Required materials: * scissors * thread (preferably in a matching color; the color could match the button or more often, the fabric) * needle * button and of course the item which needs the button. First you'll need to thread the needle. Before you begin sewing on the new button, you may need to cut and pull out the old threads. But they can be a useful guide to where to place the button. So, you may want to make a pencil mark on the back side of the cloth to mark the location first. Sometimes the hole in the cloth can also serve to find the location, so the mark is not necessary.