Takes a surprising amount of searching to find a good tutorial on adding snap fasteners and hooks and eyes.
Here are some of the possibilities.
Basic hooks-and-eyes and snaps are sewn on in a very similar way.
Then expand your skills by making thread loops, and using snap attachment tools. And there are many other uses for these techniques.
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Hooks and eyes
Hand sew hooks and eyes
video
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Hand sew thread loops
More elegant if, instead of the metal ‘eye’, you make a hand sewn thread loop.
Two different styles :
Chain stitch
video
written
Do pull your chain tight, or the hook catches in individual stitches rather than the loop as a whole. This sort of loop is best used with buttons, not with hooks.
Blanket (simplest buttonhole) stitch
Much stronger but bulkier. Works with a hook without difficulty.
Here’s a video demonstrated with knitting yarn, so it’s on a large scale and very easy to see !
Here’s video demo using sewing thread and a slightly different technique.
Both methods can also be used to :
– make belt loops,
– attach fabric belts so they don’t get lost,
– make a link between jacket/ coat and lining when the hems are sewn separately instead of together.
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Snap fasteners
Hand sew 2-part snap fasteners
video
more security by adding a lock stitch
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Use a snap attachment tool and 4 part snaps
These snaps aren’t sewn. They have parts on both sides of the fabric.
video about hammer-on snaps (there are several tools from different companies for holding the snap parts in place while you hammer)
written tutorial about using pliers (if you want to make sure you don’t damage a decorative snap)
Do practice using these tools on fabric scraps, as these snaps are almost impossible to take out if something goes wrong !
Similar techniques are used for attaching bag closing hardware – magnetic snaps and turn buckles/ locks.
And for attaching metal eyelets and grommets, studs, rivets for jeans.
And for making self-covered buttons.
Lots of fastening and trim possibilities open up once you have confidence with any of these 😀
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Links available December 2013
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