Buttons – Sewing & Craft Buttons in Every Style | Joann
Our classic 4-hole sewing buttons are the workhorses of every sewing basket. We offer these essential fasteners in sizes ranging from 11mm to 25mm, available in neutral tones and vibrant colors to match any fabric.
Each button features precision-drilled holes that accommodate standard sewing thread, making them compatible with both hand-stitching and machine attachment. The smooth edges prevent thread fraying, while the durable construction stands up to repeated laundering.
What's in our buttons collection
Button Materials & Construction
We carry Joann’s buttons in six primary material categories, each suited to different project needs. Plastic resin buttons offer the widest color range and are machine-washable, making them ideal for everyday garments and children’s wear. Metal buttons in brass, pewter, and antiqued finishes provide durability for outerwear and workwear that sees heavy use.
Wood buttons bring natural texture to handmade projects, while genuine shell and mother-of-pearl buttons deliver heirloom quality for special occasion garments. For crafters working on crafts that prioritize sustainability, our coconut shell and bamboo options provide eco-friendly alternatives without sacrificing style. Glass buttons, though less common in our everyday stock, appear seasonally with hand-painted details and vintage-inspired designs.
Choosing Buttons for Your Project
The right button choice depends on fabric weight, garment style, and care requirements. For dressmaking and blouses in cotton or silk, flat 2-hole or 4-hole buttons between 11mm and 15mm create a refined finish without weighing down the fabric. Coat and jacket projects require larger shank buttons, typically 20mm to 25mm, that can accommodate the bulk of heavyweight wool or canvas.
When working with knit fabrics, select buttons with smooth edges and rounded profiles to prevent snagging the delicate loops of jersey or rib-knit material. Decorative buttons with ornate faces work beautifully as non-functional accents on tote bags, pillows, and scrapbook pages, where you can attach them with craft glue rather than thread.
Installation & Attachment Methods
Hand-sewing buttons allows precise placement and works with any button style. Thread your needle with doubled thread, knot the end, and bring it up through the fabric from the wrong side. For flat buttons, pass the needle through one hole, over the button face, and down through the opposite hole, leaving slight slack to create a thread shank. Wrap the thread around the shank several times before securing with a knot on the fabric’s wrong side.
Shank buttons require a slightly different approach since the built-in shank already provides elevation. Position the button where desired, bring your needle up through the fabric and through the shank loop, then back down through the fabric. Repeat this motion five to seven times, building up thread layers that securely anchor the button. Finish with a double knot on the wrong side of the fabric.
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Button Selection & Project Questions
Check your sewing pattern for recommended button size, typically listed in millimeters or ligne. If you're working without a pattern, measure your buttonhole—the button diameter should be 2-3mm smaller than the buttonhole length to allow comfortable fastening. For garments without buttonholes yet, choose buttons first, then create buttonholes sized appropriately.
As a general guideline, shirts and blouses use 11-15mm buttons, skirts and pants use 15-20mm buttons, and coats or jackets use 20-30mm buttons.
Plastic and resin buttons from Joann tolerate machine washing and tumble drying without damage. Metal buttons should go in a mesh bag or be hand-washed to prevent tarnishing. Wood, pearl, and shell buttons require hand-washing to preserve their finish and prevent cracking.
Always check the care tag on your base fabric as well—if the fabric requires hand-washing, the buttons should receive the same gentle treatment regardless of their composition.
Both styles function equally well; the choice is primarily aesthetic and practical. Two-hole buttons create a cleaner, more modern look and attach slightly faster. Four-hole buttons distribute stress across more stitching points, making them more secure for high-tension areas like coat closures and pants waistbands.
On visible garment fronts, 4-hole buttons offer design flexibility—you can stitch them parallel, in an X pattern, or in a square for varied visual effects.
Yes, our flat 2-hole and 4-hole buttons are compatible with standard buttonhole foot attachments on most sewing machines. The button must be 20mm or smaller to fit in the foot's button holder. Shank-style buttons cannot be machine-attached and require hand-sewing.
Before stitching your actual garment, test the buttonhole foot with your chosen button on scrap fabric to confirm the correct settings and stitch width.
Decorative buttons can serve as functional fasteners if they meet size and durability requirements for your project. Ensure the button is appropriate for your fabric weight—delicate novelty buttons may not withstand stress on coat closures. Check that decorative faces won't snag fabric when passing through buttonholes.
For heavily-used closures, reinforce decorative buttons with interfacing on the wrong side of the fabric, or use sturdy functional buttons hidden behind a placket with decorative buttons sewn on top purely for show.
Purchase exactly the number specified in your pattern, plus two extra buttons for testing, repairs, and future replacements. If you're designing without a pattern, count each closure point on your garment and add two spares. For double-breasted designs, remember you need buttons on both sides even though only one side functions.
When buying decorative buttons for non-functional embellishment, purchase your planned quantity plus 10-15% extra since novelty designs may be discontinued when you return for more.
Our natural wood button collection includes sustainably harvested bamboo and coconut shell options clearly marked on packaging. These materials grow rapidly and represent renewable resources. We also carry buttons made from reclaimed hardwood and wood byproducts from furniture manufacturing.
Look for buttons labeled "eco-friendly" or "sustainable" on the packaging, or ask our staff to direct you to our environmentally conscious button options.