Tuesday 30 June 2015

Magic button sewing tip - it works!

I first came across this simple tip a couple of weeks ago via Emmie on My Oh So Vintage Life and it's now my favourite sewing tip EVER! It's a trick to eliminate gaping between buttons on shirt dresses, specifically at the waist. This is at its most noticeable when you sit down and invariably end up displaying the two inches of flesh you'd rather never saw the light of day again. 

Emmie's tip is sew an inward facing button in the offending area - the trick is to sew it on the inside of the button band so it's invisible from the front. Gahhh!!! Such a simple tip, but so effective! 

Secret button sewn on the inside of the button band (LHS), with buttonhole on the opposite side
I can also confirm that it works for the dreaded boob gape - as soon as I discovered this tip I put it to the test on my Granville Shirt. I absolutely love this shirt, but thanks to my own slapdash methods of button placement (trying to eyeball them rather than measuring properly), it's always gaped at the bust point. It hasn't stopped me wearing it and it's not actually that noticeable, but it is a pain to keep fiddling and pulling the front of my shirt.

Here I am, helpfully pointing to the offending area….


Here's the BEFORE picture…


And here's the AFTER picture….


Yay, no gaping!


When the shirt is buttoned up, the internal button and buttonhole are completely invisible from the front. Just to remind you, the hidden button is between the second and third button down.


 And here's what it looks like from the inside….


This solution may be blindingly obvious to lots of you, but it certainly wasn't to me, so please indulge me! Sorting out a dreaded waist or bust gape is just so satisfying! Two further shirt dresses have also been given the same treatment at the waist with great results. Thank you Emmie, for showing me the light! 

What were the sewing tips that changed your life? Please share, I'd love to know! x


86 comments:

  1. This is such a clever solution even for ready made clothing! I usually get the gape at my mid-section which is not my finest attribute!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I have a few RTW items that would benefit from the button trick too! x

      Delete
  2. Genius...funny how the simplest things escape me, and then when it's explained I have a Doh! moment..thanks for passing on x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The simplest things ALWAYS escape me! x

      Delete
  3. Absolutely Genius! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is so obvious yet in 40 years of sewing FBAs I've never thought of it. Thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It IS obvious isn't it?! Good to know it's a revelation to an experienced FBA stitcher! x

      Delete
  5. I saw this tip and thought it was simply The Best Thing Evah!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That's genius! I will definitely be following suit.
    One thing that only occurred to me recently is that when you finish topstitching (or any kind of stitch) and the end won't be covered by a seam or hem, you can use a needle to thread the tail on the outside to the inside, and tie it up there. That is probably obvious to everyone else, but I am very excited to no longer have stubby little tails on my pockets and flies!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Certainly something to keep in mind if needed. Pure genius. Your blouse looks much better with it; but you always do a superb job on your garments.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Clever :-) I like this alot.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Best tip ever! This is ALWAYS a problem for me (and the "girls") Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah good, glad to have helped shine the light! x

      Delete
  10. I never had a 'sewing tip that changed my life' before, but this might be it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's life changing for me, I can tell you! x

      Delete
  11. Thank you for sharing such a great sewing tip. I would have never thought to do this on my own.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My pleasure! I would never have thought of it on my own either! x

      Delete
  12. Simply genius!!
    George

    ReplyDelete
  13. Aren't the best ones always the most obvious... Once you know them?! :-) Fab tip, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  14. So simple it's brilliant... only one shirt dress but this treatment will be sooo useful!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Haha I LOVE the pointing picture!! Such a great tip :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, what a halfwit! It's such a brilliant tip isn't it?! x

      Delete
  16. Great tip! Thank for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great tip - never thought of this even when grappling with a safety pin to close the gap (never successful) - will definitely use this one! Thanks for sharing 😃

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've tried the safety pin trick before, nowhere near as effective as a button though! x

      Delete
  18. That is a great tip! I've learned so many wonderful tips the last couple of years but my current fave is this one from Lisa G, to get perfect corners when attaching facings and waistbands. Just made myself some perfect denim corners on a Beignet using it, and am chuffed indeed.
    https://notesfromamadhousewife.wordpress.com/2013/07/19/perfect-corners-on-waistbands-yes-you-can/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh I've seen variants of this tip before but this version is the clearest yet. Will definitely be trying it, thanks! x

      Delete
  19. Yes - this is a game changer! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh my goodness, that's one of those tips that is so obvious when you see it - however I would never have thought of doing that! I would have fiddled around with my button placement forever, and then put up with the gaping and hated it every time I wore the shirt. Genius! Thanks for sharing this tip with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, that's exactly what I was doing too! Thanks. x

      Delete
  21. Brilliant,,, thanks so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Ha, ingenious! And thanks for sharing the photos of evidence, there's nothing quite like seeing it work for real.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah good, I always like seeing evidence too! x

      Delete
  23. Brilliant! Someone also suggested to me that I could start the placement of buttons with that critical one first, then space out the rest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, that's what I always normally do too and it works a treat. I usually measure carefully for the critical button but this time I thought I knew better and eyeballed it instead - big mistake, hence the gaping! x

      Delete
  24. This is the best tip I've seen in a long time! Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No problem, it's a great tip, so glad I found it! x

      Delete
  25. Genius, the simplest tips are the best. I'll be using this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, the simple ones are definitely the best! x

      Delete
  26. This is a great tip. I literally NEVER wear a button-down top or dress because of this. I will have to try it out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, let's hope this tip gets you wearing button down dresses again! x

      Delete
  27. Great tip and I love your skirt. Thank you for sharing. ;)

    ReplyDelete
  28. That is AMAZING!

    I have safety pins in most of my RTW shirts and I have to struggle to get them over my head, so I don't have to struggle with putting the pin back in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've resorted to safety pins with RTW shirts in the past, hopefully this should solve the problem! x

      Delete
  29. That's genius! I never would have thought of it so thanks for sharing. Love your tie top in the previous post and what a clever boy you have. Next stop Savile Row?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha, probably, knowing him! And thank you! x

      Delete
  30. I'm totally with you on this one! Absolutely brilliant tip! Thanks you and thank Emmie.

    ReplyDelete
  31. BEST TIP EVER!!! Thank you so much for sharing x

    ReplyDelete
  32. Amazing! This issue has been putting me off sewing shirts for a long time

    ReplyDelete
  33. Amazing! This issue has been putting me off sewing shirts for a long time

    ReplyDelete
  34. This is brilliant! I have been sewing all my life (I'm 63), have made everything from casual clothing to wedding gowns and have never seen this tip before - thanks for posting!

    ReplyDelete
  35. This is great! Thank you. 😊👍🏻

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...