Bound Buttonholes Simplified
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It had never occurred to me that bound buttonholes were a thing until I starting sifting through buttonhole videos on YouTube. But I am inspired to try them on a trench coat for my (grown) kid that I have almost ready to go.
Is it possible that these are the easiest of all the button holes? Like welt pockets, but for buttons. I think they would be far to finicky and bulky for your typical shirt, but anything a little heavier, like a suit jacket or coat, and these could be a beautiful, no-tears solution.
I have a vision for a chore jacket using a floral fabric for the welt (or 'lips' as both video instructors below call them.)
Julia Hincks' explanation of the bound buttonhole below is a great start, as she gets right into it and uses contrasting fabrics and thread to see well.
Seems simple, really, but the instructions left me with the obvious question – how do I finish the backside? She just notes the lining will cover it...But HOW?
I dug a bit deeper and this Threads magazine video by Judith Neukam has a super explanation of how to manage the facing or lining. Easy peasy. (Neukam also did an excellent video on how to do the buttonhole itself, if you want a second example. I actually like her explanation a a lot because it shows the basting stitches to get the spacing and placement right.
Both videos had one great nugget in common - don't start stitching in the corner; start on a long edge, and then count your stitches on the short edges to make sure they are exactly the same for a perfect rectangle.