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Jeans Hardware Skills Workshop
Jeans hardware is one of those final steps that can feel unexpectedly high-stakes — once a rivet or tack button is set, it's permanent. In this workshop, we'll take the mystery out of it. You'll learn how to select and size hardware, punch clean holes, and set jeans tack buttons and rivets confidently using a hammer or a press. By the end, hardware will feel like the satisfying finish it's meant to be.
Seamwork Members: Free!
Non-Members: $49
Class opens to members on July 1, 2026.
Available to non-members July 31, 2026.
Ready to actually finish those jeans?
Hardware doesn't have to be the scary part.
You've sewn the fly, flat-felled the seams, and fitted everything perfectly. And then you get to the hardware and stall out — because once a rivet or tack button is set, it's set. That permanence makes this step feel higher-stakes than almost anything else in garment construction. But here's the thing: with the right preparation and a little focused practice, setting jeans hardware is completely manageable. In this workshop, we'll take all the mystery out of it.
Introducing
Jeans Hardware Skills Workshop
The Jeans Hardware Skills Workshop covers everything you need to confidently select, size, and set tack buttons and rivets — with a hammer or a press — so the hardware on your finished jeans looks just as intentional as everything else you've made.
By the end of this course you’ll be able to:
- Identify the parts of jeans buttons and rivets and how they work
- Choose the right hardware size for your fabric weight and layer count
- Punch clean, accurately placed holes for buttons and rivets
- Set a jeans tack button using a hammer or a tabletop press
- Set nipple and flat rivets using a hammer or a tabletop press
- Mark and confirm hardware placement before committing to a permanent setting
- Troubleshoot incomplete settings, misaligned hardware, and hardware that needs removal
- Build a swatch card reference to make your next hardware project even easier
- Apply your skills to real jeans, trousers, skirts, and shorts using Seamwork patterns
Meet Your Teacher
Erica is the Head of Education at Seamwork. She’s been sewing since she was 10 and taught sewing at a fabric store for 12 years. She loves the endless possibilities sewing your own clothes offers, and she's excited to share her knowledge with you.
Course Lessons
Lesson 1: Class Overview
An introduction to what you'll learn this month — what jeans hardware is, why it matters, and how the workshop is structured so...
Lesson 2: Getting to Know Jeans Buttons and Rivets
Get acquainted with your hardware. Learn the anatomy of tack buttons and single-cap rivets, how sizing works (including the ligne measurement system), and...
Lesson 3: Gather Your Tools
Explore your tool options, from a hammer-and-anvil setup to a tabletop setter press. Learn what each one offers so you can choose the...
Lesson 4: Marking and Punching
Learn how to mark accurate button and rivet placement on a finished garment, how to confirm everything looks right before you commit, and...
Lesson 5: Setting Jeans Tack Button Hardware
A step-by-step walkthrough of setting a jeans tack button using both a hammer and a tabletop press — including how to position the...
Lesson 6: Setting Jeans Rivet Hardware
Learn to set nipple rivets and flat rivets using both a hammer and a tabletop press. Includes guidance on when and how to...
Lesson 7: Installing Jeans Hardware on Your Garment
With swatch practice behind you, it's time to install hardware on the real thing. This lesson walks through the full sequence on a...
Lesson 8: Troubleshooting Tips
A practical guide to what can go wrong and why — from a post punching through the cap, to hardware that won't fully...
Lesson 9: Put it Into Practice
A look at Seamwork patterns — including the Tessa Jeans, Chelsea Jeans, Brookes Skirt, Nolan Pants, and Effie Shorts — that give you...
What’s Included
You’ll get:
- 9 video lessons you can access anytime at your own pace
- Jeans Hardware Sourcing Guide to help you find the right buttons and rivets
- Jeans Hardware Quick Reference Checklist for use while you set hardware
- Jeans Hardware Troubleshooting Guide for common issues and fixes
- Jeans Hardware Swatch Card to document your tools, settings, and results
- Seamwork pattern recommendations to practice in a real garment
- Access to weekly community forum prompts and member support
- Live Demo and Group Sew on July 23rd
About our Skills Workshops
Each month, we create a new 30-day live Skills Workshop, focusing on helping you improve one particular sewing ability.
We alternate these with our seasonal Design Your Wardrobe program, and all these resources are available for free to our members.
It’s part of our SEAM method, to help you learn as you sew:
- Seasonally plan the wardrobe you want to wear
- Explore unlimited access to 250+ patterns
- Advance your skills through targeted workshops
- Make connections in our supportive community
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a skill workshop?
- Each month, we focus on a single sewing skill, helping you build your expertise step by step. Over time, you'll create your own skills library with technique samples you can reference again and again. You can apply these skills to any pattern you choose, allowing you to learn while making something you truly want to wear!
How does it work?
- The workshop is made up of self-paced video modules you can watch whenever it fits your schedule. Go at your own pace!
- We will release the workshop on the first day of the month, and then it will be available to you as a member anytime moving forward. There will be video lessons and downloads that you can access anytime, and you’ll be able to go at your own pace through the course material.
- During the month the workshop is released, we will be posting about it in the community and sending emails to keep you motivated so that you can share progress and inspire each other. A new Skill Workshop will be released each month, except for the months where we are doing Design Your Wardrobe.
- You will be able to access this skill workshop anytime starting on July 1, 2026.
Will I be able to interact with other people who are also in the workshop?
- You’ll receive weekly email reminders and forum prompts to keep you motivated and connected with fellow sewists. You’ll be able to ask questions and get feedback to build your skills even more. We’ll also have a live Zoom event for even more interactive learning.
Which pattern should I use to learn the skill?
- We’ve designed these workshops so that you can learn the skill AND pick a pattern that works for you and your style. Unlike a sewalong, you don’t have to make one specific project.
What if I’m not ready to make a pattern? Can I still learn the skill?
- Absolutely! Cut out some test fabric and practice, practice, practice. Use the handy downloadable sample cards to keep things organized and easy to reference later.
Jeans Hardware Skills Workshop
Jeans hardware is one of those final steps that can feel unexpectedly high-stakes — once a rivet or tack button is set, it's permanent. In this workshop, we'll take the mystery out of it. You'll learn how to select and size hardware, punch clean holes, and set jeans tack buttons and rivets confidently using a hammer or a press. By the end, hardware will feel like the satisfying finish it's meant to be.