Tried using a vintage 1970s buttonholer on some heavy wool and it completely mangled the fabric.

I learned that my modern machine's automatic buttonhole function is a lifesaver for thick materials, but has anyone found a good manual method for heavy-duty fabrics?

3 comments

3 Comments

casey9091mo agoMost Upvoted

Respectfully disagree with @adamellis on the chisel method. That seems like a great way to ruin both your fabric and your tools. I've had good luck using a sharp awl to make a starter hole before carefully hand-stitching the buttonhole.

adamellis1mo ago

Remember my grandma's old trick with a chisel and a hammer.

torres.jason1mo ago

...and that's exactly why my dad tried to fix a button on his old Carhartt jacket with a leather punch. thing is, he forgot to take the jacket off first. ended up with a perfect hole in the fabric and a matching one in his thumb. took him three tries to sew it shut by hand because he kept getting blood on the thread. but hey, the button still stays on so I guess it worked out in the end.