How-to

Loose Coat Button? Six Steps for a Thread Shank and Backing Button

A button on a thick winter coat may need more clearance than a shirt button. Learn to inspect the button, make a thread shank under a flat button, and consider an inside backing button before you replace the coat.

5 min read2026-11-01

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OriginalUniversity teaching guide on button sewing and backing buttonsMukogawa Women's University

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01

What you need

02

How to

1. Take off the coat and inspect the button. Check whether it has two or four holes on top or a molded loop underneath. A torn coat front or enlarged hole needs assessment by a tailor before stitching.
2. Close the buttonhole over the old stitch marks to locate the original position. Avoid blindly stitching the lining into the coat front, which may distort the garment.
3. Prepare a suitable needle and sturdy matching thread, then make securing stitches. On heavy coats, an inside backing or stay button can distribute force; Mukogawa Women's University's home-economics instructions specifically mention this for large coat or jacket buttons.
4. For a flat button, stitch through the holes and cloth several times while leaving clearance to accommodate the thick buttonhole layers. A spare needle or slender spacer can help keep the gap consistent.
5. Bring the working thread beneath a flat button, wrap it around the loops between button and fabric to form a thread shank, and secure the knot. A button with a built-in back loop uses a different attachment. Compare the Permanent Style tailor demonstration and SewGuide instructions.
6. Button the coat and check that the front does not pull excessively and that the button is secure. If the cloth is weakened or the backing cannot be reached safely, use a repair shop. Your repaired coat can go back into an easy sweater-and-trouser outfit.

One more tip

Keep enough clearance for thick coat fabric when sewing a flat button. Buttons with a built-in rear loop are attached differently. Seek professional help for damaged fabric or a complex lining.

Sources and media

OriginalSewGuide on thread shanks, spacers and backing buttonsSewGuide

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