A video of step-by-step guidelines on how to sew a buttonhole by hand Step by Step Guide: How to Sew a Buttonhole by Hand Step 1: Cut a hole into a cloth or shirt.  The hole should be of your desired size for a  button . For instance, a  shirt’s button  is usually a slit in the  cloth  some ¾ of an inch in length. Step 2: Burn the buttonhole slightly so the  fabric  won’t unravel. Step 3: Get a  needle  and  thread . Wax the thread with a candle so the thread won’t tangle along the way. Thread the  needle  and tie it off. Step 4: Start with passing the needle up once, pass the needle once again, but this time loop the thread around the needle once. Then repeat the process until you finish. Step 5: Pass the needle through the buttonhole to the other side of the fabric. Then secure the end of the thread by passing the needle through stitches and loop the needle twice. Step 6: Finally, snip the thread off. Links to Buy Sewing Tools on Amazon Needle Scissors Awesome Sewing Kit