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Member since 5/23/04
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Posted on: 2/12/21 6:05 PM ET
I'm trying to sew a 5/8" buttonhole on a waistband of a pair of pants. I have tried 6 times to sew this buttonhole. I've used 2 different sewing machines: 1) modern computerized Janome & 2) vintage singer Rocketeer. Each time the buttonhole sews correctly for a distance and then the fabric stops feeding and the machine starts sewing over and over in the same spot creating a knot and stopping creating the buttonhole. I have tried this with and without a strip of wash-away solvy. I have a friend who is going to give it a go with her machine tomorrow. I've given up on doing this myself. Does anyone have any foolproof tips for making buttonholes that feed properly? (I have made tons of buttonholes and not had a problem. I think this problem is related to bulk in the area near the buttonhole area, but not directly underneath the buttonhole. I eliminated as much bulk as I possibly could without cutting down the seam allowance enough to make it weak.)


Detail Description of waistband: I have interfaced the waistband so there are two layer of fabric, plus the interfacing in that area. The waistband is about 1-1/4" wide. Of course, there is a seam on one side joining the pants to the waistband, so there is the bulk of the seam in that area. I trimmed, graded and removed interfacing in the seamline as much as possible, but that makes some bulk there. The top edge has some seam bulk as well, but it has been trimmed, graded and interfacing removed in the seam line. There is no seamline on the center front of the waistband, because the fabric wraps the front edge with the interfacing going to the fold of the front edge.
-- Edited on 2/12/21 at 6:05 PM ET --
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Becky
  
Member since 5/2/09
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Posted on: 2/12/21 7:18 PM ET
If she can't get it either, maybe just two rows of zig zag for the legs of it, with only a zig zag foot, (more manual control there) and then use the same thread to make a bar tack on the ends of it, by hand even? Or, if you are going to wear a belt with it, maybe forget about the button as you would not see it anyways, and just use some Pant/skirt hooks there?
-- Edited on 2/12/21 at 7:23 PM ET --
  
Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 2/12/21 8:06 PM ET
In reply to BeckyW

If your Janome uses the R buttonhole foot, there is a metal stabilizer plate made for it (about $20) that should help.

Also consider starching the area that is to be buttonholed until it is as stiff as cereal box cardboard.

Additionally, make surethe buttonhole foot isn't running into anything that can stop it.


-- Edited on 2/13/21 at 1:37 AM ET --
  
Member since 8/15/08
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Posted on: 2/13/21 0:59 AM ET
Hammering the buttonhole location with a wooden mallet may also help.
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Member since 1/20/13
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Posted on: 2/13/21 9:20 AM ET
Steam them hammer or pound flat. Next time either take out more seam allowance or less. The problem arises because of different heights in different parts of the buttonhole. You may need to manually do each leg with a zigzag for this one.
  
Member since 8/28/10
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Posted on: 2/13/21 10:46 AM ET
Sounds like there is too much bulk at the seamline of the waistband. My Bernina -- and I'm sure other brands-- has a buttonhole compensation plate. There are two different kinds: one is a simple plastic device kind of like a Jeansamajig and the other is a metal plate that screws and levels out the entire buttonhole area. Makes a world of difference.
  
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Posted on: 2/13/21 11:01 AM ET
It definitely sounds like the foot is hitting a bulky bit and won’t go over it. Any good forgetting the button and hand sewing one of those trouser closure things?
No help this time but for future reference I did write a tip aeons ago which I think found it’s way into the PR book of tips. This is it in summary. In cutting the waistband the outer band is made longer so that it folds round and forms part of the inner band. This means that where the buttonhole goes the fabric has a fold on the edge and not a seam with seam allowances clogging up the end.
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Member since 5/23/04
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Posted on: 2/13/21 2:50 PM ET
In reply to kayl
I ended up getting my friend to do the buttonhole for me. She has a really fancy new top of the line machine. Her foot has a stabilizer plate. I really think I need that too. I do have the Janome "R" foot and have just ordered a stabilizer plate. I never knew there was any such thing that existed. Thank you very much and thank you to all.!!
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Becky
  
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Posted on: 2/13/21 3:01 PM ET
In reply to BeckyW
glad you got your buttonhole made.
Santa bought me the Janome stabiliser plate - love it
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Wellington, NZ
  
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