If the material is inclined to fray, overcast the edges before working the buttonholes.
To make the stitch, place the buttonhole over the forefinger of the left hand, holding it in position with the thumb and second finger as shown in Ill. 227. Begin to work the buttonhole close to the corner or starting-point. Insert the needle, and while it is pointing toward you, bring the double thread as it hangs from the eye of the needle around to the left under the needle. Draw the needle through the loop, letting the thread form a purl exactly on the edge of the slit. Continue these stitches to the opposite end, being careful to take them the same depth and close together. Now pass the needle up and down through the goods until two or three threads cross the end of the slit quite close to the buttonhole stitches, thus forming a bar tack. (Ill. 228.)
Ill. 229. Buttonhole with Round End
At the end, turn the work around so that the bar end is toward you and make several buttonhole stitches over the bar tack and through the material (Ill. 227.) Work the other side of the buttonhole and the second bar. (Ill. 228.)
THE ROUND-END BUTTONHOLE is stranded in the same manner as the double-barred buttonhole. Illustration 229 shows the steps in the making of this buttonhole with the opening first stranded and then overcast.
Begin the buttonhole stitch as in the first buttonhole, working down one side. When the outer end is reached, the stitches are taken on a slant, inserting the needle each time at a little different angle until the end is rounded. Continue the work on the other side. The inner end is finished with a bar tack. The different steps of this buttonhole are shown in illustration 229.
THE TAILORS' BUTTONHOLE is used for garments of heavy cloth, as the round end or eyelet provides a resting-place for the shank of the button or the stitches holding the button. Baste around the line of cutting so that the material will not slip, and cut the slit the desired length. At the outer end cut a small eyelet as shown in the top figure in illustration 230.
After cutting, the buttonhole should be stranded so that the worked edge of the buttonhole will be firm and distinct. This may be done with two threads of twist. Tailors follow the plan of using a cord formed of several strands of the buttonhole twist, or linen thread twisted together, or a gimp cord. An end of this cord or thread is secured at the inner end of the buttonhole between the fabrics, and the other end is fastened to the knee or some convenient place and kept taut by a slight strain upon the work as it is held in the hand.
Ill. 230. Tailors' Buttonhole
By this strain the cord is kept straight and in position just back of the edge of the buttonhole. The stitches are worked over the cord by the usual movements. After each stitch is drawn down, the loose twist should be picked up firmly by the thumb and forefinger quite near the stitch, and two or three circular twisting movements should be made so that the loop formed will settle securely and neatly into its proper position. Be careful to complete each stitch with uniform movements. When the eyelet is reached, the work is adjusted so that the stitches may be made at the proper slant. The stitches should radiate from the eyelet as the spokes do in a wheel. (Ill. 230.)
The inner end of an eyelet buttonhole may be bar-tacked. Sometimes the bars are simply worked with an over-and-over stitch. This is done by passing the needle up through the fabric at one side of the bar and down through it at the other side until the bars are entirely covered with these stitches and the stays look like a fine
