This cardigan gets nine buttons. A tenth is sewn inside for insurance against future loss. I want them done right so they don’t pull on the button band. I’m ready with buttons for the public side, clear buttons for the inside, sewing needles that fit through the button holes, a nice sharp scissors that will do double duty later, and yarn to sew with (I’ve split my four-ply in half).

I like to use safety pins to work out the button placement first. See where the pin goes in and out of the fabric? That’s where I aim my sewing needle.

If I were to snug these layers as I sewed, there would not be enough room for the bottoned-on layer to exist without getting squished, so I use a little lazy trick.

My scissor handles get closed around the button to preserve some space to make a shank.

Now I sew on the button through all the layers.

Remove the scissors. Wind yarn around to make a shank. Darn in ends. Repeat.

Ready for the next one.

(This design uses vertically stranded color work for contrasting lines of bobbles in a lace cardigan. I am still writing the pattern and working out the sizes. It will be called “Skagit Valley” cardigan when it is ready for public consumption. I love the way the yoke and neck worked out, but I am not letting you see that yet.)