Buttons

#1

Hi!

I know not all of you are on Ravelry but I am not sure where else to find a pattern link:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cozy-bolero

I did this bolero and had no problem with the pattern itself but I have decided to add buttons.

The sweater is made from Lion Brand thick a quick, a large super bulky yarn itself and the sweater is knit on US 19 needles, also super huge. The result is a large, loose knit. I am haveing trouble getting the buttons fixed and getting them to lay flat. I have just tied them on with one ply of the yarn but I don’t think they will hold very well b/c the yarn is acrylic and doesn’t have much grab. Thread will not hold, either.

Ideas? TIA

#2

Sometimes in sewing buttons are attached to the fabric with another, clear plastic button on the back of the material (so in your case, the knitting would be sandwiched between two buttons). This way, the back button is re-inforcing the yarn and supporting the ‘show’ button. Don’t really know if this will help in your case.

#3

An additional step for such a loose weave (= knit) is to attach the feature/fashion button with a small square of matching felt and the plain button on the inside of the bolero. Then, using a sewing needle large enough to accommodate either embroidery floss or #8 pearl cotton, stitch through all four layers at least four times.

From the outside in, here are the four layers:

Fashion button - knitted bolero - matching felt square - small button

An extra “security” step I recently learned is to sew the button down completely differently from the way I’ve always done it.

[B]Original[/B]: Make an X with the stitch pattern through the four holes on the button.

[B]Improved[/B]: Sew through two holes vertically or horizontally next to one another four times. Fasten thread off. Sew through the remaining two holes four times. Fasten thread off.

With the improved method, you won’t lose the button if one side’s threads come loose, whereas with the original method, that’s a strong possibility.

DCM