All button-holes should be worked in a double fold of cloth. Use for practice, a piece of muslin six inches long and four inches wide. Fold through the center. Turn in and baste along edges.
(A) To Cut
With button-hole scissors, cut into the goods one quarter of an inch from folded edge. Cut along a thread of the goods to make it straight. Make opening a little longer than the button is broad. For button-hole, use No. 40 cotton, No. 8 needle. Barring and overcasting are often done with a finer thread than that used for the button-holing.
(B) To Bar
1. Make a small knot in thread.
2. Put the goods over first finger, left hand—folded edge toward you.
3. At the end of button-hole farthest from folded edge of cloth, insert needle between the double cloth, bringing it out at A. (See picture.)
4. Point needle down at B; bring it out at A.
5. Point needle down at C; bring it out at D. Do this twice.
6. Point needle down at B; bring it out at A.
(C) Overcasting
Overcast the edge on each side and end of the button-hole, catching the long “barring” threads.
To Bar Overcasting