How to Hand Sew Buttonholes (18th Century) [CC]

Agh, I forgot to label the very top buttonhole on the front of that tan 1720's coat at 13:46 ! It is also functional. Just that one and the few at the waist. I also forgot to mention that, if you have a very bulky button, you can figure out how long the hole needs to be by wrapping a little strip of paper around the middle. Also, for the pieced lining, the order doesn't really matter. I put the main part of the lining in first here, but you can add the little pieces first if you want to, I'm doing that on a waistcoat right now.

As a seamstress myself, and a quilter who often needs to evenly space things, your trick for accordion folding the paper strip is brilliant!! And your hand stitches are exquisite.

"I've gotten that comment enough already" the sound of a broken man

So this is the day I’m shamed out of using a seam ripper. ‘Twas a long time coming. I will forever hear “do you also cut your bread with a chainsaw?” And do better because of it. Thank you so much- I actually didn’t know there were so many different ways to cut out a button hole!

I love how clearly you explain things, how thorough you are in describing the differences between techniques, and how if you are showing video of a technique that varies from what exactly you’re describing, you tell us what those variations are, so we aren’t confused because something looks different. I also love how much of the actual sewing you let us see - the repetition really helps because it allows me to keep the video rolling while I try to replicate the stitch, as opposed to having to stop and rewind! I love your videos! Keep making them!

Accordion folded paper - sheer genius. I do like an elegant, logical solution.

I've seen several buttonhole videos but the detail and clarity in this one far exceeds anything I've ever seen. So much knowledge and experience packed into one short video!! So much patience!!! You win!!!!

So encouraging! Clearly shown! Extant historic garment references are excellent. Many thanks.

I can not get enough of your videos. I love your attention to detail.

I don't know why you popped up on my recommended, but I'm so happy you did. You are so awesome to watch and listen to. You are extremely articulate and seem so knowledgeable. You seem like a very old soul that should have been born centuries ago. I will continue to watch your videos even though I don't sew. I crochet amongst other things.

It is always a pleasure to visit with you!!

Leftie here, thanks for the mirrored shot, it definitely helps. I have something called a seam picker -- razer thin curved blade with a very sharp point. It works well for cutting the holes, but I think I will look through the tool box for a good wood carving chisel we have.

Vincent your hand stitching is as good as any machine if not better. 😊

I'm so glad that you're releasing your second video in 2 months! When you disappeared for half a year, I even worried whether everything was okay with you. Sewing buttonholes is not difficult, but it is very painstaking and patient. And your soft, calm voice is very relaxing and calming. Can I have a video about men's scarves? What did they wear in the 1700s? What did ordinary townspeople and aristocrats wear during the Seven Years' War? How could a person’s status be determined by looking at a scarf? What did they start wearing during the fall of the French monarchy? Were Jabot popular throughout the 18th century, or was it just a relic of the old pepper shakers at some point? Like the big wigs worn by servants and judges?

I look at the title of the video and think oh God not another video about buttonholes. What could Vincent possibly say that could be of any… Oh! Oh myyyyyy! What a wonderful video! Big win yet again!!! Thanks!!!

So happy to see you again! We don't know each other, but I'm a fan of your work. Thank you for this, really good tips like the stab stitch in the corner so it doesn't collapse (that has happened to me many times), the wax just a bit of the thread to hide it within the buttonhole stitches. And the machine stitch first and hand sew over blows my mind, how clever.

I would love to see more videos from you! I love what you do 💖💖

Wow, you're very thorough in your explanations. I appreciate that.

:waving:: So happy to see you! These are lovely examples, and--I'm ashamed to say--it never occurred to me that I could just practice buttonholes in a random piece of material that's not going to end up in the finished piece. Thank you!

This is a much better tutorial for how to make buttonholes than the others I've seen, if nothing else because you (rightly) assume what we will try to do that is wrong and explain why not to do it, rather than only telling us what we should do and naively assuming we will do that rather than use things we alrady have. It certainly explains why my first attempt at buttonholes went so terribly (on a cushion in a spot nobody will see, so I figured it was a safe place to mess up rather than clothing)