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Emily Wessel

Hi! I’m Emily Wessel, I design fun-to-knit patterns and helpful technique tutorials. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland with my husband and two kids, where I like to run, knit, learn languages, and hang out with friends. I am co-founder and designer at Tin Can Knits - www.tincanknits.com

9 Comments

  1. Liz
    September 3, 2022 @ 6:48 am

    Also it can be useful to put something like a matchstick between the button and the garment to add a little bit more space. Once the button is sewn this gives you the opportunity to wrap the threads to form a shank. If the garment is thick, adding this helps to give you the extra length of button shank. Yes, it’s a bit fiddly, but if it makes for a better fit……. Another version is to put the matchstick on the inner part of the button band and you sew over it. Once you’re ready to do the wrapping for the shank, remove the matchstick, pull the button gently away from the band, bring thread to the base of the shank and proceed as before.

    Liz J

  2. Julie M
    September 2, 2022 @ 5:41 pm

    Your tutorials are always so clear and understandable. Thank you and Alexa for continuing to host them and all of your great patterns and inspiring photos!

  3. knitting321
    September 1, 2022 @ 10:57 am

    Mainly I can hardly believe where you have lived. I live in San Diego and I have dreamed of living in both of these places. You lucky dog!

  4. Susan Lewis
    September 1, 2022 @ 10:55 am

    Where to find the pattern “storyline cardigan” please?

  5. Jeni
    September 1, 2022 @ 8:23 am

    Thanks for your wonderful hints on sewing buttons but too bad you didn’t discuss the dinner types of buttons not only the one you demonstrated some buttons are not flat and are a job to sew on

  6. Jeni
    September 1, 2022 @ 8:16 am

    I live on a small island off. Manhattan I love 💕 your articles made the antler hat big hit with everyone I made it for thanks Jeni

  7. SC
    September 1, 2022 @ 6:12 am

    I struggle with sewing buttons securely on knits. I’m great with sewed garments and thread, but with yarn on knits, the buttons always come off. I’ve switched to using embroidery thread. Still looks “knit” handmade but seem to be far more secure. Especially for children!

    • Linne
      September 15, 2022 @ 4:59 pm

      Dental floss is excellent for stitching on buttons (also for re-inforcing buttons on new coats and the like).