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Bound buttonholes

Despite 11 hour days at work, I have been working on bound buttonholes, practicing and trying several different methods.  Here are two of them, along with a button:

Bound buttonhole using the 2nd method in Palmer & Pletsch's "Easy, Easier, Easiest" tailoring book
Bound buttonhole using the 2nd method in Palmer & Pletsch's "Easy, Easier, Easiest" tailoring book, with piping in the "lips" to puff them out
A half-finished bound buttonhold using the organza patch method in Palmer & Pletsch's "Easy, Easier, Easiest" tailoring book
A half-finished bound buttonhold using the organza patch method in Palmer & Pletsch's "Easy, Easier, Easiest" tailoring book

I gave up on the second one halfway through as I didn’t like the look of it at all.  The organza patch was supposed to press invisibly away, but obviously didn’t.  I also couldn’t see how to get piped buttonhole lips into the window gracefully (and didn’t think that flat lips would look good with the fluffy coat fabric).  Finally, pressing from the front as instructed crushed the fluffy “pile” of the mohair.  The first method worked perfectly and is the method I will use in the coat.

I think the second method would work  better with a fabric that is not as lofty and not as hard to press.  (I’m still trying to figure out how to press the seams without squishing  the  fabric, but perhaps I can either (1) brush it afterwards to bring up the nap again, or (2) look up how one presses velvet.  This is obviously a  problem that other people have dealt with, so I just have to find out how.)

At any rate, I like my bound buttonholes, so my next step will be putting them into the coat.  That will be fun!  I really enjoyed making the first bound buttonhole and am looking eagerly forward to doing more.  Funny since I hate doing machine-worked buttonholes.  I don’t know why bound buttonholes are so much fun to me, but they are.

Comments

  1. The organza patch method is usually what’s used for the facing behind the buttonholes. I use a piece of fusible woven interfacing for the opening in the facing. As far as pressing stuff with a pile, there are velvet boards, use to be made of fine needles, the pile wouldn’t get squished, mine is an old one with a bed of needles, but the newer ones are actually made from the hook of the hook and loop tape (velcro). You can buy them from Nancy’s Notions I think. They work great for any surface with a pile, like chenille.

  2. PS, a personal opinion, machine made buttonholes, no matter how good yours are, have no business being in a coat or outerwear jacket. Your choice for bound buttonholes is perfect!

  3. Ah, yes, bound buttonholes! I was SOOO intimidated the first time I tried ’em, but by the second time, I loved them so much I can hardly stand to do machine buttonholes. And as Daryl says, machine buttonholes don’t belong on a coat, especially a fuzzy mohair coat or even more especially a silk and cashmere coat!

  4. I agree with Daryl and Sandra on the buttonholes. Daryl has a nifty way of making bound buttonholes.

    A velvet board is nice, but a thick terry towel can be substituted in a pinch. Also, you can gently brush the nap on the mohair if necessary after pressing.

    I admire your patience and eagerness to do things correctly.