How To Knit A Buttonhole (5 Best Ways)

Learning how to knit a buttonhole is essential for finishing your knitting projects professionally, especially when making cardigans, jackets, or accessories.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover five different methods for creating neat buttonholes easily, along with tips for choosing the best method for your project.

How To Make A Buttonhole In Knitting For Beginners

Your knitting pattern usually specifies when to create a buttonhole and recommends the size of your buttons.

It’s best practice to select buttons slightly larger than your buttonholes, ensuring they fit snugly without slipping back through the hole.

1. Yarn Over Buttonhole

The yarn over buttonhole is perfect for smaller buttons and blends seamlessly into garter stitch button bands.

Instructions:

• Knit to the buttonhole location.
• K2tog, YO (knit two stitches together, then yarn over).
• On the next row, knit the yarn over as a regular stitch.

This creates a neat, small round hole without affecting your stitch count or overall stitch pattern.

2. Double Yarn Over Buttonhole

For larger buttons, a double yarn over method provides more space:

Instructions:

• Knit to the buttonhole position.
• (K2tog, YO) twice, then SSK (slip, slip, knit).
• Double yarn over: Wrap the working yarn around the right needle twice.
• Next row: Work into these yarn overs using K1, P1, or P1, K1 to maintain the stitch pattern.

This creates a larger hole suitable for medium-sized buttons.

3. Casting Off Stitches Buttonhole (Horizontal Buttonhole)

This method is excellent for creating buttonholes in ribbing and other stitch patterns, offering a neat horizontal opening.

Instructions:

• Knit to the desired location on the right side (RS).
• Cast off stitches for the top of the buttonhole (the number of sts depends on the size of your buttons).
• Continue knitting across the row.
• On the next row (wrong side, WS), when you reach the buttonhole location, cast on the same number of sts previously cast off using a backward loop or cable cast-on method.

This forms a horizontal buttonhole that maintains stitch pattern integrity.

4. One-Row Buttonhole

A quick and efficient method, the one-row buttonhole is useful when you need a sturdy, clean finish.

Instructions:

• Knit to the buttonhole position.
• Bring the working yarn forward, slip one stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle.
• Move the working yarn to the back and knit the next stitch.
• Pass the slipped stitch over the knitted stitch and repeat these steps for the required buttonhole size (typically 2-4 stitches).
• Cast on the same number of stitches using a backward loop method on the right needle.
• Continue knitting as per your pattern.

This creates a sturdy horizontal hole within a single row, perfect for button bands.

5. No Buttonhole Method

For bulky yarns or loose knitting tension, you might skip creating buttonholes entirely.

Test a swatch first by trying your buttons through gaps naturally formed in your stitch patterns.

Bonus Tip: Making a Buttonhole After Finishing

In emergencies, you can add buttonholes to your finished knitting:

• Carefully snip one or two stitches where you want the buttonhole.
• Reinforce the edges securely with thread or matching yarn.

This option is best used sparingly but is handy for adjustments.

How to Sew Buttons onto Your Knitting

Once your buttonholes are ready, securely attaching your buttons is essential.

Follow these steps for sewing buttons onto your knitted garment:

1. Thread a tapestry or sewing needle with a length of thread or yarn that closely matches your garment.
2. Position the button opposite the buttonhole, ensuring alignment.
3. From the back side of the button band, push the tip of the left needle through one hole in the button, pulling the thread until there’s a small tail on the reverse side.
4. Sew the button securely by passing the needle through each buttonhole several times.
5. Finish by bringing your needle through to the wrong side of the fabric, knotting the thread securely through the last stitch, and weaving in any loose ends.

Your buttons should feel secure but not overly tight, allowing them to comfortably fit through the buttonholes.

Outlander-Inspired Buttonholes (Claire’s Cardigan)

Inspired by Claire’s Blue Cardigan from Outlander, this technique involves creating neat buttonholes within ribbed buttonhole bands:

How to create buttonholes in ribbing

I have worked six buttonholes using the following buttonhole rows from working rows 1 and 2 in the four stitch rep patt:

• Row 1 (RS): P1, K1, P1, K1, Cast off 1 st, P1, K1, P1, K1, sm, *K1, P1* rep from * to * the end of the row.
• Row 2 (WS): *K1, P1* rep from * to * to marker, sm, P1, K1, P1, K1, cast on 1 st, K1, P1, K1.

You will cast off 1st in row 1 and then cast on 1st in row 2 to make the buttonhole.

How The Buttonholes Were Measured Out

• The buttonholes were measured by adding closed stitch markers to the left front at 3 inches apart.
• They were then worked opposite on the right front.
• You will work the buttonhole rows into the right front when you are knitting.
• You can adjust the measurement of the buttons (greater than 3 inches apart if you wish) or add more buttons.
• If your yarn allows, you may not need buttonholes; they may just fit through the ribbing.
• You can see in the photos below where the buttonholes were measured out on the left front first at 3 inches apart, then worked to be opposite on the right front.

So, where do I make the buttonholes?

Where you place the buttonholes is up to you.

You may want to place them exactly where I placed them on this cardigan on the buttonhole band.

They were measured at 3 inches apart starting with the bottom buttonhole from the start of the button band, or you may want them to have a greater spacing from each other.

You may also want to add more buttons if that is your preference.

Depending on the knitted fabric, you may not even need buttonholes as the buttons may just slip through.

The buttons I used measure 0.75 inches in diameter.

I bought extra in case I wanted to add more once the cardigan was finished.

Buttonholes FAQ

How do you knit a one-row buttonhole?    

A single-row buttonhole is an easy way to create a buttonhole without breaking the yarn.

Here’s how to knit a one-row buttonhole:

1. Determine Buttonhole Size: First, decide how many stitches you want your buttonhole to be. Typically, a standard-sized buttonhole is 2 to 4 stitches wide.
2. Knit to the Buttonhole Location: Work your knitting in the pattern (ribbing, stockinette stitch, etc.) until you reach the position where you want the buttonhole.
3. Create the Buttonhole: Knit the first stitch in the established pattern. Bring the working yarn to the front of the work. Slip the next stitch purlwise from the left-hand needle to the right needle without working it (i.e., move it from one needle to the other). Bring the working yarn to the back of the work. Knit the next stitch. Repeat this process for the number of stitches you’ve chosen for your buttonhole. For example, if you want a 2-stitch buttonhole, repeat the sequence twice.
4. Continue Knitting: After creating the buttonhole, follow your pattern as usual. The slipped stitches will create a small eyelet or hole, forming the buttonhole.
5. Knit the Next Row: On the next row, work your stitches in the pattern, including the stitches involved in the buttonhole. Knit or purl the slipped stitches as instructed by your pattern.

By following these steps, you can knit a one-row buttonhole that’s quick and easy to make.

Adjust the width of the buttonhole by increasing or decreasing the number of stitches you slip in step 3.

Be sure to practice on a swatch before incorporating one-row buttonholes into your main project to ensure you achieve the desired result.

How do you knit a horizontal buttonhole?    

A horizontal buttonhole is a buttonhole that runs horizontally across your knitting, creating a slot for a button. 

• Determine Buttonhole Size: Decide how many stitches wide you want your buttonhole to be. A standard horizontal buttonhole is often around 4 to 6 stitches wide.
• Identify the Buttonhole Location: Work your knitting until you reach the point in your project where you want to place the buttonhole. Mark the location with a stitch marker or a safety pin if necessary.
• Bind Off Stitches: To create the top of the buttonhole, bind off the desired number of stitches in the buttonhole location. You can use a simple bind-off method, such as the basic bind-off or the suspended bind-off. Make sure to bind off loosely to ensure the buttonhole isn’t too tight.
• Continue Knitting: Once you’ve bound off the stitches for the top of the buttonhole, continue knitting until you reach the other side of the buttonhole, where you’ll need to create the bottom edge.
• Cast On Stitches: To create the bottom edge of the buttonhole, cast on the same number of stitches you bound off. You can use the backward loop cast-on method or your preferred cast-on method.
• Complete the Row: After casting on the stitches for the bottom edge of the buttonhole, resume knitting in your established pattern.
• Knit the Next Row: On the next row, work the buttonhole stitches in pattern, knitting or purling them as needed based on your project’s pattern.

What is the difference between horizontal and vertical buttonholes?    

The key distinction between horizontal and vertical buttonholes in knitting lies in the orientation of the buttonhole slot in relation to the fabric. 

A horizontal buttonhole is created within the same row by binding off stitches for the top edge and casting on the same number of stitches for the bottom edge, running perpendicular to the rows. 

This type is ideal for flat fabric closures, such as those on cardigans. On the other hand, a vertical buttonhole is constructed separately as a strip or tab of fabric and then sewn onto the garment, with the buttonhole oriented vertically, parallel to the rows. 

Vertical buttonholes provide additional strength around the buttonhole area and are often used for heavier garments like coats. 

The choice between the two depends on design, function, and the specific requirements of the project.

Cardigan Knitting Patterns

• Irish Moss Stitch Cardigan Knitting Pattern
• Chunky Cardigan Knitting Pattern 
• Claire’s Modern Blue Cardigan (Seersucker Stitch) 
• Cardigan Knitting Pattern (Fall Comfort)

Further Resources

If you are a new maker and need help with the knitting basics, check out the knitting lessons here – Knitting Lessons (With Video Tutorials).

Tutorials include how to knit the knit stitch, how to knit the seed stitch, how to knit short rows, and more!

And if you need more video tutorials, check out my YouTube channel here – Handy Little Me – YouTube. 

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and that it has helped you enhance your buttonhole skills!

Happy Knitting!