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Eyelet holes are not cut out of the fabric, rather, they are made by pushing the threads aside with a pointed object. The sharper the point, the easier it is to poke this hole. For years, I used an awl that I ground to make extra sharp, though an awl right from the store would suffice. I’ve been known to use a pen or mechanical pencil in a pinch. A sharpened chopstick is another option. I now recommend using wood of some sort, not metal, because metal can leave microscopic shards that have been known to rust.

Figure 1: Using a wooden awl* to poke the eyelet hole

Make the hole a little larger than the final desired size of the eyelet. A few threads may break, but it isn’t a big deal. The stitches will take up some room, and the threads usually close in a bit on themselves.

Figure 2: The eyelet, before sewing.

For thread, I generally use narrow silk floss on eyelets. If I were to use buttonhole twist thread, I would use two strands for better coverage. For DMC floss I use two or three threads.

Once the hole is made, you have the option of sewing a whip stitch around the edge to keep the eyelet open. I don’t generally do this, but some people say that it makes a difference, and I believe that it’s a matter of personal preference.

Thread your needle, and tie a knot in the opposite end. If you use a long enough thread, you can do several eyelets with one thread, running the thread between the facing and the dress fabric between each eyelet. The continuous thread is sturdier and faster than tying a knot, which may come unraveled at the beginning and end of each eyelet.

Start each eyelet someplace other than near the edge of the fabric. The most stress on the eyelets will be near the edge, as that’s the way the lace will be pulling. I like to start directly opposite of the edge.

Poke the needle up, from the wrong side, a slight distance away from the hole. I always work from the right side of the fabric, so I can see where the thread is going to come through. The needle is going down through the hole, and is coming up through the fabric.

Figure 3: Right side of the fabric.

The needle is going down through the hole, and coming up through the fabric. The shadows make it look like the needle is going down through the fabric as well.

The knot will be on the wrong side of the fabric.

Figure 4: Wrong side of the fabric.

The first stitch is a little trickier, since there’s no previous stitch to “lock” it in place. Put the needle back down the hole, and come up as close to the edge of the hole as you can.

Figure 5: Right side of the fabric. Again, the needle is actually going down through the hole and up through the fabric.

When doing this stitch, make sure that the loop of the thread is towards you. This will lock the first stitch in place when you do the next.

Figure 6: Right side of the fabric, after pulling the needle through.

For the next stitch, make sure that the thread is looped as it’s shown. When you pull it tight, the loop will lock this stitch in place. Each stitch for the rest of the eyelet will look like this.

Figure 7: The second stitch. The needle comes out over the loop of thread.

When you pull the stitch tight, you’ll have a knot at the edge of the hole. Each stitch has one leg, radiating out from the hole, and one knot, defining the edge of the eyelet.

Figure 8: After the first two stitches.

Continue with a buttonhole stitch all the way around the eyelet. As you go, you might need to poke the hole again with your awl to keep it open.

Figure 9: About a third of the way around. I’ve just poked the awl through again to redefine the hole.

To finish off the eyelet, make one last stitch in the remaining space.

Figure 10: The last regular stitch.

Finishing is important. I like to ensure that the thread overlaps in some way where the beginning and end of the eyelet meet. You can do another regular stitch over the first one, or I usually just poke the needle through to the back in the knot of the first stitch.

Figure 11: The last stitch just goes to the back.

Figure 12: The finished eyelet, from the front. It’s not the greatest, but that’s why you practice on scraps of your dress fabric.

The thread will come in near the edge of the back side.

Figure 13: Wrong side of the fabric.

Instead of tying the knot right at the edge, where it might undergo friction and stress, run the thread through the fabric, or between the facing and dress fabric, a little away from the eyelet, and tie the knot off there.

Figure 14: Wrong side of the fabric.The finished eyelet.

Eyelets go quickly, once you have practice. Always try a few eyelets on the fabric that you’ll be working with, if that’s wool and linen, or silk and wool. You can then decide to make your legs longer or shorter depending on how it looks. For this wool, the first eyelet had short legs. I made a second eyelet with longer legs on each stitch, which ended up looking a little better. For additional practice, and to get into the flow, start the eyelets on your dress near the bottom.

Figure 15: For this fabric, I like an eyelet with slightly longer legs better. You can also play with the density of the stitches. On the left, the stitches are closer together than they are on the right.

*Shameless plug – to purchase a wooden awl like the one in the image, visit The Spanish Peacock. His work is stellar.