In this episode of her CBC Life series Sewing School, Sara demonstrates how to attach buttons and create buttonholes on a garment using a straightforward sewing machine method.

Use this machine for a variety of sewing projects, as the presser foot adjusts to accommodate thick or thin fabrics. When you’re ready to add buttons to a project, the one-step buttonhole maker ...

First, he shows the intrinsic problem: sewing by hand requires you to reverse the direction of the needle, and it isn’t clear how to make a simple machine to do that.

Blanchard, Helen A. Description Sewing Machine Patent model, Improvement in Sewing Machines, 1873. Helen A. Blanchard, of Boston, Massachusetts. Patent No. 141987 Issued August 19, 1873. This patent ...