Tips for Sewing Buttonholes on Knit Fabric

Are you scared of making buttonholes?

If so, you are not alone!

Even people who have been sewing for years get nervous about buttonholes. You can spend hours on a garment and then ruin it with one bad buttonhole. That is a terrible feeling.

And buttonholes on stretchy knit fabric? Even scarier. There are more things that can go wrong, and the stretch adds a whole extra layer of challenge.

But here's the good news: with the right approach, buttonholes on knits are totally doable. Here's what you need to know!

Always Stabilize Your Fabric First

This is the most important tip I can give you. The secret to buttonholes on knit fabric that look even and stay in shape is stabilizer. Without it, the stretch of the fabric will distort your buttonhole while you sew and leave you with a wonky mess.

For best results, apply a lightweight fusible interfacing to the wrong side of your fabric in the buttonhole area before you begin.

Fusible tricot interfacing is my top recommendation for knits because it has a little stretch of its own, which means it moves with your fabric rather than fighting it. It's also just a great all-around interfacing to keep in your stash. I use it to stabilize collars and hems on knit garments too!

If you're worried about the interfacing showing on the inside of your garment, tear-away stabilizer is a great alternative. You sew your buttonhole, then simply tear the stabilizer away when you're done. Clean and easy.

For knit fabrics with a texture or a visible pile, I recommend going one step further and using a stabilizer on both the bottom AND the top of your fabric. A water-soluble stabilizer works perfectly as a topper. It rinses away completely with water once your buttonhole is done, leaving no trace behind.

Stabilizer really does solve a lot of the problems that come up when sewing buttonholes on knits. Don't skip it!

Practice, Practice, Practice

No matter which stabilizer you use, always sew a few test buttonholes on scraps before you touch your actual garment. Always. This is not optional!

When you practice, make sure to use the same number of fabric layers as your garment and use a ballpoint or stretch needle. The test buttonhole needs to mimic the real thing as closely as possible or it won't give you useful information.

If your test buttonholes aren't looking right, the most common fix for knits is to lower your tension. Some machines also have a dedicated knit buttonhole setting, so check your manual to see if yours does.

Buttonholes are usually the very last step on a garment project, which is exactly why they feel so high-stakes. Take your time, don't rush, and do not skip the test step. The practice really does make a difference.

Pin It

I made a knit cardigan back in October and the buttonholes turned out so well I was actually proud of them! I used a tear-away stabilizer on the bottom and a water-soluble stabilizer on the top, and they came out perfectly even. The wooden buttons I chose made them look really polished.

You can do this! With a little preparation and some practice stitches, your buttonholes are going to look great.

Also read: How to Sew Stretchy Fabric Without Losing Your Mind