ABSTRACT
Buttons and buttonholes can be functional or decorative, and this chapter focuses on the functional aspects. It is important that when placing buttons and buttonholes on a garment that an overlap is added and that center front or center back lines meet when the garment is buttoned or the designer will change the size and fit of the garment. For women’s garments, on the front, the buttonholes are placed on the right side of the body. For the back, the buttonholes are placed on the left side of the body. The overlap on the garment is determined by the button size. It should equal the radius of the button + ¼”. There are two methods of creating a front facing for a garment with center front buttons and buttonholes. One method is an extension with the overlap and facing cut in one with the bodice front. The other method has a separate facing that extends to the armscye.
