fix a loose or missing button

How To Fix A Loose or Missing Button

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Steven Toltz

Have you ever put on your favorite dress shirt for work, only to discover that a button is missing or loose? Repairing a button can be time consuming if you’re off to an early morning meeting, and for most of us, a missing button may signal the end of a garment’s wearability. But it doesn’t have to be that way – in honor of National Button Day, we’re teaching you the best ways to repair and replace buttons so you can continue wearing your favorite items. Read on for our step-by-step instructions on how to fix a loose button, plus our go-to life hack for dealing with missing buttons.

How to Fix A Loose Button

If you notice your button is loose or falls off while you’re on the go, keep your button handy. When you have a moment, gather a slim sewing needle, thread, your button, and scissors. Then, follow these steps:

    1. Thread the needle and knot the end: thread the needle and make sure both ends are an equal length. Tie the two ends into a solid knot that’s large enough to avoid slipping through the fabric.
    2. Create an Anchor Point: You’ll need to create an “X”-shaped anchor for the button. To start, push the needle through the back of the fabric and through the front. Create a small diagonal line by pushing the needle through the front of the fabric to the back. Repeat this process again to create the “X.”
    3. Place The Button: Slide a straight pin or toothpick on top of the “X” and underneath the button to elevate the button from the fabric. Starting from the back of the fabric, sew as many stitches as you need to secure the button. To keep the stitching flatter and help prevent fraying, sew the thread in two separate loops, rather than a criss-cross pattern.
    4. Create the Shank: On your last stitch, push the needle up through the fabric, but not through the button. Remove the pin or toothpick and wrap your thread around the threads in between the button and the fabric to make the “shank.” Pull tight and then push the needle through to the back of the fabric to tie the button off.
Tip: Shanks are necessary to provide space for fabric to sit in between the button and the garment when the garment is buttoned.
  1. Tie the Thread: Make a small knot on the back side of the fabric. Once your knot is formed, tighten it down and cut the excess thread.

If you’re missing a button and don’t have a spare, you’ll have to head to a fabric store to find the closest match possible and repeat these steps.

steps to fix a button

The Easiest Way to Replace A Missing Button

If you have a loose or missing button and don’t want to sew it back on yourself, take it to your closest Dependable Cleaners. Part of their cleaning process includes a complimentary repair service to fix or replace loose and missing buttons. Dependable Cleaners makes it a priority to keep a large variety of buttons on hand, so depending on your clothing, they may be able to find the perfect match. If they don’t have a close enough match, they’ll ask your permission to replace all the buttons with a similar set so you don’t have to worry about the replacement button standing out.

Complimentary repair service is standard with all dry cleaning, wet cleaning, and shirt laundry at every location. Find a store near you to repair your buttons and make your clothes look better than ever!