7 Best Button Sets For Cardigan Closures To Try
Upgrade your knitwear with these seven stylish button sets. From classic wood to chic metal, discover the best options to elevate your cardigan’s closure.
Finding the perfect button is the final, transformative step that turns a pile of knitted fabric into a functional heirloom garment. A well-chosen closure doesn’t just hold your cardigan shut; it dictates the drape, aesthetic, and longevity of your hard work. After two decades at the knitting table, I have learned that the hardware you choose is just as vital as the yarn you select. Here are seven button sets that will elevate your next project from "homemade" to professional-grade knitwear.
Dill Natural Wood Buttons: Best for Wool Sweaters
Natural wood buttons bring an earthy, grounded aesthetic to wool sweaters, especially those worked in rustic, high-twist yarns. Their matte finish provides a subtle contrast to the sheen of animal fibers, creating a balanced look that feels organic and intentional.
Because wood is porous, these buttons age beautifully alongside your wool, developing a soft patina over years of wear. They are lightweight, which is a critical consideration if you are working with a delicate lace weight or a sweater that is already prone to sagging.
However, be mindful that wood can be sensitive to moisture. If you wash your wool sweaters in a machine—even on a gentle cycle—these buttons may eventually swell or splinter. Always hand-wash garments finished with natural wood to ensure they survive as long as the knitting itself.
La Mode Vintage Style Resin: Best for Cardigans
Resin buttons are the workhorses of the knitting world, offering an incredible variety of shapes and colors that mimic high-end materials without the maintenance. They are exceptionally durable, making them the ideal choice for everyday cardigans that will see heavy rotation in your wardrobe.
Many vintage-style resin sets feature intricate, embossed detailing that adds a layer of sophistication to simple stockinette fabric. Unlike natural materials, resin is completely colorfast and will not bleed onto your light-colored wool during a soak.
The trade-off here is weight; resin is significantly heavier than wood or coconut. If you are attaching these to a thin, lightweight fingering-weight cardigan, ensure you use a small reinforcement square of fabric on the inside to prevent the weight of the button from pulling or distorting the stitches.
Benno’s Genuine Horn Buttons: Best for Luxury Knits
When you have invested hours into a project using cashmere, silk, or a high-end merino blend, plastic buttons simply won’t do. Genuine horn buttons offer a rich, variegated appearance that reflects the luxury of the fiber, adding a professional finish that synthetic alternatives cannot replicate.
Horn is incredibly strong and heat-resistant, meaning you can safely steam block your garment without worrying about the buttons warping or melting. The natural variations in the material mean that no two buttons are exactly alike, which adds a bespoke, artisanal quality to your finished piece.
Be aware that because these are natural materials, the edges can sometimes be slightly rough. Before sewing them onto your delicate luxury knits, run a soft cloth over the edges to ensure there are no burrs that might snag your precious yarn fibers.
JHB International Metal Shanks: Best for Elegance
Metal shank buttons are the secret weapon for knitters who want to add a touch of structural elegance to their cardigans. The shank—the small loop on the back—lifts the button away from the fabric, allowing the cardigan band to sit flat without bunching up under the button’s weight.
These are particularly effective for formal or office-wear cardigans where you want a clean, crisp closure. Because they are made of metal, they provide a satisfying, substantial feel that signals quality the moment you button up.
The main challenge with metal is the potential for oxidation or weight issues. Avoid using heavy metal buttons on super-soft, drapey fibers like alpaca, as the weight will inevitably cause the buttonhole to sag and lose its shape over time.
Prym Mother of Pearl Buttons: Best for Delicate Knits
Mother of pearl buttons are the gold standard for lightweight, airy projects like summer cardigans or delicate baby knits. Their iridescent shimmer catches the light beautifully, providing a subtle, ethereal finish that complements fine-gauge work perfectly.
Because they are thin and lightweight, they won’t add unnecessary bulk to your garment’s button band. This is vital when you are working with lace or fine cotton, where every extra gram of weight can change the way the fabric hangs.
The downside is that they are brittle; they can crack if they are crushed or snagged during a rough wash. Always store your delicate garments flat and consider removing these buttons if you plan to dry-clean the item, as the chemicals can dull their natural luster.
ButtonMode Leather Toggles: Best for Chunky Knits
If you are working with bulky, super-bulky, or roving-style yarns, standard buttons will often disappear into the texture of your knitting. Leather toggles provide the necessary visual impact to stand up to heavy-weight yarn while offering a secure, easy-to-use closure.
Toggles are particularly useful for winter cardigans because they are easy to manipulate even if you are wearing gloves. The leather adds a rugged, classic look that pairs exceptionally well with cabled sweaters or thick, oversized cardigans.
Keep in mind that leather can be tricky to launder. If the leather is not treated, it may bleed or stiffen when wet, so I highly recommend using buttons with removable leather components or ensuring the leather is specifically labeled as washable.
Blumenthal Lansing Coconut: Best for Eco-Projects
Coconut buttons are a fantastic, sustainable choice for knitters who prioritize natural materials and eco-conscious sourcing. Their deep, dark brown color and unique texture provide a wonderful contrast to light-colored yarns, making them a staple for rustic, casual sweaters.
They are naturally durable and hold up well to frequent washing, making them a practical choice for children’s clothes or everyday cardigans. They have a slightly grippy texture, which is helpful if you find that your cardigans tend to pop open on their own.
Because they are a natural product, the size and color can vary slightly, which is part of their charm. If you are a perfectionist, you may need to buy a few extra buttons to ensure you can select a set that is perfectly uniform in size and tone.
How to Choose the Right Button Size for Your Gauge
The size of your button should be determined by the size of your buttonhole, not just the aesthetic of the garment. A button that is too large will stretch your buttonholes until they become permanent, unsightly gaps; a button that is too small will simply slip right out.
As a rule of thumb, the diameter of your button should be slightly larger than the length of your buttonhole. If you are knitting a cardigan, you should ideally plan your buttonhole size to be about 1/8th of an inch smaller than the button diameter to account for the "give" in the yarn.
If you have already finished your knitting and realize your buttonholes are too large, don’t despair. You can use a bit of matching yarn to add a "stay stitch" at the edge of the buttonhole to slightly reduce the opening without having to rip back your work.
Proper Techniques for Securing Buttons to Knitwear
Never sew a button directly against the surface of a knitted garment. You must create a "thread shank" by leaving a small gap of thread between the button and the fabric; this allows the buttonhole band to slide underneath the button without pulling the fabric out of shape.
To do this, place a toothpick or a large needle between the button and the fabric while you are sewing. Once you have wrapped the thread around the stitches to secure them, pull the toothpick out to reveal a sturdy, functional shank.
Always use a strong, non-stretchy thread for this process, such as a waxed quilting thread or a button-hole twist. If you use the same yarn you knitted with, it will likely be too bulky and prone to snapping under the tension of daily wear.
Preventing Buttonhole Stretching in Cardigan Bands
Buttonholes are the weakest point of any cardigan, and they are prone to stretching out over time due to the constant tension of the button. To prevent this, consider reinforcing your button band with a strip of grosgrain ribbon sewn to the inside of the band.
Alternatively, you can work a small amount of "invisible" nylon thread into the edges of your buttonholes while you are binding them off. This adds a structural backbone to the fabric that prevents the yarn from sagging under the weight of the buttons.
If you notice your buttonholes have already started to stretch, you can use a needle and matching yarn to perform a "blanket stitch" around the perimeter of the hole. This tightens the opening and adds a clean, finished look to the edge of the fabric.
Selecting the right buttons is the final act of craftsmanship that defines how your garment performs in the real world. Whether you choose the rustic charm of coconut or the refined elegance of mother of pearl, always prioritize the relationship between the weight of your button and the structure of your knit. With these seven options in your toolkit, you are well-equipped to finish your cardigans with the precision and care they deserve. Happy knitting, and may your buttons always stay securely in place.
