How to make fabric covered buttons for a handmade garment
Fabric covered buttons bring a thoughtful finishing touch to a handmade garment, turning an ordinary closure into a small detail that ties the whole piece together. Whether you are sewing a tailored coat from wool gabardine or a soft summer dress from a Liberty print, the same simple technique lets you match your buttons perfectly to the fabric.
If you have ever pulled a ready-made button off a cardigan and wished for something more personal, this method is for you. Covered buttons only need a few supplies, take minutes per button, and use up those small scraps that linger at the bottom of your sewing basket. The process works beautifully across quilting cotton, linen, silk, and even heavier coating fabrics, which makes it a versatile skill for any sewist building a handmade wardrobe.
| Button blank size | Best fabric weight | Best garment application |
|---|---|---|
| 9 to 11 mm | Lightweight cotton, silk, voile | Blouses, summer dresses, thin cardigans |
| 12 to 15 mm | Quilting cotton, shirting, linen | Shirts, pyjamas, light jackets |
| 18 to 22 mm | Medium denim, wool blends, jacquard | Coats, blazers, pinafore dresses |
| 28 to 38 mm | Heavy denim, canvas, wool melton | Bags, cushions, structured outerwear |
Choosing button blanks and hardware
The first decision is which button blank to buy. Covered button kits contain two metal or plastic discs, a shank or loop on the back, and sometimes a small plastic template for cutting fabric circles. Australian sewists can find them in the notions aisle at Spotlight, in dedicated haberdashery stores like The Fabric Store in Melbourne and Sydney, or online through small Australian makers on platforms like Etsy.
Size matters more than most beginners expect. Tiny 9 mm blanks disappear into busy prints, while 28 mm blanks can feel clunky on a fitted bodice. Hold the blank against your garment before you start and consider the scale of the garment itself. A fine silk blouse wants something in the 9 to 12 mm range, whereas a winter coat from wool melton is better with blanks in the 18 to 22 mm range or larger.
Metal blanks feel substantial and tend to last longer, but they can press through thin fabric over time. Plastic blanks are lighter, cost less, and are gentler on delicate cloth. For an heirloom piece, metal is usually the safer pick, while plastic works well for everyday garments and kids' clothes that get washed often.
Button kits also come in two main styles. Some have a small shank on the back, which is handy for thicker fabrics and coats. Others are flat-backed with a loop of thread, which sits flatter against lightweight garments. The flat style tends to be more comfortable on a fitted bodice, while the shank style is better for loose-fitting outerwear where the extra height disappears into the overlap.
Selecting and preparing your fabric
The fun part is choosing the fabric, and the beauty of covered buttons is that you can match them exactly to your project. Cut a small swatch and lay it next to your garment fabric in natural light, because artificial light in sewing rooms can distort colour. If you are sewing with a print, decide whether you want the button to feature a specific motif, like a flower centre or a stripe, or whether you prefer a quieter section of the pattern.
Cut your circles slightly larger than the template that came with your kit, generally about twice the diameter of the button itself. A sharp pair of embroidery scissors gives the cleanest edge. Sharp fabric scissors work too, but avoid pinking shears, which leave a zigzag that shows through lightweight fabric and creates bulk at the back.
This is also a great way to use up scraps from earlier projects. Leftover pieces from a guide like making a set of fabric napkins with mitered corners, for example, produce perfect little squares and rectangles for buttons. Keep a small tin of leftover fabric pieces sorted by weight, and you will always have something on hand when a project needs a custom finish.
Wrapping the fabric around the blank
Lay your fabric circle right side down on a flat surface. Place the button blank on top, smooth side down, so the recessed centre sits against the cloth. If your kit includes a pronged disc, that is the piece that grabs the fabric; the smooth top disc goes on later.
Bring the fabric up around the button and press it gently into the recess at the centre. Work from opposite sides rather than all at once, which helps avoid puckers. Pull the fabric snug but not so tight that it distorts the weave, and tuck any excess fabric into the centre as you go.
Once the fabric is wrapped smoothly, press the pronged disc firmly down into the recess. Many kits include a small plastic press or recommend using a tailor's hammer, but the heel of your hand works well for plastic blanks. For metal blanks, a light tap with a hammer on a folded tea towel gives a clean finish without scratching the surface.
Different fabrics behave in their own way during wrapping. Lightweight cotton and silk fold neatly and stay smooth. Linen has a little more body and likes to be pulled taut to avoid slack at the centre. Wool and heavier blends can feel bulky, so trim the backing circle a touch smaller than usual to keep the back from looking lumpy under a thin top layer.
Finishing the back for a clean look
The back of a covered button can be left as is, but a small piece of interfacing or felt gives it a more professional appearance. Cut a circle slightly smaller than the button back and glue or hand-stitch it in place. This step hides the prongs and any raw edges that might work loose with wear, which matters especially for garments that get a lot of handling, like children's coats or favourite cardigans.
If you are using the buttons on a garment that will be dry-cleaned, choose a backing fabric that can handle the same cleaning method as your garment. Wool felt is a good choice for wool garments, while cotton lawn works for cotton pieces. Avoid plastic-backed interfacings on pieces that need to breathe, since they can trap moisture and cause the metal blank to tarnish over time.
A covered button should also be considered in light of Australian weather. The humidity in Brisbane summers or the dry heat of Perth can affect certain fabrics differently. Natural fibres like cotton and wool handle the variation well, while synthetics can become sticky in the heat. Pick a backing that complements the climate your garment will live in.
Attaching buttons to the garment
Sewing on covered buttons takes a little more patience than sewing on flat buttons, because the shank sits on the back and the thread needs to anchor securely. Use a strong button thread or doubled regular thread, and finish your thread with a beeswax coating to strengthen it further.
Mark the button placement carefully with tailor's chalk or a fabric marker. Covered buttons are harder to reposition than flat buttons if you make a mistake, so measure twice. For coats and jackets, position the buttons about 2 to 3 cm from the edge, depending on the overlap you want.
Bring the needle up through the garment, slip it through the shank, and back down through the fabric. Repeat this motion several times to build a secure thread shank, especially on heavy coats where the button bears weight. Finish with a few small backstitches hidden under the button, and snip the thread close. A thread shank gives the button a little extra room on thick fabrics like wool melton, so it sits flat without pulling.
If your buttonholes are on the larger side, you may need to add a small stabiliser patch behind each one. A scrap of lightweight interfacing or a small square of cotton lawn, hand-stitched in place, keeps the buttonhole from stretching over time. This is a small extra step that pays off in the long run, particularly for coats that go on and off many times a day.
Caring for covered buttons over time
A little care keeps fabric covered buttons looking sharp for years. Store garments flat or on wide hangers so the buttons do not press into the fabric next to them. If a button does come loose, repair it promptly rather than letting the thread wear through the buttonhole, which can stretch the hole permanently.
Spare fabric from the original garment is worth keeping in a small envelope pinned inside the garment bag. That way, if a button is lost or damaged, you have an exact match ready. This is particularly useful for prints that may be discontinued, which is common with small-run fabrics sourced from Australian designers.
Cleaning depends on the garment. Most covered buttons can be gently hand-washed with the rest of the garment, but always test a single button first if you are unsure. For pieces labelled dry-clean only, mention the covered buttons to your dry cleaner, since some solvents can affect certain glues or interfacings. With reasonable care, fabric covered buttons can outlast the garment itself, becoming a small memento from a well-loved piece.
Sewing your own buttons opens the door to a wardrobe where every detail feels considered. Pick a quiet evening, put on a podcast, and set up a small production line of blanks, fabric scraps, and thread. Once you have made a few, the rhythm becomes almost meditative, and you will find yourself reaching for covered buttons whenever a project needs that final, personal touch.
If you are new to the technique, start with a simple project like a cushion cover or a child's pinafore dress. The forgiving nature of a slightly wonky button on a soft furnishing builds confidence quickly. From there, you can graduate to a tailored coat or a special-occasion dress, knowing that every closure has been chosen with care.