7 Best Wooden Button Sets For Cardigans To Try
Upgrade your knitwear with our top 7 wooden button picks. Discover durable, stylish options that add a rustic, artisanal touch to any cardigan you own today.
Choosing the right buttons for a cardigan is the final, crucial step that transforms a handmade garment into a professional-looking heirloom. A wooden button adds a tactile, organic warmth that synthetic plastic simply cannot replicate, especially against wool or alpaca fibers. These seven sets represent the gold standard for durability, aesthetics, and ease of use in your knitting projects. Finding the perfect match for your stitch pattern and yarn weight will ensure your hard work stays secure for years to come.
Lykke Driftwood Buttons: Best Overall Choice
Lykke Driftwood buttons are the "workhorse" of the knitting world, mirroring the smooth, grey-toned finish of their famous needle sets. They offer a sophisticated, muted aesthetic that complements almost any color palette, from deep navy wools to soft, heathered greys.
The primary advantage here is the consistent, snag-free finish. Because these buttons are polished to a high sheen, they won’t catch on delicate mohair or loose-plied yarns as you button and unbutton your cardigan.
However, they are slightly more expensive than generic wooden buttons. If you are knitting a budget-friendly acrylic cardigan, you might find the cost hard to justify, but for a hand-dyed merino sweater, they are a perfect match.
Buttonsmith Laser-Etched Birch: Best for Detail
If your cardigan is a plain stockinette piece that needs a "wow" factor, look no further than laser-etched birch. These buttons turn a simple button band into a focal point, often featuring intricate geometric patterns or wildlife motifs.
The birch wood is light but surprisingly dense, meaning it holds laser-etched details without blurring over time. Because the designs are burned into the wood, they won’t peel or fade like printed plastic buttons.
Be mindful that these buttons often have a slightly rougher texture compared to polished hardwoods. If you’re working with a delicate, fuzzy yarn like Angora, test the button against the yarn first to ensure it doesn’t cause pilling.
Katrinkles Hand-Dyed Wood: Best Artisan Pick
Katrinkles buttons are essentially jewelry for your knitwear. They specialize in vibrant, hand-dyed colors that add a pop of personality to neutral cardigans.
These are best suited for "statement" cardigans where the buttons are meant to be seen. The quality is exceptional, and they often come in unique shapes that you won’t find in big-box craft stores.
The trade-off is that hand-dyed items can have slight color variations between batches. If you are buying enough for a long button band, ensure you order them all at once to maintain color consistency.
Clover Natural Wood Buttons: Best for Beginners
Clover is a staple in every knitter’s notions bag for a reason: they are incredibly reliable and widely available. These buttons are simple, round, and feature a classic two-hole design that is easy to sew on.
For a beginner, these are the safest bet because they are lightweight and have a very forgiving finish. They won’t weigh down a button band that might be slightly looser than intended.
While they lack the "boutique" flair of other options, their simplicity ensures they never distract from your stitch work. They are the ultimate "go-to" when you just need a project finished.
Dill Wood Toggle Buttons: Best for Outerwear
Toggle buttons are essential for heavy, chunky-knit cardigans or "sweater coats." Dill wood toggles are robust, thick, and designed to withstand the tension of a heavier garment.
When working with bulky yarn, you need a button that can hold the weight of the fabric without pulling the buttonhole out of shape. These toggles provide a secure closure that is easy to manipulate even with cold fingers.
Always check the length of the toggle against the size of your buttonhole. Since toggles pass through a loop rather than a standard hole, ensure your buttonhole is reinforced with a tight bind-off or crochet edge.
Prym Olive Wood Buttons: Best Classic Design
Prym’s olive wood buttons offer a beautiful, natural grain that darkens gracefully over time. They have an earthy, rustic appeal that pairs perfectly with traditional cabled cardigans or fisherman’s sweaters.
The wood is naturally harder and more resistant to moisture than softer woods like pine. This makes them an excellent choice for a "daily driver" sweater that you plan to wear throughout the autumn and winter months.
They tend to have a slightly thicker profile, which adds a nice sense of structure to a cardigan. Just make sure your buttonholes are large enough to accommodate the thickness, or you’ll be fighting your sweater every time you try to close it.
Hamanaka Beechwood Buttons: Best Minimalist Look
Hamanaka buttons are the definition of "quiet luxury." They are smooth, pale, and typically feature a very clean, rounded edge that looks professional and understated.
If you have spent weeks working on an intricate lace pattern, you don’t want a loud button competing for attention. These buttons provide a professional finish that lets your knitting shine.
They are incredibly versatile and work well with everything from baby cardigans to sophisticated adult garments. Their neutral tone is a blank canvas that complements almost every fiber type.
How to Choose the Right Button Size for Cardigans
The golden rule is to measure your buttonhole before buying your buttons. A button should pass through the hole with a slight bit of resistance, but it shouldn’t require a struggle.
For a standard cardigan, 18mm to 22mm is the "sweet spot." If you are knitting a baby sweater, aim for 12mm to 15mm to keep the proportions balanced.
Remember that buttons add weight. If you use a massive, heavy wooden button on a fine-gauge fingering weight cardigan, the button band will sag and distort over time.
Tips for Securely Attaching Wooden Buttons to Knit
Never sew a button directly onto the knit fabric without a "shank." A shank creates a small space between the button and the fabric, allowing the buttonhole to sit comfortably underneath the button without puckering the knitting.
Use a strong, matching thread or even a thin strand of your project yarn, provided it isn’t too fuzzy. If you use the project yarn, ensure it is a plied wool; single-ply yarns will snap under the friction of the button.
To make it extra secure, sew a small, clear plastic button on the inside of the button band, directly behind the wooden button. This acts as a backing and prevents the wood from pulling through the knit fabric over time.
Caring for Your Wooden Buttons After the Wash
Wood is a natural material and it does not like to be soaked. If you are hand-washing your cardigan, try to keep the buttons out of the water as much as possible.
If the buttons do get wet, lay the garment flat to dry and ensure the buttons are not sitting in a pool of water. Once dry, you can occasionally rub a tiny drop of mineral oil or beeswax on the wood to keep it from drying out and cracking.
Avoid the dryer at all costs. The heat will not only shrink your wool but can cause the wood to warp or lose its finish, potentially staining your beautiful garment in the process.
Selecting the perfect wooden button is an act of love for your finished garment. By considering the weight of your yarn, the intended use of the sweater, and the proper attachment techniques, you ensure your work stays as beautiful as the day you cast off. Take your time with the final details, as they are the hallmark of a true master knitter. Happy knitting, and may your buttons always stay securely in place.
