I just finished knitting a cardigan sweater for myself, and I love it except for the button front. Can anyone give me an idea how to finish the front opening? The right side has button holes knitted into the ribbing, and the ribbing is part of the front, not knitted by picking up stitches when done. Do I sew around these button holes, and if so, with what? I thought of hand sewing grossgrain ribbon on the back of the front, but that just makes ripples in the sweater. Please help. :shrug: I have more yarn and can add more stitches.
Thanks, Joyce
With some buttonholes, you don’t have to do anything. Do yours look sloppy or tired or saggy? Do they not hold the buttons?
There is such a thing as buttonhole stitch. You use the yarn you used for the sweater (unless it’s really bulky), and you basically go through a stitch on the buttonhole perimeter, up, then into the buttonhole to go back into the fabric. (That’s not a very good explanation – google “buttonhole stitch knitting” and see if someone has some pictures.)
This firms up sloppy or gappy buttonholes, and they look a little better. But remember – most of the time your buttonhole is hidden by your button.