I was following along quite nicely until step 9, where you bank-shot the needle off Mars and simultaneously looped it under the button.
I think the toothpick or whatever is to put space while keeping the thread tight? So that when you lift the button everything is still tight and all you have to do is wrap under. The drawing is… not clear.
Oh man I thought that was the needle, not a toothpick. Suddenly this makes sense.
The toothpick is to provide spacing for the button, then you pull it out as you wrap the thread around underneath it.
Hah, this reminds me of when I had to write repair manuals in college. I’d get so fixated on a particular tool, like a toothpick. I’d start by saying, “I’m definitely going to need this toothpick.”
by the end I probably didn’t even need it, but I included it anyway.
“You can’t just sew a button onto the surface of mars” - Samuel Hayden
Ok. But now draw the owl.
Step 17 looks like a microcosm of me cable managing a PC
“What am I gonna do with all these extra cable bits? Oh right, same thing I do every time, jumble it up and stuff it in the bottom!”
Also, this feels like, unnecessarily complicated. Million dollar idea: thread staples. Shoot a couple pointy bits through the diagonal holes, it attaches itself on the back somehow (that’s for engineers to work out, I’m just the idea man), repeat on the other diagonal, bam, button attached.
It has the number of steps it does so that the pressure from the button holding your pants closed is evenly distributed over the fabric (and thread), so that nothing tears or rips. When sewing through cloth more points of attachment is generally better. You might be able to staple a button on without damaging the fabric over time, but it’s probably a lot less comfortable to wear than one sewn on.
Just attached a button to my pants yesterday, after the factory sewn button gave up.
https://www.amazon.com/Buttoneer-Button-Fastening-System-Necessary/dp/B09MR8GZR9
I’m including an Amazon link because I can’t imagine anyone actually following my comment and buying this piece of shit, but if it helps: don’t give Bezos money.
I just bought 2 dozen for my sweatshop 👍👍👍
Now I just some lawyers to file some post-facto patents Nintendo style and collect my money
