As promised, I made my first attempts at bound buttonholes. I thought you might enjoy seeing the best and the worst of my test run! Naturally, I'm leading with the best, shown above. Not too shabby, eh?And now, for the worst. Look at this pathetic thing!
Doesn't it look like a Cubist version of a buttonhole or something?Anyway, I've made the bow-tied blouse (it turned out wonderfully, and pics are forthcoming!). Unfortunately, I could not maintain consistently lovely buttonholes, and some of them are better than others. But, happily, when it's buttoned up I don't think anyone will ever notice.
I have to say, I did enjoy learning a new skill, and I found bound buttonholes to actually be quite fun to make. In fact, I think I'll make a couple more versions of the blouse so that I can perfect my technique!
Isn't it funny how some dreaded techniques actually end up being enjoyable?
How do you find the time? That looks great! I puttered around the sewing room but nothing THAT detailed came out of it! LOL
ReplyDeleteOh, Gertie. Your second pic did make me laugh. It is very funny and cute - like the runt buttonhole of the litter you just can't help but fall in love with...
ReplyDeleteBravo for the first pic though. You're obviously getting the hang of it very quickly!
What a vast improvement with your second one. Like you said, perfection is not necessary because once it's buttoned up, no one will ever notice. Great idea to make several more to improve your technique. I'm doing that with mens'/boys' shirts, doing several to get better at making them. I much prefer womens' and girls' clothing; but with have a husband and two sons, I need to learn.
ReplyDeleteThat first buttonhole is a thing of great beauty; the second looks like it was forced to develop a great sense of humour after not being blessed with good looks!
ReplyDeleteI have heard that spray starch (either commercial or homemade) is a real blessing doing fiddly details like these in knit. I mean, you could have picked an easier fabric to learn on! I wonder what they were thinking over there at VoNBBS? "I know, knits! Perfect to make something that requires precision shaping and cutting!" And to top it off it's probably stretchy enough that you only need one or two buttons really. But that's what comes from thinking woven :-)
ReplyDeleteBTW my copy of VoNBBS has arrived at my mom's in New Mexico and so should soon make its appearance here in England! Hooray!
This reminds me of my first 2 attempts to make macarons. The first batch came out fairly well, not perfect but much better than i thought they would. The second batch was a disaster. Still edible but the ugliest little cookies i have ever seen. Though i did have a good laugh!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see the blouse, Gertie! it is always the little things that no ones else may notice but you know are there (even if they are mistakes) that make me love sewing my own clothes. There is a really good story in every piece!
well...they can't all be lookers! - Backseat Betty
ReplyDelete"Ooh, I love bound buttonholes! Oh how I looooove them!!!"
ReplyDeleteLiar. Or if that's not the case, pass the drugs.
I can't make any sense of the directions I've been reading. I guess I'll have to try them for myself.
My sewing teacher had us keep a portfolio with fabric swatches showing each new technique we learned. Even if they turned out craptacular we were to put them in our portfolios "so 20 years from now you can see how far you've come." So save your Cubist buttonhole and have a good laugh when you dig it out 20 years from now.
ReplyDeleteA job well done! I looked at the picture diagram and can't figure it out yet, but I'm a "do" kind of learner. The result looks professional though!
ReplyDeleteGertie your buttonhole looks fab! I'm still trying to get over the intimidation before even giving it a try. Roberta Carr does have one called the Spanish Snap buttonhole that I so what to try.
ReplyDeleteToo funny - a cubist buttonhole!! Maybe you will start a new trend!
ReplyDeleteYour perfected one looks very nice! I'm duly impressed!
Your first one looks excellent, and this comes with practice. I have one of those vintage buttonhole makers - so old I got it from Clothilde - apparently they aren't to be found these days. But my fav bound buttonholes are Kenneth King's from his "Cool Couture" book, but what makes his so crisp looking is that he often inserts a cord in his welt and it makes the welt pop up and really look sharp.
ReplyDeletehehe--I have definitely had bound buttonholes that look worse than your second one! ;) lol. They are definitely one of those "so tricky it's fun" techniques. I've got a pattern that has 16 buttons that I'm working on, and I'm toying with the idea of doing bound buttonholes. Don't know if I will (I'm testing the pattern, so I'm on a time crunch), but I do love the look of a bound buttonhole than a machine worked one. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou go, Girl!
ReplyDeleteOh, I totally love these two pictures! You've inspired me: on my blog I'll have to put pics of my best AND worst (I certainly always have mistakes). Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat job!
The top one is almost perfect! I've been sewing for 40 years (I started when I was *very* young)and bound buttonholes have always intimidated me. Great job!
ReplyDeleteSo I know this is an old post but I'm new to your fabulous blog and trawling through the archives... just wanted to say that I feel your bound buttonhole pain! I learned to do them for the first time on leather... they looked like absolute hell but are awfully fun when they come out right :-)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe you tried this on a knit fabric. Bound button holes are tough on a more stable woven fabric but even more challenging on a knit. Good job!
ReplyDelete