How to Fix a Torn Buttonhole On Jeans (Frayed or Loose)
Sometimes the machine won’t co-operate. That is one of the problems you may encounter when you have a modern, automatic, or computerized sewing machine. It just won’t tackle the problem and you may have to resort to using a backup machine or hand stitching to fix those torn buttonholes.
How to fix a torn buttonhole on jeans: Fixing the torn buttonhole doesn’t necessarily require a machine or even stitches. You can use fusible interfacing, fabric tape, or if you need to use stitches, use some small pieces of fabric and sew that into place. For frayed buttonholes, a good sharp blade will handle the task.
To learn more about this situation just continue to read our article. It has the information to help you out when you face this problem on your clothing items or sewing project. Take a few moments to see if this information will help you out of a tough situation.
Can You Fix a Buttonhole?
Yes, it is possible to fix a buttonhole when it has lost its shape, been torn, or has some other damage done to it. The process will take some time to do and simple hand stitching may be the quickest way to get the job done.
Some computerized machines act like they have a mind of their own and sometimes refuse to handle the repair the way you want it done. That is if they do the repair at all. The machine may only stitch simple stitches and refuse to do a zig-zag option that would solve your problem in a jiffy.
Even a frayed buttonhole can be fixed and you really do not need a sewing machine to do the work. The job is not hard to do and can be done before you set your machine up. the machine won’t remove the frayed threads from your clothing so it is best to handle the work the old-fashioned way.
Hand sewing is a lost art or so it seems but it is one of the most reliable methods for almost any repair that needs to be done.
How to Fix a Bad Buttonhole
There are different methods you can use and all of them may be good. Those methods will depend on the fabric where the buttonhole needs to be fixed. This section will deal with one method for frayed buttonholes and one for torn buttonholes.
- 1. Frayed button hole issue
The first step in the process is to cut the frayed threads off. You can use a seam ripper, razor blade, or a very sharp but pointed knife to remove those threads. Next, pick a color that is as close to the original thread as you possibly can.
Thread the needle and knot the thread. Then begin sewing. Hold the fabric upright so that the buttonhole is horizontal and begin sewing on the inside bottom edge of the buttonhole. Start on the inside of the fabric and make sure to go through all layers. Then return the needle through the buttonhole.
Keep doing this, making sure to knot the thread every stitch until the buttonhole is done. You shouldn’t see any fabric through the knots. Stitch through your starting thread and then knot the thread to secure all stitches in place. Cut off any excess and you are done.
- 2. The torn buttonhole
Picking the right color of thread, thread your needle, and get ready to start sewing. Both ends of the thread should go through the eye of the needle leaving a loop on the other end.
Use a figure 8 stitch pattern pulling the thread tightly to help pull the buttonhole back towards its original size and shape. Once you have sealed the tear and the buttonhole is back to its original size and shape, tie a few knots in the thread to secure your work and cut off the excess.
Once you are done, do a test and see if the stitching will hold the button in place. When you are satisfied and the button stays in place, wear your repaired pants with confidence. You should end up with a first-class job that no one will ever see if you did it right.
Fixing a Torn Buttonhole On Jeans
You can use your machine for this and in some situations, it is best to choose the machine over hand stitching. One of those situations will be the type of fabric where the buttonhole has torn.
Then choose the right needle for the fabric where the tear is located. You want the needle to be sharp and the right one for the fabric. The wrong size of needle may leave big holes that can become a problem later.
Unless you like contrasting colors that show your repair work, pick a color of thread that will either match the fabric color or one that will blend in. Thread your needle like normal as you can use lock stitches and knots to secure the other stitches in place.
Pick a good stitch pattern that will be secure and hold the fabric in place even when you have to stretch a bit. Then sew away. The fabric is going to be the determining factor for all of those steps. If you are trying to sew up a sheer material, work extra carefully as those fabrics are easy to ruin with a little mistake.
How to Fix Loose Button Hole
This is not a hard problem to rectify. if you know how to do a whip stitch, then you just need to pick the right color of thread, put it in the needle and go at it. The whip stitch style should make the hole small enough so that the button cannot simply fall out.
The button should be forced out if you have done the stitching correctly. Just make sure to measure the button so you do not close up the hole too far and the button can’t go in or out of the buttonhole.
Sometimes when you do the whip stitch, the fabric will gather up a bit and leave gaps where gaps should not be. Those little holes may give strangers some unique views of what is underneath the shirt, etc.
That is when you need to install some snap buttons to help close those gaps and keep the shirt front respectable and modest. These snaps go in between the buttons and the only drawback is that they may make the shirt, etc., look stiff when you are done. You want a natural look when everything is done.
Repair Frayed Buttonholes
No matter which method you use to clear up this problem, you do need to cut the frayed threads off first. Those loose threads can be a problem and still make the buttonhole look bad if not taken care of properly.
There are a variety of tools you can use to cut those threads and very small scissors may get close enough to be effective. or you can use an Exacto knife with a very thin blade that comes to a very sharp point.
A razor blade will do if you are careful enough and of course, you can turn to the trusty seam ripper. Handle each tool with care and go slowly so that you do not cut too much or go too far with your cuts.
After you trim the thread off, you can use the frayed method already described above. Or you can turn to fabric glue or one of the many stop fray liquid adhesives on the market to seal those edges. This is the quickest method to use to keep those buttonhole edges from re-offending.
There are other options available to you and you should research each one to see which is the best for the fabric you have to repair.
How do You Stop Buttonholes From Fraying?
The quickest and easiest way to handle this issue is to use the different fray Stop liquids you can buy at your department or fabric stores. These liquids are very good at sealing off loose edges and can make sure the cut threads do not become loose.
The trick is to find the right Stop Fray option that doesn't dry hard and stiff. Unless that is the result you want. There are many different varieties of this liquid and they all come at different prices.
Or you can turn to fabric glue to seal those buttonhole edges. This option is also good and you can find the fabric glue just as easily as you can find those Stop Fray bottles. This method is just as easy as the first one already discussed.
Then you can try fabric tape but the hold of the tape may not last and the buttonhole may be too small to place the tape correctly. One of the better methods would be to add some stitches around the edge so that there is no opportunity for cut threads to unravel.
As you can see there are lots of different ways to handle this issue and the type of fabric you are working on may dictate the method you should use. Pick the method that works best with the fabric so that you do not have to re-do this task shortly.
How to Fix a Buttonhole Foot
We are not going to talk about repairing a buttonhole foot as that should be left up to the professionals who have the right tools to make the foot like new again. These should not really break or get bent unless you are a very aggressive sewer or you stepped on it by mistake.
To fix the buttonhole foot into place, the first step is to remove the current foot that is on your sewing machine. You may have to raise the bar to get the presser foot up high enough to pull it off.
Once the presser foot is off, simply snap or push the buttonhole foot into place and lower the bar. Once the foot is fixed into place, you can start sewing your buttonholes. However, the process may be different on different sewing machine models.
If this process does not work on your machine, consult your owner’s manual to see how you should do it. always err on the side of the manual unless instructed otherwise by the company. Which should never happen.
The key to changing the foot on your sewing machine is to know your machine very well. There is a slot on the device that you need to insert the foot into no matter which foot you use. Getting the foot in that slot correctly is vital.
Steps to Using a Button Hole Foot
- 1. locate the slot and remove the presser foot from its position. You will have to remove a screw in order to remove the presser foot.
- 2. place the buttonhole foot in its place and tighten the screw so that the foot is secure.
- 3. decide the size of the buttonhole you want to make.
- 4. once all that is done, locate the buttonhole lever and engage it. That usually means pulling the lever down. If it is a switch, press it so that the buttonhole feature turns on.
Make sure to mark the size of the hole on your fabric so you do not get one that is too big or too small.
Some Final Words
Fixing a torn or frayed buttonhole is not going to be that difficult unless your machine decides to be stubborn. If it does, it is not that hard to fix those problems by hand. The old-fashioned method may be the fastest of all and will look just as good as if the machine did the work.
