Q&A

Faye Perriam-Reed shows how to create your own knitted buttons

QI can’t find the right buttons to finish off my cardigan. Should I try making my own?

ASelf-cover buttons are a good way to make buttons that will suit your project perfectly. They’re available from most haberdasheries, in a wide range of sizes. They are made of two parts: the face, which you cover with the fabric of your choice, and the back plate, which snaps on to hold the fabric tightly in place. You can use a standard fabric or make your own knitted cover. Our sample uses stocking stitch, but moss stitch, coloured stripes and mini cables work well, too.

Use knitting needles slightly smaller than those recommended for your yarn, to make a tight fabric – our sample shows a 4ply yarn worked on 2.5mm needles.

To make a simple knitted hexagon, cast on four stitches then knit in the pattern of your choice, increasing one stitch on each row until the piece is slightly larger than the button face. Work two rows straight, then decrease one stitch per row until you reach your original cast-on number. Cast off, leaving a long yarn tail.

Place the fabric over your button face, catch the edges on the teeth, and use the cast-on tail to work a row of running stitches all around the edge. Draw it tight and secure with a few stitches. Fit on the backing plate – this can be tricky if your fabric is thick, so try using a pair of pliers to press it on. If necessary, you can leave the backing plate off, and simply sew the button onto your garment.