Originals: Looking at Buttonholes (CS)

[LibertyHallVols]

Often, it is hard to judge the features on a given reproduction because one might not have had the opportunity to view original examples. Here are four examples covering a variety of enlisted items, and an officer-grade coat:

Clockwise from top left:
Tait jacket, McDill jacket, kersey RD2, officers frock

If others have examples, it would be great to see them.
(I labeled this thread "CS", so it might be a good idea to use a different thread for US items)

[Marc29thGA]

John,

Thanks for posting these pictures - these kind of close ups are very helpful. I don't have access to originals and seeing this information is of great value for my winter sewing project currently underway and those I hope to do. I feel much better now on my own button holes too!

Would you have some topstiching close ups besides what is shown on the Tait?

Kindest Regards,

[rbruno]

John,
These are the best pictures I have. Some of my others are little blurry. Because the pictures didn't turn out great, I made scetches when at home when they were fresh in my mind. I will check to see what I have at home (I am sending these from work). Hope some of this helps. I would like to see more of this type of discussion and posting of detail items. My interest is more in clothing, but other topics like leather work would be great.
Rob Bruno
1st MD Cav

[rbruno]

I thought I should add some pictures of buttonholes I have done a civilian shirt. I think the nature of this thread is to see originals and compare to repro. These are on a shirt with much thinner material than on a jacket that pictured. So, when I do a jacket they may look different. I will interested to hear what people think. I look forward to more comparisons in this and other threads.
Rob Bruno
1st MD Cav

[Iron Scout]

OK,

Here we go. A good many pictures here for everyone to view. I'll add commentary on the garment's history, etc. in a second. Hope this aids the discussion. There's nothing wrong with the hobby, we just need a healthy dose of study!

Cheers,

Neill Rose

[Iron Scout]

Folks,

Here's the last one for right now. These are just some off my desktop image program(s); I'll grab the CDs next.

Neill Rose
PLHA

[IowaYank]

I am right now having my mom construct me a Communtation Jacket from a kit from Wambaugh and White. I had her look at this thread to give her an idea of what the button holes should look like. She asked if they should be a keyhole stitch, or just the regular straight button hole. Was one type of button hole stitch more common than the other??

Nice pics!!!

[LibertyHallVols]

Neill: THANKS!!!!!!!!!
Folks rarely consider the view of the button hole on the inside of a jacket, so those pics are especially good.

All,
Here is something interesting that I am seeing among all these pics of original items...

On the side of the button hole nearest the edge of a given coat, each of the these button holes all appear to have either a "fan" or a "keyhole" shape. However, on the other end of the hole, I see them ending in either a bar-tack or "nothing" ...no fan, no bartack... just the stitching on either of the two sides, but nothing on the end.

Am I viewing these correctly?

...and on the bartacks...
each appears to be nicely finished by a blanket stitch as described by CJ Daley here on page two of this thread (reproduced by John Taylor after a crash wiped out an old 2002 thread):
http://authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2996

...on the Tait jacket...
It is interesting to view this buttonhole in its unraveling state. You can see the stitching laid out along the perimeter before the buttonhole stitching itself was applied.

[IowaYank]

John, that may be what I was asking. Maybe when I am seeing the button holes without the keyhole shape I am actually looking at the back of the button hole?

[LibertyHallVols]

Look at "Iron Scout's" (Neill Rose) 11:00am post. Pics #6 and #10 show buttonholes from the inside of the jacket. ... a very dandy English kersey RD2!!!

Regarding the "Keyhole"...
They were done both ways (what I have referred to as "keyhole" and "fan"). In my limited experience... It appears that "keyhole" style buttonholes are more a feature of either higher grade clothing or industrially-made garments (as with the officer frock and Tait jackets shown in this thread). I may be completely out-to-lunch, but that's what I've noted within the limited scope of my experience.

Somewhere, I have seen a great pic of the original Bomar frock showing a buttonhole with bartacks at BOTH ends! Very unique, at least in my very limited experience.

[Canton Zouave]

Here are the basic button hole stitches for the Bottomshirt from Gettysburg. They have strectched over the years and show the typical effect of passing the button through the hole. The holes measured a little larger than the button itself, so I suspect (though we may never know) that they were actually the same size or a little smaller when initially made. I believe this is what gives them their somewhat oval shape. In making modern renditions, the material has alot to do with how the button hole turns out. Pulling them perls to tight will inadvertently cause the edge of your button hole to "roll" and make the hole larger than what you really want it to be.


More to come when I dig out the CD.

[rbruno]

John,
Also in my limited experience, the "keyhole" end is found on the more tailored garments. Most of the officer frocks and tailored shell jackets I have looked at had this type of buttonhole. Some also had a piece of thread on top of the material and then the buttonhole stitch going over top of it. Someone told me this was done to produce a more finished stitch that did not sink down into the thicker material fond in coats. I think the link to a past thread from CJ Daley describes this. I have tried to do this type, but my fingers are not nimble enough to do this one yet. I think the depot jackets had the plain buttonhole stitch that just went around the opening of the fabric. As we can see, I don't think any of the pictures are same, although they all use the same type of stitch. So, getting back to I think the first point of this post, how do we look at repro garments and say they are authentic in the button holes? Again, just look for period construction techniques? Or, is there a quality standard for the use of the construction techniques?
Rob Bruno
1st MD Cav

[Iron Scout]

Folks,

Here's two more images off of Lt Walker's Charleston Depot jacket at the UDC Museum in Chas.

Neill Rose
PLHA

[CJDaley]

I've got about 2,000 photos of original garments on my harddrive with scores of buttonhole photos. I'll try to dig some up once I can dig out the harddrive from our move to Virginia.

Here is the text John was talking about. This is from me when I was respected and loved in the hobby:o


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Posted by CJ Daley on November 10th, 2002 02:36 PM:
Hand-worked Buttonholes

HAND-WORKED BUTTONHOLES

Most people who do their own sewing do so in order to insure that the buttonholes on their garment are hand sewn. However, running a needle and thread around a hole doesn't make it a buttonhole. Hand top stitching and hand worked buttonholes are one of the first things that people will see when they inspect your garment. Having a good pattern, knowledge of construction techniques and a good iron are a start, but it's the finishing touches that will really set your garment apart from others.

Here are some tips that I would suggest practicing.

PLACEMENT
Placement of the buttonholes is crucial. Be sure to take particular notes off the garment you are copying in regard to this or follow your pattern's instructions to the letter. Mark the placement of the buttonholes with a pencil or a piece of tailor's chalk. Count that you have the correct amount of buttonholes marked. Then count again, then count a third time...you don't want to make a 3 button sack coat or a 8 button Infantry Uniform Coat.....

USE A CHISEL
I suggest using a wood chisel and a hammer to ‘punch’ out the buttonholes. This give a more uniform appearance than you achieve with scissors. Make sure to line up the chisel evenly along the yarns to get a clean cut. The size of the chisel you choose will depend solely on the diameter and height of your buttonhole. Most cuff sized buttons will require a 3/4" chisel, coat sized buttons require a 1" chisel and most muffin style coat buttons will require a 1 1/8" or 1 1/4" chisel.

To do a key hole buttonhole, just take a 1/8" round leather punch and place it on outside edge of the buttonhole BEFORE you punch the slit with the chisel.

PREPARING THE HOLES
When working with jeans, I also suggest overcasting the button hole with about 10 loose stitches to keep the buttonholes from fraying.

THE THREAD
I would highly recommend getting a spool of #16 buttonhole/top stitching thread. There are other sizes you can use, but the #16 size will work for most of the garments you'll be making from drawers, to frock coats. Color choice is up to you of course and will depend on the original garment you copied. The thread you use should be waxed to prevent curling and knotting, but this must be done sparingly to avoid staining the fabric or having the wax clump up on you.

The length of the piece of thread you cut will depend on the size of the buttonhole, but you should be able to do most 1" buttonholes with about a yard of thread (this isn't something you want to misjudge).

I usually use a #8 or #9 sized needle. I know some people who use a larger one, but they seem like harpoons to me and the smaller ones usually lend themselves to being more manageable.

STITCHES PER INCH
A good hand-worked buttonhole has stitches worked close together, stitches of even depth. The stitches per inch will depend the thickness of the thread you use. I've seen buttonholes with 44 stitches per inch and some with 8 stitches per inch. If you are sewing with a loosely woven material with large yarns like a jean cloth, then you'll actually want to do fewer buttonholes per inch. On a jean jacket, my 1" buttonholes will usually have 55-60 stitches, on broadcloth, they'll have about 70. On utilitarian garments like issue shirts, drawers or shelter halves, you'll have less.

The depth of the stitch again will depend on the fabric. Too deep and you will distort the fabric if you pull tight, too shallow and the stitch will come through the cloth (especially if the fabric doesn't hold a raw edge well).

The regular buttonhole may be horizontal, with a rounded fan-end near the garment edge (where the button rests), and a bar tack at the other end or it may have fans at either end. The directions below will explain how to do the former. To do the later, just skip the bar tack.

Start at bar end. With a knot at thread-end, insert needle into right side of fabric about 1/2" from bar end, and bring it out through the slit at that end (30). (The knot will be removed later.) Cover edges with buttonhole stitch (see below), making a fan or a bar tack at ends.



Finish off thread-ends carefully. Clip off the thread used for starting, and pull out the knot.

Buttonhole stitch is worked from right to left, with the needle pointing toward you. Loop the thread as shown (31) and insert needle into slit, bringing it out just below stitching with eye and point over the looped thread.


Draw up needle away from you so that the purl (32) is formed at edge of slit. Do not draw up the thread too tight. The purl is the most difficult thing to learn, I find that while most people can get the stitch down pretty well, they either don't pull tight enough to form the purl, or pull to tight and the purl gets distorted.



The fan is worked around the end as shown. Keep stitch-depth even and turn gradually (33).



The bar tack is made by taking two stitches at buttonhole end, across both rows, and then working over these threads with blanket stitch without catching the fabric. Use the needle eye-first, as shown (34). Then put the needle through to wrong side.



CORDING?
If you are cording your buttonholes, take a piece of size 12" thread and place it under the stitch. The cording will help to give your buttonhole some form and keep it's shape.

So, how did you all do with your first buttonholes? Very Good? Not so good? I say practice, practice, practice. You don't want to practice on that nice new coat your making and it's better to spend the rest of the winter working on practice buttonholes to insure your garment's finishing touches are perfect.

I hope these tips have helped and if anyone has questions, please post them here so we all can see the answers.......

__________________
Sincerely,
Christopher Daley

[edwardwatson]

Here's a button hole from the MacRae shirt (EOG: Confederate) in the NC Museum.

[btfire]

I have been paying close attention to the many pictures of buttonholes. I am not able to travel enough to see many original examples with my own eyes, so thanks to those that posted pictures. Since I have taken an interest in making my own garments, I have a few questions. First, I may be missing something. Based on the tutorial it appears there are many more stitches per inch then the photos show. Am I missing something, or were these garments more hastily put together? I may be reading into the instructions too much since it appears that all of the thread is doubled. Second, the originals I have seen (which again is limited) appear to have more stitches than I can count. Now, three of the examples (I have seen) are officer coats which were tailored and I assume can go against the norm. When making the buttonhole stitch, should I follow the above directions to the letter, or should I just wait to finish my coat until I gather more data? (Perhaps someone with more photos can assist me in this) The coat I am making is a jean wool frock for an early SC impression. The coat is complete minus the buttonholes.

[Ian M.]

Neill -- do you have any photos of Lt. Walkers full jacket you could post?

[LibertyHallVols]

First, I may be missing something. Based on the tutorial it appears there are many more stitches per inch then the photos show. Am I missing something, or were these garments more hastily put together? I may be reading into the instructions too much since it appears that all of the thread is doubled. Second, the originals I have seen (which again is limited) appear to have more stitches than I can count. Now, three of the examples (I have seen) are officer coats which were tailored and I assume can go against the norm. When making the buttonhole stitch, should I follow the above directions to the letter, or should I just wait to finish my coat until I gather more data? (Perhaps someone with more photos can assist me in this) The coat I am making is a jean wool frock for an early SC impression. The coat is complete minus the buttonholes.

Stitch count varies from garment to garment. I would consider the instructions technical instructions on how to do the stitch and make a buttonhole, generally. The characteristics of a particular repro garment's construction will vary.

Also, I may be mistaken, but I would highly doubt that the thread is doubled on an original garment you are viewing... it probably appears that way due to a high stitch count.

I hope this helps!

[Carolann Schmitt]

These buttonholes are from civilian garments, not CS uniforms. However, they are typical of the buttonholes I find on many civilian garments - male and female - and show the skill and expertise of the sewist/tailor.

The first image is one of the buttonoles on an original pleated front shirt c. 1850-1860. Each pleat is accented with drawn thread work. The length of this buttonhole is 3/8 inch.

The second image is a buttonhole from an original silk satin vest. The length of this buttonhole is 7/16".

[Thomas Alleman]

Thanks I was just talking about practicing buttonholes. Mine are OK but not that good. The question I have are the buttons supposed to cover the buttonhole, say on a jacket or can the buttons be smaller? Showing more of the hole. Again great pics.

[LibertyHallVols]

The question I have are the buttons supposed to cover the buttonhole, say on a jacket or can the buttons be smaller? Showing more of the hole. Again great pics.

If the diameter of the button is too small compared to the size of the buttonhole, then the button might "pop open" more easily. However, the stitching will tend to show on most buttonholes when the garment is buttoned because the two parts will tend to pull at the button/buttonhole. This forces the shank/post of the button to one side of the hole, exposing the stitching at the other side. Make sense?

[mattifatti]

I just received a new jacket and am preparing to sew my own buttonholes. Now, I will def. practice before I begin and when I begin I will quadrouple check my measurements and buttonplacement. BUT, before I begin, I did have a few questions about sewing the holes.

First, in the pictures provided in this thread, I do not notice two things that I have read are recommened. One, I don't see lines of stitching around the buttonhole to re-inforce the hole and two, I don't notice a bar tack on the end of the hole away from the edge. They may be there and I don't see them OR they just might not be there.
Also, would these buttonholes be sewn similar to federal coats?
Further, what would be a similar thread used on eastern federal coats (size, color, and material)?
Thanks for your help,
Matt Kraybill
61st New York

[LibertyHallVols]

My compliments to Scott and Fenny Hanes!

This weekend, I was perusing the wares in E.J. Thomas' tent and had a chance (finally!) to have a look at their goods. In-Stock was a Tait jacket. Upon close examination of the buttonholes, I found that they look just like the originals (see below for an example). http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=7648&d=1198080004

The topstitching looked great, too.

Really great work, folks! Just wanted to share!