Who’s Got the (Best) Button? How to Choose the Right Buttons for Your Knitting Project

You have selected your yarn, made your gauge swatch (correct?), and selected your needles. You’re excited and ready to cast on for your newest knitting project. If that project has buttonholes, I am going to urge you to stop right there and assess before you proceed any further. Although most people think of buttons as the icing on the cake—lovely finishing touches that embody both style and substance—they often forget to consider that weight, material, shape, and size of the button can also affect the buttonhole you are about to knit.

Because the button needs to fit through the buttonhole, close your garment without gaps or puckers, and be suitable for your yarn, it is important to include a buttonhole in your swatch. Knit this sample the way the buttonhole is written in the pattern so that you can try the buttons you are going use. [PAYWALL] It would be very disappointing to find out that the neat and even buttonholes you created by following the pattern instructions to the letter are too small for the carefully selected beautiful buttons you hoped would fit through with ease. If you need to, plan ahead to improve the buttonhole band part of the pattern before you start to knit your sweater.

Shell, tortoiseshell, and leather (faux leather—for washability) buttons each add their own accent to the different textures of these cardigans. Photo by Pat Olski

Button and Buttonhole Best Practices

1.) Make sure your button material is compatible with the laundering instructions for the yarn you are using. You wouldn’t want those beautiful handpainted wooden buttons to bleed and crack on the white machine-washable baby sweater you just made.
2.) The button must be the right size, so that it sits neatly and centered in the middle of the button band. A button that is too small may not stay buttoned, and a button that is too big may eventually tear the buttonhole.
3.) Look carefully at the shape of the buttons you are about to use. A button in an irregular shape, such as an arrow or a pine tree, may snag or tear delicate fabrics. If you have your heart set on a button like this, sometimes it is better to forego buttonholes entirely and add snap fasteners to your button bands.
4.) Take the weight of your button into account. A heavy button may weigh down a lighter fabric or cause your knitting to distort. One way to prevent this is to line the back of your button bands with a firm fabric, such as grosgrain ribbon—a common sight on vintage sweaters. Make sure, when adding fabric to a knitting project, that the fabric has been preshrunk and that it can be washed in the same manner as your knitted garment.

Another fix for an overly heavy closure is to sew a smaller button underneath the fabric behind the larger decorative button, which will add stability.

These lovely pewter snowflake buttons are a perfect choice for a traditional Scandinavian sweater. Photo by Pat Olski

5.) Choose the fiber you use to sew on your button wisely. Your ethereal wool may make for a lovely sweater, but it might not be study enough to hold a button in place. Matching sewing threads or embroidery floss come in a vast array of colors and may be stronger than your knitting fiber.
6.) Even a flat button needs a shank to raise the button up at least as high as the height of the fabric of the button band. Otherwise, it will pull and create unsightly gaps; it can also eventually tear the fabric at this point.
To make a shank for a flat button, place a thin object that is the height of the buttonhole band between the underside of the button and the button band. A wooden matchstick or a small double-pointed knitting needle is ideal for this purpose. Sew on your button as usual, sewing over the object. Remove the object and wrap the thread around the newly created shank a couple of times before securing and knotting off your sewing thread.

Small brass buttons neatly punctuate the front of this classic cabled sweater..

And if you can’t find buttons you love, you can always make your own. Dorset thread buttons, knitted and crocheted bobble buttons, and fabric-covered button molds are all great choices that will add a touch of personality and individuality to your knitting. Just remember to make sure they are suitable before you cast on!

Pat Olski is a designer, author, and the editor of PieceWork magazine.