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Member since 6/6/23
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Posted on: 9/28/23 5:53 PM ET
Hi,

Making a tnt pattern which comes with optional buttons and, since I make items with buttons fairly often, decided to put some in this time. It seems I’ve not made *proper* buttoned items before.

This pattern gives instructions to “baste facing to wrong side of right back”, then to make the buttonholes. Then, the next step is to stitch the facing to the right side of the garment, etc, as facing would normally be sewn in.

I’m a bit confused because, if I’m making the buttonholes only in the right back piece of fabric, why do I have to baste the facing onto the wrong side, only to take it off again to stitch in properly? Or am I supposed to be making the buttonholes in both? But then, of course, I’d have to take off the facing before finishing the buttonholes, otherwise I’d end up permanently sticking the facing there…

I’ve taken a photo of the instructions, if they’re readable.

I’m tired and maybe this makes total sense but I just can’t compute it? I strongly suspect this is an ordinary sewing thing that I should just already know, but I still can’t make it make sense!

I think this means I should go to bed and it will make sense in the morning (and maybe you lovely people will be able to explain it in the meantime!)

  
Member since 9/18/04
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Posted on: 9/28/23 6:18 PM ET
I'm also confused, but for a slightly different reason.

In step 9 and 10, we prepare interfacing ONLY (i am assuming this is a non-fusible interfacing), then in step 11 we baste the INTERFACING ONLY to the wrong side of bodice. Then in step 12 we work the bound buttonholes. So far, so good.

In steps 13 through 18 we prep the FACING, stitch the facing right side to the right side of the bodice, clip, turn, etc.

Haven't we just covered up the buttonholes we worked into the interfacing and bodice? I can sort of understand wanting to hide the "guts" of the bound buttonholes, but pretty buttonholes we can't use are baffling.

****Is there some step much, much further along that deals with providing openings in the facing to reveal the buttonholes? That's the detail that is missing here.

You are rightfully confused because it's confusing.

CMC
  
Member since 3/24/04
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Posted on: 9/28/23 7:37 PM ET
In reply to Lucymstress
This is how I learned to make a bound buttonhole back in the Devonian: https://youtu.be/SVYpXod6ZJc
https://youtu.be/dUZRCFFUoII

See if that makes more sense to you.







  
Member since 6/6/23
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Posted on: 9/29/23 2:39 AM ET
CMC - thank you! It had been so late that I had completely misread the “interfacing” as “facing”. I’m so used to just applying interfacing first (and usually to the facing) that I didn’t read it as a separate step. Though, I haven’t actually done so, so I can technically still follow the instructions exactly.

Also, thank you for validating my confusion. I was very close to just ignoring the instructions and doing it my own way. I think I may have to do that - there’s no later step that I can see, to add openings in the facing. Unless I’m missing a page after everything else is done!
  
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Posted on: 9/29/23 2:41 AM ET
In reply to kayl
Thanks for this - love a more logical instruction. I think I used one of these when making bound buttonholes for a recent coat! Will bookmark now.
  
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Posted on: 9/29/23 3:06 PM ET
In reply to kayl
That's a great tutorial, thanks.
------
Rosemary
  
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