How to Calculate Buttonhole Spacing

How to Calculate Buttonhole Spacing
Written By
Ellen Dean
Ellen Dean
Published: Feb 12, 2010
Updated: Feb 23, 2021
2 minute read

After knitting or stitching your beautiful new jacket, shirt, sweater or coat, it is time to find the correct placement of the buttonholes. Most patterns that can be purchased in fabric or hobby shops include detailed instructions on exactly where to place buttonholes. However, for those fierce mavericks of stitchery who create without a specific pattern, there are numerous websites that offer buttonhole calculators. After putting in the correct measurement information, the computer program will figure out the data and give you measurements of the perfect buttonhole spacing for your stunning new garment.

Things You'll Need:

Things You Will Need

  • Tape Measure
  • Garment
  • button image by Pefkos from Fotolia.com

    Go to a buttonhole measurement website (see References section for links).

    tape measure image by MichMac from Fotolia.com

    Count or measure the spacing from the bottom of the front band of the garment. This will be a large number.

    cross-stitch image by Lytse from Fotolia.com

    Enter the number of rows of stitching in the front band.

    knöpfe image by pickks from Fotolia.com

    Find out the number of stitches in one buttonhole.

    knitting image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com

    Enter the number of buttonholes you will place in the front band.

    clew and knitting needles. image by Indigo Fish from Fotolia.com

    Determine whether the garment is for a man or woman. The buttonholes will go on different sides of the clothing. For men, the holes will appear on the left side and for women, holes will have buttons on the right side of the band.

    calculator image by Szymon Apanowicz from Fotolia.com
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    Click the "Calculate" button and directions will be given to you for your exact buttonhole measurements.

    References

    Ellen Dean

    Ellen Dean is a visual artist and painting teacher. She has been teaching and writing articles on art since 2001, and has been a professional artist since 1999, (ChadwickandSpector.com), after studying sculpture at Virginia Commonwealth…

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