How to Repair a Frayed Buttonhole and Save the Edge
By TaVare · updated 2026-07-29
Repairing a frayed buttonhole is about saving the slit itself – not the button. A buttonhole is a cut opening in the fabric held together only by the stitches around its edge, so when those stitches wear away, the raw fabric edge unravels and the hole gapes open. Here is how to spot the damage, re-stitch the buttonhole and reinforce it where the strain is greatest.
Why buttonholes fray – and why it is a little urgent
A buttonhole is one of the most stressed parts of a garment: the button is pushed through it every time you get dressed, and the opening is a cut edge in the fabric. The only thing protecting that raw edge from unravelling is the dense row of stitches (the buttonhole stitches) worked around it. When those stitches thin out or break, the raw fabric edge is left exposed – and it frays onward fast, lengthening the slit. That is why it pays to catch a frayed buttonhole early: the sooner you secure the edge, the less of the fabric unravels.
Is it just the thread, or has the fabric itself torn?
The diagnosis decides how simple the job is. If only the buttonhole stitches are worn while the fabric edge is still intact, you can stitch over it again for a clean result. But if the fabric itself has torn at the end of the buttonhole – so the slit is now longer than the original stitched opening – it is a bigger job: the edge has to be stabilised, and the buttonhole often re-worked or relocated so the button sits correctly. Feel whether the end of the hole 'continues' into the fabric with no stitches around it; that is the sign the fibres have torn, not just the thread.
How to repair a frayed buttonhole
With a needle, strong thread and a little patience you can stitch a worn buttonhole tightly closed again. Work in good light, and hold the fabric taut in an embroidery hoop if you can, so the edges lie flat.
- Carefully trim away loose, frayed threads with small scissors – do not pull them, or you may widen the slit.
- Secure any loose thread ends on the back with a couple of firm stitches so they cannot unravel further.
- If the fabric edge has started to fray, apply a tiny drop of fabric glue or fray-stopper to the fibres and let it dry fully. Always test on a hidden spot first.
- Thread a needle with strong thread in a matching colour – ideally buttonhole or topstitch thread, or ordinary sewing thread doubled – and anchor it on the back.
- Work buttonhole stitches tightly along the worn edge: bring the needle up through the fabric right beside the slit, pass the thread behind the needle tip so a small knot (purl) forms on the edge itself, and pull snug.
- Keep the stitches short and as dense as the originals, laid right next to each other all the way around the opening.
- Reinforce each end of the buttonhole with a small bar tack worked across it – this is where the button pulls the hardest.
- Fasten the thread on the back with a couple of knots and trim.
The buttonhole stitch that protects the edge
The buttonhole stitch (also called the blanket stitch's tighter cousin) is not the same as a plain whip stitch. The difference is the small knot laid on the cut edge itself: it encases the raw fibres and stops them unravelling, while giving a firm, smooth edge for the button to slide against. That is exactly why a true buttonhole stitch lasts far longer than simply sewing over the hole with random stitches. At the end that faces the outer edge of the garment, where the button's pull is strongest, you finish with a bar tack – a small bundle of thread stitched across – which spreads the load and stops the slit splitting further.
Stop the buttonhole failing again
A little upkeep makes buttonholes last much longer:
- Snip loose threads straight away – a single loose thread can unravel a whole buttonhole if it snags.
- Check the button is not sewn too tight against the fabric; a thread shank under the button gives room and takes strain off the buttonhole.
- If the button is too big for the hole, it wears the edge every time – switch to the right button size rather than forcing it.
- Stitch over a buttonhole at the first sign of thinning stitches, before the raw fabric edge is exposed.
Send it to us
If the fabric around the buttonhole has torn, the buttonhole is on a tailored jacket or coat with a keyhole shape, or the garment is leather or knitwear – or you simply want a clean, durable result? Then you can send the garment to us. We repair and reinforce buttonholes as part of our seam-and-button work, according to the garment and its fabric, and can sew on loose or missing buttons in the same round. You order online anywhere in Norway, and you see the price before you order.
You see the price before you order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between repairing a buttonhole and sewing on a button?+
The button sits on one side; the buttonhole is the reinforced slit on the other. If the buttonhole frays, the button won't hold no matter how well it is sewn. It is the stitches around the slit that you repair.
Can I use fabric glue to stop the fraying?+
Yes, a small drop of fray-stopper or fabric glue stabilises a fraying edge temporarily, but it does not replace stitching. Test on a hidden spot, and stitch over the edge once the glue is dry.
What thread should I use for a buttonhole?+
Use a strong thread in a matching colour – ideally dedicated buttonhole or topstitch thread. Ordinary sewing thread works, but double it, since the buttonhole takes a lot of wear each time the button passes through.
When should a buttonhole be left to professionals?+
When the fabric itself has torn, on tailored jackets and coats with keyhole buttonholes, or on leather and knitwear. A tailor can then re-work or relocate the buttonhole so the garment still looks right.
Rather have us handle it?
You see the price before you order.