Bound Buttonholes This process is more forgiving than regular buttonholes. Materials: your jacket pattern material interfacing buttons two 3 inch squares of fabric (matching or contrasting) for every buttonhole you plan to make Steps: 1. Make jacket according to pattern. Stop when you get to the buttons. 2. Mark the buttonholes on the back of the jacket, and baste the centerline and the start and stop lines to transfer to the front of the jacket. 3. Cut a 3 inch square of fabric and put interfacing on the back of it. Pin the square diagonally on top of the basted buttonhole. 4. Using your basting thread as a guide, baste the center of the buttonhole. Also baste 1/4 inch on either side. 5. Set stitches back to "small stitch." 6. Lift up the diagonal fabric and transfer the stop lines to the top of the square by placing a pin through each of them. Mark the top of them with a fabric pen also. 7. Pull the bottom corner of the diagonal fabric back tightly and pin it. 8. Now, sew in between the centerline and the lines on each side of it. Stop exactly on each stop line. 9. Take out the basting and trim the excess fabric. 10. Using scissors, open up the middle of the buttonhole. As you get to the stop line, cut into the corners leaving a triangle of fabric on each end. 11. Trim any stitches that extend past the stop line. 12. From the top side, pull the square of fabric through the hole. Keep in mind that it might fight you a little at first. 13. Turn the garment over and baste together the folds of the buttonhole. Press the buttonhole. 14. Anchor all the triangular ends of the fabric on the underside. 15. Keep the buttonhole basted until you are completely finished. Attach the back facing according to your pattern. 16. You need to create an opening in the facing so that the buttons can go through. Place a pin through each corner of a buttonhole. Turn over to the facing and mark between the pins with chalk. Make sure the line is straight. Mark the stop lines of the buttonholes also. 17. Baste on top of the chalk. 18. Place another 3 inch square on top, right sides together with the fabric. 19. Draw a buttonhole on the square sitting on the facing, and cut out the hole. 20. Pull the square through the hole to the other side. 21. Press the buttonhole, then place the two buttonholes on top of one another and sew them together with matching thread. Margaret Islander Sewing Expert, Executive Director, Islander School of Fashion Arts / Islander Sewing Systems PO Box 66 Grants Pass, OR 97528 Phone: 541-479-3906 Fax: 541-479-3906 E-mail: sew-tech@chatlink.com Web site: www.islandersewing.com Resources: Islander School of Fashion Arts sewing seminars, videos Islander School of Fashion Arts Inc. / Islander Sewing Systems PO Box 66 Grants Pass, OR 97528 USA Phone: 541-479-3906 Fax: 541-479-3906 E-mail: sew-tech@chatlink.com Web site: www.islandersewing.com Sew Perfect Episode SEW-507 Bound Buttonholes http://www.hgtv.com/HGTV/project/0,1158,CRHO_project_11472,FF.html