Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
From small and simple to polished and sturdy, here are four of our favorite methods for making vertical and horizontal buttonholes in your knits. Learn to work yarn over, one-row, two-row, and vertical short-row buttonholes with our video tutorial.
Steps:
0:37 YARN OVER BUTTONHOLE
Work to buttonhole location, YO, k2tog (or p2tog, to keep in pattern), work as established to end.
1:48 TWO-ROW BUTTONHOLE
Step 1: With RS facing, work to buttonhole location. Bind off desired number of stitches for buttonhole, then work as established to end.
Step 2: On the next row, work to bound-off stitches, turn work, cast on the number of stitches that were bound off plus 1 additional stitch using Cabled Cast On method, turn work, slip 1 stitch from L needle to R needle and pass the extra cast-on stitch over. Slip that stitch back to the L needle and work as established to end.
4:27 ONE-ROW BUTTONHOLE
Step 1: With RS facing, work to buttonhole location. Bring yarn to the front of the work, slip the next stitch purlwise and bring the yarn to the back. *Slip another stitch and pass the previous slipped stitch over (1 stitch bound off); repeat from * until you have bound off the desired number of stitches (do not use working yarn to bind off).
Step 2: Slip the last stitch on the R needle back to the L needle and turn the work around (WS will be facing you). Insert the R needle between the first and second stitches on the L needle. Wrap yarn around as if to knit and draw up a new loop, place this loop onto the L needle (1 stitch cast on). Continue to cast on stitches in this manner until you have cast on the number of stitches that were bound off plus 1 additional stitch.
Step 3: Turn the work again (RS now facing). Slip the first stitch from the L needle to the R needle and pass the extra cast-on stitch over. Slip the last stitch on the R needle back to the L needle and continue as established.
7:16 VERTICAL SHORT-ROW BUTTONHOLE
Before beginning, place a marker on your needle where the buttonhole will be located.
Row 1 (RS): Work as established to buttonhole marker, turn;
Row 2 (WS): Slip 1 purlwise WYIF, work as established to end.
Rows 3 & 4: Repeat Rows 1 & 2 one more time.
Row 5 (RS): Work as established to buttonhole marker, slip marker, YO, work as established to end.
Row 6 (WS): Work as established to one stitch before buttonhole marker (YO from previous row), turn;
Row 7 (RS): Slip 1 purlwise WYIB, work as established to end.
Rows 8 & 9: Repeat Rows 6 & 7 one more time.
Row 10 (WS): Work as established to 2 stitches before buttonhole marker, p2tog (the slipped stitch with the YO), slip marker, work as established to end.
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If you found this tutorial helpful, we’d love your support!
At Brooklyn Tweed we are passionate about wool, knitting and design. We craft our patterns with a commitment to timeless quality, publishing size-inclusive, stylish designs for all shapes, identities, and skill levels.
Contemporary design, superior craftsmanship, and clear instructions give knitters the opportunity to elevate their skills and explore the intersection of crafting traditions with current style and new techniques.
Our extensive library of educational resources and skill-building tutorials give crafters the tools to succeed and the confidence to make their projects their own.
Learn more at: @BrooklynTweed_Official
Visit us at: brooklyntweed.com
From small and simple to polished and sturdy, here are four of our favorite methods for making vertical and horizontal buttonholes in your knits. Learn to work yarn over, one-row, two-row, and vertical short-row buttonholes with our video tutorial.
Steps:
0:37 YARN OVER BUTTONHOLE
Work to buttonhole location, YO, k2tog (or p2tog, to keep in pattern), work as established to end.
1:48 TWO-ROW BUTTONHOLE
Step 1: With RS facing, work to buttonhole location. Bind off desired number of stitches for buttonhole, then work as established to end.
Step 2: On the next row, work to bound-off stitches, turn work, cast on the number of stitches that were bound off plus 1 additional stitch using Cabled Cast On method, turn work, slip 1 stitch from L needle to R needle and pass the extra cast-on stitch over. Slip that stitch back to the L needle and work as established to end.
4:27 ONE-ROW BUTTONHOLE
Step 1: With RS facing, work to buttonhole location. Bring yarn to the front of the work, slip the next stitch purlwise and bring the yarn to the back. *Slip another stitch and pass the previous slipped stitch over (1 stitch bound off); repeat from * until you have bound off the desired number of stitches (do not use working yarn to bind off).
Step 2: Slip the last stitch on the R needle back to the L needle and turn the work around (WS will be facing you). Insert the R needle between the first and second stitches on the L needle. Wrap yarn around as if to knit and draw up a new loop, place this loop onto the L needle (1 stitch cast on). Continue to cast on stitches in this manner until you have cast on the number of stitches that were bound off plus 1 additional stitch.
Step 3: Turn the work again (RS now facing). Slip the first stitch from the L needle to the R needle and pass the extra cast-on stitch over. Slip the last stitch on the R needle back to the L needle and continue as established.
7:16 VERTICAL SHORT-ROW BUTTONHOLE
Before beginning, place a marker on your needle where the buttonhole will be located.
Row 1 (RS): Work as established to buttonhole marker, turn;
Row 2 (WS): Slip 1 purlwise WYIF, work as established to end.
Rows 3 & 4: Repeat Rows 1 & 2 one more time.
Row 5 (RS): Work as established to buttonhole marker, slip marker, YO, work as established to end.
Row 6 (WS): Work as established to one stitch before buttonhole marker (YO from previous row), turn;
Row 7 (RS): Slip 1 purlwise WYIB, work as established to end.
Rows 8 & 9: Repeat Rows 6 & 7 one more time.
Row 10 (WS): Work as established to 2 stitches before buttonhole marker, p2tog (the slipped stitch with the YO), slip marker, work as established to end.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you found this tutorial helpful, we’d love your support!
At Brooklyn Tweed we are passionate about wool, knitting and design. We craft our patterns with a commitment to timeless quality, publishing size-inclusive, stylish designs for all shapes, identities, and skill levels.
Contemporary design, superior craftsmanship, and clear instructions give knitters the opportunity to elevate their skills and explore the intersection of crafting traditions with current style and new techniques.
Our extensive library of educational resources and skill-building tutorials give crafters the tools to succeed and the confidence to make their projects their own.
Learn more at: @BrooklynTweed_Official
Visit us at: brooklyntweed.com
