Buttonhole twist

Can someone explain what button hole twist is? I want to learn how to
hand
work button holes and gather this is the stuff but would like a little
background on it.

I see it for sale everywhere in a zillion colors but little is said
about
the weight of the thread. Is all twist equal or some standard weight?

Thanks,

js

--
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Hi Jack,

Buttonhole twist is a (usually) silk thread about the size of carpet
thread. It is used as a single thread, and makes beautiful
buttonholes.

I'm 67, and thought I knew everything about sewing. But I recently
discovered that I do my buttonhole stitch upside-down. I'm
left-handed, and I always work my buttonholes with the finished edge
up. It seems to be easier for me than having the finished edge facing
towards me--that is very awkward for me. In any event, a book on hand
stitches is bound to have the procedure shown. If it doesn't work for
you, turn it around and work it as I do.

Teri

wrote:
Hi Jack,

Buttonhole twist is a (usually) silk thread about the size of carpet
thread. It is used as a single thread, and makes beautiful
buttonholes.

I'm 67, and thought I knew everything about sewing. But I recently
discovered that I do my buttonhole stitch upside-down. I'm
left-handed, and I always work my buttonholes with the finished edge
up. It seems to be easier for me than having the finished edge facing
towards me--that is very awkward for me. In any event, a book on hand
stitches is bound to have the procedure shown. If it doesn't work for
you, turn it around and work it as I do.

Teri


It's the result that matters, not the method. ;-)
--

Joanne @ stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us
http://bernardschopen.tripod.com/
Life is about the journey, not about the destination.

I can at least tell you that the master tailors I work with prefer to
use size 30 twist. I like using silk but they seem content with
Guterman's 100% polyester.

Alaina


wrote:
Can someone explain what button hole twist is? I want to learn how
to
hand
work button holes and gather this is the stuff but would like a
little
background on it.

I see it for sale everywhere in a zillion colors but little is said
about
the weight of the thread. Is all twist equal or some standard
weight?

Thanks,

js

--
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: http://schmidling.com/pow.htm
Astronomy, Beer, Cheese, Fiber,Gems, Sausage,Silver
http://schmidling.com

On 30 Apr 2005 14:37:10 -0700, wrote:

. . . I always work my buttonholes with the finished edge
up. It seems to be easier for me than having the finished edge facing
towards me--that is very awkward for me.

I'd think stitching toward oneself would be awkward for
anybody. I work buttonhole stitch with the finished edge on
the left -- being right handed, it's natural for me to point
the needle to the left.

It's been a long time since I worked a buttonhole -- I've
come to prefer hooks and eyes or snaps. And when I did
hand-work buttonholes, it was always to salvage a
machine-worked buttonhole that had unraveled or worn out.
(It isn't unusual for a RTW buttonhole to come with a loose
end that unzips easier than the pull-string on a paper bag
of cat litter. Another reason I no longer wear RTW
clothing.)

I've worked buttonholes with #40 and even #50 thread, when
that was what I had. Heavier thread works up quicker, of
course. Size D silk or #8 cotton is about as heavy as you
can push through apparel fabric, so size D silk came to be
called "buttonhole twist". The name may have spread to
synthetics made for similar purposes; I haven't inspected
the display at Lowery's closely, since most of their threads
are for machine embroidery. Last time I bought thread, I
just showed the clerk my swatch and she found a Mettler 50/3
cotton to match it. Which I use only for top-stitching, of
course; I use 100/6 cotton for seams, but that comes only in
white and ecru, so I have to settle for 50/3 when it's going
to show.

"Twist" specified plied silk, as opposed to floss, in which
the silk filaments are not twisted together. "Machine
twist" came on spools for use with sewing machines.

"Spun silk" is made from short pieces that are spun like
cotton, and should be used only for ornamental stitching; it
doesn't stand up under hard wear. Unfortunately, Guetermann
is spun silk. I suppose it would hold up in buttonholes,
which are a series of knots that would secure all those
short bits, but I haven't tried it.

Joy Beeson
--
http://home.earthlink.net/~joybeeson/ -- needlework
http://home.earthlink.net/~dbeeson59...HSEW/ROUGH.HTM
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joy beeson at earthlink dot net