If you want to know how to make a buttonhole on a Brother sewing machine, here are two steps. First, you’ll be following a tutorial based on a manual of the Brother EX-660. Second, you will also know tips when making buttonholes without a special sewing machine attachment.
Do you already know how to use a Brother sewing machine as well? If you’re not thoroughly familiar with this brand, please read our guides for using it properly.
How Do You Sew A Buttonhole On A Brother Sewing Machine?
This tutorial is for the Brother EX-660 model. If you own another sewing machine from the brand, follow its instruction manual accordingly. You could browse Brother’s website for the manual if you lost the one for your unit.
Step 1. Set the machine
- Mark your fabric with where you want to put the buttonhole and how long you want it
- Pull the button guide plate of the buttonhole foot out and insert the button that you’ll use for the project to set the size of the buttonhole
- If you’re using a button that won’t fit in the button guide plate, you need to calculate the length yourself
- Attach the buttonhole foot on your Brother sewing machine and select the appropriate stitch
- Place the fabric underneath the machine
- Make sure that the red marks on the sides of the buttonhole foot are aligned with the front end of the buttonhole mark you made in the previous step
- Lower the presser foot lever to secure the material, but do not lower the needle into the fabric yet if you’re not finished aligning the marks
- Never push in the front of the presser foot
Step 2. Start sewing
- Have the upper thread through the presser foot hole and pull down the buttonhole lever as much as you can so it will be behind the bracket on the buttonhole foot
- Hold the upper thread end loosely and begin sewing
- The Brother sewing machine will make the reinforcement stitches after it finishes sewing the buttonhole
- Once the machine stops, raise the presser foot lever to remove the material
- Cut the threads
- Return the buttonhole lever to its original position
- Insert a pin inside one bar tack at the end of the buttonhole to protect the stitching when cutting with the seam ripper
- Use the eyelet punch first before the seam ripper when cutting keyhole buttonholes
How Do You Make A Buttonhole On A Brother CS6000I?
- Read the Brother CS6000I manual and study the diagrams
- Mark the fabric with the buttonhole length and position
- Insert the button you’ll use on the buttonhole in the button guide plate of the buttonhole foot to set the buttonhole size
- Select the stitch you want for the buttonhole according to the material and project
- Align the marks on the buttonhole foot with the front end of the buttonhole mark you made
- Position the fabric accordingly and pass the upper thread through the presser foot hole
- Start sewing while holding the upper thread end gently
- Remove the fabric and cut the threads
- Raise the buttonhole lever back in place
- Pin along the inside of the buttonhole stitching’s end and cut towards the pin with the seam ripper to open the buttonhole
Where Is The Buttonhole Lever On A Brother Sewing Machine?
Find the buttonhole foot’s bracket, and the buttonhole lever should be right behind it on a Brother sewing machine. You will need to pull it down as far as possible to sew then raise it back into position when cutting the buttonhole. You can also check the diagram on the machine’s manual to identify the lever much quickly.
How Do You Make A Buttonhole Without A Buttonhole Foot?
You can make a buttonhole even if your sewing machine doesn’t have a buttonhole attachment or settings for special stitches. Of course, most sewing machines nowadays have a buttonhole feature, but even if your unit is an older and basic model, you can still use it to make a buttonhole.
- Measure your button with a sewing gauge
- Mark your fabric a tad longer than the button and place two lines at the top and bottom to form an “I”
- Set the appropriate stitch, stitch length, and width
- Position the presser foot in the middle of a different fabric and press on the pedal to begin sewing
- Note how the needle travels
- Create a bartack and sew the second side of the buttonhole
- Sewing machines without buttonhole stitches means you need to use a long stitch length and turn the fabric when making a bartack
- You can use satin stitch to complete the second side of the buttonhole if your machine doesn’t have buttonhole stitches
- Finish the second bartack by using a wide stitch length
Conclusion
And that’s it! To recap how to make a buttonhole on a Brother sewing machine, you only need to mark the fabric, set the machine, and let the buttonhole foot do the work. But, of course, you also want to follow the manual step by step to ensure a perfect buttonhole.
Are you new to using this brand? Read how to thread a Brother sewing machine as well. You can also browse our blog for more articles regarding Brother models.