How to Replace a Button on a Button-Down Shirt
- Snip the threads holding your spare button to the shirt. You’ll need scissors with a sharp tip, or maybe a steak knife.
- Thread a needle.
- Match the button to its correct spot.
- Mimic the sewing of the other buttons.
- Sew the button.
- Make the shank.
- Lock the stitching.
In this post
Alternatives to Buttons | 5 Easiest Methods
- Velcro.
- Kam Snaps.
- Read More about Fasteners.
- Sew on Press Studs (Snaps)
- Snap tape.
- Hook and Eyes.
If the missing button was toward the top of your shirt or on your pants, grab a sturdy paperclip, hook it through any thread loops left from the button or the surrounding fabric of the shirt, and then slide it through the button hole!
Rivets & Jean Buttons. Rivets are used in so many different applications, from utility to fashion. These little metal fasteners are found in all manners of sewing and crafts and are used with fabrics such as denim, canvas, and leather. They are used to hold things together or attach them to something else.
Let’s begin with the 5 main types of buttons classified by shape:
- Flat Buttons.
- Shank Buttons.
- Stud Buttons.
- Toggle Buttons.
- Decorative Buttons.
Jean Button Replacement Hack
While not an ideal solution, you can use a twist tie or a piece of string to secure your pants if the button falls off. Simply thread one end of the twist tie through the hole left by the button, and then bring the other end through the buttonhole.
Just use a twist-tie, like the kind that comes on a loaf of bread, as a makeshift needle and thread.
Though it may be convenient to take it to your personal tailor (aka your mom or girlfriend), you can’t count on that when you’re in a pinch. With these simple steps, you’ll be able to sew your button in ten minutes or less with these simple steps (whether it’s a flat button or a shank button).
Screwdriver and Pliers Method
Insert the head of the screwdriver in between the back of the rivet or button. Work it around a little to help loosen it. Now use the pliers on the rivet or button top; twist it up and down to release it from the bottom.
HOW TO INSTALL JEANS BUTTONS AND RIVETS
- Using your awl or nail, make a whole in your fabric just big enough for the button/rivet tack to be pushed through.
- Push the tack through from the back of the garment to the front.
- FOR RIVETS ONLY.
- Place your button/rivet face down on your metal surface.
Instructions:
- Take the stud from your new button and push it through the fabric on the righthand side of the hole caused by the old button (illustrations are below).
- Place the new button head face down on a towel and on a firm surface.
- Line up the stud with the hole in the button.
- All done!
Buttonholes are a slit or hole in fabric that can hold a button, and normally as a result, hold two pieces of fabric together.
Another great trick for determining the button material is running it under hot water, and then smelling it. When run under hot water, celluloid buttons will smell like mothballs or Vicks Vapor, bakelite buttons will smell of formaldehyde, and lucite buttons won’t have any smell.
Shank. A shank button is one that has a small loop or hole on the back of it instead of holes in the center of it, and this loop is what you put your needle through when sewing the button onto your garment or other items.
Instructions
- Thread the Needle. Use a needle that’s appropriate for the fabric you’re working with (a lighter needle for finer fabrics and a heavier one for thicker fabrics).
- Tie a Knot.
- Mark Your Spot.
- Thread Through the Top Layer.
- Pull Tight.
- Thread Through the Shank.
- Thread Through the Fabric.
- Pull the Threads in Tight.
Position your button in line with the button hole. Push your needle and thread through the underside of the fabric until it stops at the knot. Pass the needle through one button hole and then the other. Push your needle and thread back through the fabric until the button is pulled flat against the fabric.