quicker than learning how to use buttonhole scissors.
sewing buttonhole in old machine
Unlike learning something like learning to knit a vertical buttonhole, a machine is much more forgiving — even if it’s ancient. Below are the steps:
If you don’t have a buttonhole foot, you only need to mark the whole thing, as you need to use that as a guide.
And we’re done! Now you have a beautiful buttonhole. Certainly didn’t take as much time as learning to knit a buttonhole in rib, did it?
One of the most crucial features of sewing machines is the zigzag stitch, which is present on decade-old machines. Now, there is a caveat here — the width of the buttonhole would be as much as the zigzag’s one.
This width would be around 4-5mm for most machines, which is enough for most light to medium-weight fabrics. And if you want to learn to make professional buttonholes without too much time, this is the easiest way.
You might not have the best sewing machine for buttonhole, but the chances are that it has a foot for buttonholes. If that’s the case, then we’re fine. Otherwise, it would help if you took a bit more control over the process.
And it’s not a deal-breaking issue either. It’s possible to follow this procedure without a foot like this, and you’d still not need to learn how to tidy up knitted buttonholes, which is a win regarding time saved.
Many of us don’t have a modern machine or don’t want to invest a large sum. And if it’s only a few occasional buttonholes, there is no need to. You can follow our guide above and learn how to sew a buttonhole on an old machine with ease.
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