How To Sew Snaps: Step-By-Step Guide
- Mikayla Keir
- Mar 28
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 31
One of the major advantages of sew-on snaps over other garment closures is that they're easy to apply. With just a needle, thread, and a little bit of technique, it's easy to install this lightweight closure for garments, bags, and more—no snap tool required! To help with the technique part, we've put together a step-by-step guide to installing sew-on snaps, available for free print or download below. And as for the needle and thread? We've got plenty of those (plus sew-on snaps and other garment closures) over at WAWAK any time you need to restock.
HOW TO SEW SNAPS
Snaps come in various styles, but for this post, we'll focus on sew-on snaps. Sew-on snaps are used for overlapping closures and are ideal for lightweight sewing projects like skirts, dresses, blouses, children’s clothing, and lightweight bags. You'll recognize them by the holes around the outer edges of the snap, which is where you'll be making your stitches. Generally, the most common method for applying sew-on snaps is to hand sew them on with a whipstitch, which is the technique we'll outline in this post.
All you'll need for this project is your sew-on snaps, a hand-sewing needle, thread, scissors, something to mark fabric with, and of course, your project. Let's get started!
Mark The Fabric & Start Your Stitch
Separate the two halves of the snap button. First, take the ball side of the button. The ball piece is the half of the snap with a stud that inserts into the socket; it will normally have a flat edge. This piece will go on the inside (the “wrong” side) of the top piece of fabric. Mark the position of where you would like to place the snap button. Start your sewing with a knot that will lie under the snap. If you have a double layer of fabric, go through just the top layer for an invisible finish.
Sew Through The First Hole
Thread your needle through one of the holes at the edge of the snap button. Use a whipstitch to loop 2-3 stitches through the hole to keep it in place. While doing this, make sure you do not go through the top layer of the garment so you do not have stitches showing on the right side.
Stitch The Other Holes
In general, there will be four holes around the edge of the snap button. Work your way through each hole with
2-3 stitches to secure it in place. Knot off with a stitch concealed under the snap button.
Sew The Snap Socket
To ensure the ball of the snap button connects with the socket, rub chalk on the tip of the ball and press it over the place where it should meet the socket. The socket is installed on the top side (the "right" side) of the bottom piece of fabric, with the concave center of the button pointing down. Repeat the steps above for the socket side. If your snap button has a hole through the center of the ball or the socket, you can use a thin pin to hold the snap side in place.
And you're all set! Now you know how to sew on a snap like a pro. View the full instructions with helpful illustrations below, and download or print the guide for your reference. Happy sewing!
Save this handy guide for visual instructions on how to sew snaps.
