Thankyou so much for the button knotting tut.
I had NO idea 12" needles existed! How did that happen?!?
Many years ago, when I was first married, I signed on for a pattern cutting course, which was cancelled after 3 weeks because there were not enough takers, and so I swapped to a soft furnishing course instead but I learned a lot from that one; curtains with linings locked in, smocked cushions and buttoning. I acquired a buttoning neeedle - much bigger and thicker than any in the Dritz pack, at least 12 inches long and with an angled point like a leather needle. Because it is so lethal I put it away carefully - and haven't seen it for years but I'm sure it's still lurking in the bottom of a container somewhere.
As for buttoning; if you don't tie with the half hitches you'll never get it pulled really tight - and of course you have to have another button or a scrap of fabric on the reverse.