buttonholes in handwoven fabrics

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can anyone recommend a sewing machine and/or an attachment which creates an excellent buttonhole to be used on handwovens? also, has anyone found the “best” stabilizer for buttonholes to use with facings in jacket? Handwovens have the ability to fray very easily, and therefore need lots of extra protection. thanks.
Replies
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Dahlia,
There is a good article in a past Threads issue.
September 1996 #66 which addresses problems that one has in working with handwovens and other cloth that ravels easily. Try and get your hands on a copy. If you can't, e-mail me personally. I'll try to scan the article for you.
*Just finished making my first garment from my first handwoven garment fabric. I wimped out and made bound buttonholes, using a cord which I was also using as the piping on the collar and front flap. By using a little iron-in stabilizer on the back side of each layer and stitching a rectangle before applying the cording to the edges, one of them worked really well and the other looks good to the casual observer(but I KNOW it's a bit defective). Some people say fraychek works well on handwoven cut edges, but I hate the stiff ridge and wouldn't think it would hold well enough for a buttonhole.
*I am looking for the article THREADS magazine that describes making bound buttonholes - a new way - as I haven't made them in years - I would appreciate any help in locating this article. If anyone has a way of doing these please let me know.thanks for your time and HELP!!!!Betsy Zern
*Dahlia,Have you considered inseam buttonholes? They are very "less is more" and would allow the beauty of your handwoven fabric to be displayed without interruption. Since they are made like regular seams, you could actually finish the allowances to prevent fraying. Just a thought.
*I am looking for instructions for inseam buttonholes? Is there anyone that can give me some directions. Thanks and I hope someone can help.
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