How to Put Grommets On Fabric. (And Removing Mistakes)

In this tutorial, I will show you how to put grommets on fabric. We will review the tools you need and some alternative methods of preparing your fabric. Also, I will show you what to do if you make a mistake and need to remove a grommet once it has been applied.

Hey there! Once you finish this tutorial, you’ll have the skills to easily add grommets and eyelets to your sewing projects. This will give your creations a professional finish that lasts.

So, grab your supplies, join me on this thrilling adventure, and learn a new sewing skill!

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The first time I used grommets was in college when I was dipping my toes into leather sewing projects.

The tools I found back then were very industrial, and I didn’t really have the money (or the space) to get one of the typical machines used to apply grommets in a factory. 

By the way, that’s the other thing -there are many different tools out there you can use to install grommets or eyelets on fabric. The one that I am using here is one of the most basic and, quite frankly, easy-to-use pliers for this task.

And that is coming from someone who used to use the heavy industrial ones to do it when I had barely any knowledge of it. So, I strongly recommend that you use the pliers I will use for this tutorial, especially if you want to save money (they are cheap) and struggle. 

I’ve been using these pliers for a while without any complications because I have been making a lot of corset patterns lately. I recently used them on the crop top variation of our Rose Corset Sewing Pattern.

Here is how they look on denim fabric.

They look pretty cool, don’t they?

Grommets VS. Eyelets

Grommets, also known as eyelets, are small metal rings that are used to reinforce holes in fabric or other materials.

And if you were wondering what we all wonder the first time we try to use them, let me clarify that for you.

Yes, Grommets and Eyelets are two different notions. They are basically the same thing from the front, but grommets have a washer on the back that helps give a better hold to thicker materials like denim or leather, while eyelets are just the ring part, and they hold within themselves.

Can you appreciate the two pieces of the grommet in this picture? The flat part is the washer. If you happen to have the ring part alone, then you will call it an eyelet.

It’s super important to install grommets properly to prevent the material from tearing or stretching.

how to put grommets on fabric: Step-by-step

Materials Needed:

• Grommet Kit (includes grommets, hole puncher, and pliers)
• Hammer
• Snip Scissors
• Wood scraps or another material you don’t mind getting ruined.

Prepare the fabric

First, use the grommet’s main piece to draw the inner circle where you want your grommet to be. 

You can use a button gauge to evenly distribute the grommets in the space you want them to. 

Place the grommet upside down on the spot you want it to be, and then use a sewing marking tool to draw the circle of the inner part of the grommet.

I used a pencil because the point of it is sharp enough to fit into the smallest grommet size.

Open the holes

First of all, if you don’t want to damage your cutting mat permanently, take a piece of wood for the love of everything you hold dear.

I am using leftover wood scraps from when I made a frame for my bedroom painting. 

But if you don’t have wood, you can also use thick cardboard or any other material on which you don’t mind getting hole shapes.

Take the hole puncher and position it in the center of the circles you made. Make sure your hand is holding the puncher steady and in its place. Then, use your hammer to hit the hole puncher on the top so it makes the hole in your fabric.

I actually prefer using my scissors to cut the holes because I can make them ever so slightly smaller than the hole the puncher makes.

Making the holes smaller helps the fabric to hold on better to the grommet.

I found this because I noticed that the grommets kept falling off after I applied certain lightweight fabrics. The holes stretched while I was manipulating the fabric.

I got tired of it, so I started using my embroidery scissors to cut the holes, and the matter was fixed!

Installing the grommets

Ok, now for the fun part. 

You will insert the front part of the grommet into one of the holes you just made.

Then, take the washer and place it, dented side up, on the back side of the fabric over the grommet.

Take your pliers and make a mental note of this.

This is how to position your pliers before closing the grommet.

The grommet consists of two parts: a washer and a ring.

To get started, position the grommet in the center of the bottom part of the pliers, making sure the wrong side of the fabric is facing up. Next, line up the top part of the pliers with the back part of the grommet where the washer is, and press down to create dents in the grommet, which will cause it to curl over the washer.

And that was it! Now you know how to put grommets on fabric or any project you want!

Now that you’ve mastered the art of installing grommets, you’re ready to tackle a wide range of fun projects! 

When you’re spicing up your wardrobe, jazzing up your curtains, or getting into any other DIY projects, knowing how to install grommets the right way will really kick your creations up a notch.

But wait!

That’s not it! As humans as we are, we sometimes may make some “oopsies”. Did you install your grommet the wrong way? Did it end up crooked?

Don’t worry, I have the solution.

How to remove an installed grommet.

We can all make mistakes when we are learning how to put grommets on fabric.

When I said we can make mistakes, I definitely mean me. There is always one tricky grommet that won’t get installed the right way. 

Sometimes, I didn’t press the grommet evenly, and it turned out crooked. Other times, like today, I installed them wrong side up!!

Luckily, these types of grommets (the ones that are not heavy-duty) can be removed quite easily.

What I do is take any sharp and strong object, like my embroidery scissors or a seam ripper, and very carefully start to uncurl the grommet walls. 

Basically, you are reversing the installation process. 

Once all the walls are up, I take some jewelry pliers, and push the walls to the center. 

And that is it! Now you can remove the damaged grommet and try again with a new one.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and learned how to install grommets on your sewing projects. Please let me know your thoughts on how I did with this lesson in the comment box below.

Also, please pin this post on Pinterest to help us reach more people and save this information for whenever you need to come back. 

Happy Sewing!

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Printable Instructions:

How to Put Grommets On Fabric

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Tools

• Grommet Kit
• Hammer
• Snip Scissors
• Wood Scraps

Instructions

1. Prepare the Fabric:

• Use the grommet's main piece to draw the inner circle where you want it.
• Utilize a button gauge for even distribution.
• Place the grommet upside down and mark the inner circle with a sharp tool like a pencil.

2. Open the Holes:

• Protect your surface with wood or thick cardboard.
• Position the hole puncher in the center of the circles and hit with a hammer.
• Optionally, use snip scissors to cut the holes slightly smaller for better grip.

3. Installing the Grommets:

• Insert the front part of the grommet into the hole.
• Place the washer over the grommet on the back side of the fabric.
• Use pliers to squeeze the grommet, ensuring the protuberance is on the back side of fabric.
• Press down to create dents and secure the grommet in place.

Notes

If you don’t have a hammer or wood, you can also use your snip scissors to cut the hole by hand.