• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Blog
  • MashUp
    • Monthly MashUp
  • Designs by Call Ajaire
    • FREE PATTERNS
    • GIRLS
    • SWIM
    • OUTERWEAR
    • UNISEX
    • FOR THE HOME
    • ADD-ON
    • Cart
    • Checkout
    • My Account
    • Designs by Call Ajaire Facebook Group
    • Designs by Call Ajaire on Etsy
  • Archive
  • About
  • Nav Widget Area

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

Call Ajaire

You can always Call Ajaire.

Sewing Bound Buttonholes – how to give your look this professional finish

Bound Buttonholes are one of my favorite coat finishes and the Mackinaw Coat pattern has them as an option.  Since I’m rereleasing the pattern soon with added layers and a projector file, I thought it’d be fun to share this tutorial with you.  Get ready to up your sewing game!

Bound Buttonholes - tutorial main image

I originally wrote this tutorial for the Project Run & Play blog, but it’s time to bring it home.  If you’ve never sewn a bound buttonhole, don’t worry; I’ll walk you through it.  A bound buttonhole is basically an opening with double welts that meet in the center of the opening.  In order to hide the reverse side of the welt, it is best used where there are two layers of fabric, such as the lining of a coat.  In the end you’ll have a lovely finish that you can use for coats, lined bodices, bags, or anywhere you’d like an extra special detail.

For a buttonhole sized for a 3/4″ button you’ll need the following:
1 3/4″ X 1 1/2″ piece of fabric for one welt
1 3/4″ X 3/4″ piece of fusible interfacing for the welt
1 3/4″ X 1 1/4″ piece of fusible interfacing for the lining

Bound Buttonholes step 1

1. Fuse the welt interfacing to the wrong side of the welt, centered vertically. | 2. Press each long side toward the center with wrong sides together. | 3. Baste down the center of each side of the welt, to keep the fold in place and also to give a stitching guideline for later steps.

Bound Buttonholes step 4

4. Mark the buttonhole placement on the main fabric using tailor’s chalk, extending the lines so the welt can easily be centered. | 5. Place the welt with the folded over raw edges facing up, centered between the markings. | 6. There is a 3/8″ seam allowance on each end of the welt so the welt will overhang the vertical markings by as much.

Bound Buttonholes step 7

7.  Using a regular stitch length, stitch directly on top of the basting stitches, starting and stopping at the vertical markings, backstitching to secure the stitching at each end. | 8. The basting stitches don’t need to be removed, but for the rest of the illustrations they won’t be shown. | 9. There needs to be two horizontal lines of stitching on each welt, centered between the folded edge and the raw edge, and it’s important that the stitches start and stop at the same point vertically.

Bound Buttonholes step 10

10. Using a sharp and slender pair of scissors, cut through the center of the welt, following the line where the raw edges meet in the middle, taking care not to cut the main fabric. | 11. The markings have been removed in this illustration to show how the welt is now split into two parallel, matching welts.

Bound Buttonholes step 12

12. Turn so the wrong side of the main fabric is up, revealing two horizontal lines of stitching from sewing the welts. | 13. Between the two lines, clip through the main fabric in a straight line down the center which goes out in a ‘y’ shape to the stitching at each end.  It’s important to clip right to the stitching, taking care not to clip the actual stitches. | 14. The little v shaped flap of fabric at each end needs to be at least 1/4″ long as it is used to hold the bound buttonhole in place in later steps.

Bound Buttonholes step 15

15. Lift up the edges of the opening and press them flat. | 16. Here the main fabric is opaque to show what the welt looks like from the other side. | 17. Push the welts through the sit in the main fabric, from the right side to the wrong side, so the welt is now flat on the wrong side of the main fabric.  The folded edges of the welts should now meet in the center and the raw edges should be on the outside edges.

Bound Buttonholes step 18

18. The folded edges of the welt should be seen from the right side of the fabric. | 19. Pull the rest of the main fabric back to reveal the cut ‘v’ shape. | 20. To secure the welts in place and ensure they won’t fray with use, stitch across the v, attaching it to the seam allowance portion of the welt.

Bound Buttonholes step 21

21. Moving on, in order to function as a buttonhole there needs to be a similar opening in the lining, without a welt in the center.  Mark the buttonhole placement on the right side of lining, directly where the bound buttonhole of the main fabric will end up. | 22. Center the interfacing over the marking on the right side of the lining, with the WRONG side of the fusible interfacing up. | 23. Stitch a rectangle through the interfacing, around the buttonhole marking, approximately 1″ wide by 3/8″ high.

Bound Buttonholes step 24

24. Clip through the center of the rectangle, through all layers, angling out to a ‘y’ to the stitching at each corner, taking care not to clip the stitches. | 25. From the wrong side of the lining, pull the clipped interfacing flaps through the opening and finger press. | 26. Pull the rest of the interfacing through to the wrong side so none is showing on the right side of the lining.  Using an iron and pressing cloth, press the fusible interfacing, fusing it to the wrong side of the fabric.  This makes a clean opening on the right side of the lining fabric.

Bound Buttonholes step 27

27. Complete the rest of the steps for whatever it is you’re making, so that now the main and lining fabrics are where they will end up. | 28. Line up the lining with the bound buttonhole, wrong side of main meeting the wrong side of the lining. | 29. From the lining side, whip stitch the lining to the bound buttonhole to secure the layers together and conceal any raw edges.

Bean celebrating in her Mackinaw Coat with Bound Buttonholes

And now we celebrate because your bound buttonhole – complete with lining – is finished!  These illustrations are from my Mackinaw Coat pattern, but this method can be used for any bound buttonhole.  The fusible interfaced openings for the lining are especially useful for fabrics which may fray easily or faux fur.  Just be sure to use a pressing cloth and low heat on sensitive fabrics.  Ask me how I know, hehe.  I hope you enjoy this tutorial!

September 16, 2020 1:46 pm Ajaire Leave a Comment Filed Under: DbCA, Inspiration, Kid's Clothing, Sew, Tutorial

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Looking for something?

join us on instagram

callajaire

Mother. Wife. Sewist. Not necessarily in that order.

Ajaire Parello
Once again this baby surprised us. Yesterday morni Once again this baby surprised us. Yesterday morning she just started counting to ten on her own 😆😆 She was star struck watching herself on the camera so she didn’t go past five here, but in person she rolls right past ten and tries for 11 and 12 😍😍
You guys, this girl is having a real hair moment. You guys, this girl is having a real hair moment. After waiting literal years for her hair to grow in, it’s now turned into an 80’s rocker look with how spikey it all is on top and the extra length in back😆😆 
But we LOVE this Journal Jumpsuit from @jennuinedesign and she LOVES wearing it to jump on the couch. 😬😬😍😍She’s a real talker these days so I had to use the Story Teller cut file, also from the Lounge Library collection.  Check out @projectrunandplay for the details on the sale on this pattern this week only!
Fabric is a lush French terry from @knitfabricdotcom and the contrast is a solid from @wolfandrabbitfabrics 

#projectloungelibrary #projectrunandplay #journaljumpsuit #jennuinedesign
Have you seen the mini season of @projectrunandpla Have you seen the mini season of @projectrunandplay details yet?  I’m super excited about everyone sharing more of the Project Lounge Library collection and the freebies we’re offering!  First up is this perfectly sized book tote from @jennuinedesign. My girl LOVED the one I made from the second she saw it Christmas morning!  The cut file design is also from the collection as well as her nightgown 😍😍
There’s a whole Percy Jackson collection inside there along with three other (heavy) books, so it’s a nice sturdy tote that holds plenty!

https://projectrunandplay.com/product/book-bag/
#dbcanininoni #designsbycallajaire #jennuinedesign #projectrunandplay #freepattern #pdfpattern #projectloungelibrary
One of my favorite things is giving and receiving One of my favorite things is giving and receiving Christmas cards. 💕💕
Well it’s not as many books as I’ve read in pa Well it’s not as many books as I’ve read in past years, nor did I reach my (what I thought was an easy) minimum goal of 50, but then again all that was set back in January before I knew I’d have very little time to myself for 3/4 of the year 😆🤪 
I read lots of different genres, including a few oldie juvenile favorites to preview for or read alongside my daughter. 💕💕
Some were book club reads and some were suggestions from Instagram friends, but I really enjoyed them all. Of course the new Louise Penny was my favorite 😍

#goodreadschallenge2020 #goodreads #readingchallenge2020
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 😍😍 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 😍😍
Just a reminder that 2020 wasn’t all bad 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️🥰🥰 #topnine2020 #bestnine2020
We had a really nice Christmas with lots of cuddly We had a really nice Christmas with lots of cuddly fabrics and family. And this baby figured out how to ride her new scooter right away!  Looking forward to what 2021 has to bring! 💕💕💕
Happy Christmas Eve everyone! 💕💕🎄🎄🥁 Happy Christmas Eve everyone! 💕💕🎄🎄🥁🥁
Follow on Instagram
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

Log in as an administrator and view the Instagram Feed settings page for more details.

Affiliates



300x300

MarbellaDressPDFSewingPattern250x250



Designs by Call Ajaire

Designs by Call Ajaire shop logo

Archives

Recent Posts

  • The Lounge Library Collection – Nini Noni Nightwear
  • Sewing Bound Buttonholes – how to give your look this professional finish
  • Hack-Stravaganza – a Romper MashUp
  • Cover-Up – Essential Pieces for a Summer Wardrobe
  • Watercolor Beach – Ripley Swimmers

Subscribe to Call Ajaire via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Call Ajaire and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Footer

Designs by Call Ajaire

Designs by Call Ajaire shop logo

I've always loved making. At an early age I started cross stitching and sewing and I taught myself to knit and crochet during college. When our seven year old daughter Bean was born I was filled with all sorts of inspiration, so now I find ways to manage my crafty time and treasure those moments. Though sewing is what I'm most passionate about these days, there's something about the portability of yarn crafts and embroidery that keeps drawing me back in.

Watercolor Beach pattern capsule

Watercolor Beach – the pattern capsule you need for summer

The new Project Run & Play collaboration is finally available for purchase and – you guys!! – this pattern capsule[Read More…]

© Copyright 2016 · Pretty Lifestyle WordPress Theme by: PDCD