How to add snap fasteners to your sewing projects

If you’re making clothes, or another project, and you find you need to use snap fasteners, but you’re not sure how to use them, then this is the place for you! I will show you how to use these and make your projects look great. Snap fasteners can be difficult to use, but they look very nice and are necessary for some clothing items, like baby clothes.

Materials

• Snap fastener kit (as pictured below)
• Matching thread
• Sewing project in need of snaps
• Hammer

Tutorial

Bottom Fabric

Before you start your project, you need to make sure the area you want to place your snaps is properly reinforced so the fabric doesn’t rip as you are using the snaps. I recommend fabric that is at least two layers, or you can add bias tape (what I did) or a layer of interfacing. You don’t want the fabric too thick or the snaps won’t go through the material.

Start by deciding where you want your snaps to be. Once you have decided where they should sit, mark the places you want them. Make sure they aren’t too close to the edge of your fabric.

First start with the inside fabric. Take your two snap parts and make sure they are oriented correctly. Place them in your blue tool and hit the tool with a hammer until the snap is secured to your fabric.

Top Fabric

Now you need to do the outside piece of fabric, which is a bit harder to do. If you don’t want the snap to be visible on the clothing, you will need to have a an extra piece of fabric or bias tape that you can secure the snap to.

Make sure to carefully line up the top layer of fabric to your lower layer of fabric. I found it best to measure, then to check that against the other side of the snaps to make sure it looks right.

Again, take the two pieces you need and using your blue tool and hammer, secure the snaps. Sew your bias tape or other reinforcing fabric to the main piece of fabric so you can use your snaps. Because my piece of bias tape is small, I had to hand sew this line. If you are able to completely avoid the snap, you may be able to use your machine instead.

Now on to the rest of your project!

See my previous post for help finishing a neckline