Sewing on Buttons

[olderthanshelooks]

May sound a daft question, but can anyone please tell me the best way to sew buttons back onto my hunting jacket, (I have ripped one off and another is about to fall off) so that they do not easily come off again.

Many thanks

 

[Sherston]

You may get the recommendation to use paiting thread or a heavy duty cotton thread but remember everything needs to have a weak link that will break be it the back of the button, the thread, or the coat, one of these will give first and its better for it to be the thread or the button than end up with a torn coat.

Personally I just use everyday cotton, but quite a bit of it, and keep the buttons nice and tightly sewn on and only lose one every couple of seasons.

Use a thimble though hunt coats are tough to get a needle through!

 

[olderthanshelooks]

Thank you, the bottom button was ripped off when getting off to do a gate so jacket is a bit ripped where button was. Thimble sounds a very useful tip

 

[JenHunt]

I was always taught to sew a button on the inside of the jacket, opposite the button on the outside (so you make a jacket sandwich with 2 buttons). This was your jacket is less likely to tear as the force is spread over a greater area, and it makes the thread attaching the buttons the weak link.

 

[asset2004]

Ripping buttons off when doing gates is a common problem, if you can remember or have time either unfasten them all or even just undo the botton button as it helps keep them on. 9speaking from experience!)

 

[L&M]

Re the bottom button I have it sewed on loosely, with about 1cm spare thread, so that it can flex a bit when I have to leap off.

Hope that makes sense!?

 

[spider]

You can get stronger thread called button thread. Go through the button into the cloth lots of times and then wind the thread around the thread between the button and the front of the jacket.

 

[Herne]

Get a small circle of cloth the same colour as your hunt coat. Then sew the button to that circle with very strong thread. The sew the circle to the coat with weaker thread.

This way, not only does the coat not get ripped, but also the circle of cloth traps the button securely in the buttonhole so that it does not get lost, which at £5 a shot for hunt buttons is no bad thing.

 

[combat_claire]

I was also told to sew a plain plastic button on the other side of the cloth to where the hunt button is. Touch wood this has worked exceptionally well on my mink hound waistcoat, which as you can imagine gets rougher treatment than the average hunt coat taken mounted hunting! Crawling through hedges, muddy ditches and under barbed wire that would rival a Royal Marine assault course and I haven't lost one yet...

 

[Vulpinator]

I have lost loads till I thought of this. First make a double button through first hole, (normally the one every one looses) with button each side of coat and fix to inside with thread, next take wifes bra hook from Bra or the shoulder strap adjuster, extra work required if you do this to make into hook. (first ask permission if denied take anyway) sew the hook on the coat where you would normally sew button, when doing up coat just slip the hook though the thread next to the inside button, hey presto not a button lost and looks great. Although you could end up in a domestic.