sometimes the obvious isn't, until it is

I was tearing my hair out this morning, guh nashing of the teeths and slamming my hoofies on the table in frustration: i used to have a HUGinORmous box of buttons of every description in every material. It got lost in the move back from Edmonton Hell, and it's been a pain ever since to find the funky or vintage ones i love. My little bags and cases require something if not unique, then at least not run of the mill......

Something was caught in the back of the debris "fastenings" debris drawer and when i yanked it out, it was, it was-----self covering buttons!!!!!!!!!!! Eureka! Ephiphany! I've re-invented the wheel!  I don't know about you, but i just want to slap myself sometimes for forgetting "the old ways"!!!!

And seeing as most of the motifs i'd used on particular pieces was a small size, they fit perfectly on a piece of co-ordinated hand dyed fabric. Hallelujah!

Now i know a lot of you do know how to cover a button, but for the benefit of searching neophytes, here's a wee tute.

Each "kit" comes with the white thingie and the blue thingie. I usually throw away the white thingie as i can never get the button to sit evenly on it.  It comes also with sets of backs and fronts, and on the back of the package a template so you can cut the proper size circle.

 

 

 

I cut around the outline slightly larger as i never trust the teeth to hold tight!  I used a plain ol' pen to mark on the fabric before cutting out.

Then i gather the edge almost like making a yoyo, without turning a hem (you don't want to add more bulk!)--i find it goes smoother rather than trying to jam all the fabric on and hoping it all catches! This photo shows the inside, wrong side, and the teeny piece of batting i use for padding. I do this for smoothness and "cover" in case the fabric is thin. Don't cut the batting the same size or it will add unwanted bulk as well!

 

 

Place the batting in the centre wrong side. Now stick the rounded part with the shank in:

 

Pull the gathering thread--the gathering thread, not on the needle if still attached! Often if you pull the needle it will break the thread! Now cut thread and needle close to the circle--you can backstitch a bit but it's not really necessary as the next step will grab the cloth: Push the blue thingie into the button and press hard! 

 

Now put the flat bottom piece in--make sure you have it right side up! Mine said so the numbers would show, but it didn't actually have any! Smack it down again with the blue thingie--firm pressure, not a real whack or it may fly--that's why the white thingie is there for puuting the whole thing in to "hold" (HA!), which i never use anyways :} 

 

Finito except for sewing on!

And here on one bag is a done and several more to go on others!

clickable :}

The plain button on the bottom left is one i made when i ran out of self covering ones :} It's just a regular button as a "foundation", and flipped over to the right side it looks like this: 

 

I made a "real" yoyo --that is i did turn over the edge for a hem this time-- using 2 layers of a hand dyed as the cloth was quite thin, almost cheesecloth-y. Because of the variations in the dye, the lavender beads around the edge appear to be diferent colours! And look at that lovely texture!

Making my/your own buttons could become as addicting as anything else :}  You just have to take into consideration the intensity of the labour versus the use and possibly cost the effectiveness of the button against your "selling price"---not all of my small pieces will have their own buttons created for them, but in a pinch, it was SO OBVIOUS!!!!!!

Update on Wed, January 9, 2008 at 3:27PM by arlee

PS It ain't an anniversary but this is my 12ooth post!!!!!

Comments

[Mary Anne]

1200? Wow. I bow in reverence.

Self covered buttons. They're pretty when they're beaded too. They're a little tricky to put together, but well worth the effort.

[Nellie Durand]

Beautiful! Self-covered buttons had slipped to the back of my mind as well. Years ago I made earrings with them covered with hand-painted silks. On those the shank was removed before the button backing was attached. Oh, and they were padded like your buttons. The earring backings were glued in place.

[Dianne]

Love the self covered buttons - they really zing up the bag

[Susan]

Your buttons couldn't be more perfect!
Susan
PS Thanks so much for the recent comments on my blog!

[Midge]

I remember my mum making those in the 60s (how old am I?) and, like you, had kind of archived them brainwise. But you are so right - they are glorious things and so much classier on things than old bits of plackie, etc. In fact they elevate into the individual handcrafted, handpainted jobbies that you see at Craft shows and cost a trazillion bucks each. Specially loving the amazing one you invented yourself. Hmm, wonder if you could used very hard cardboard? Then the button cd be any shape or size - I give you this little gem as my gift. Nellie's thoughts on earrings was intriguing - everything eventually comes around again, so I bet it won't be long and let's all remember to drag that little notion out of the archives - tho in my case I think the archives have rusted up.

[Sammy Stafney]

I wanted to say "Thanks" for giving the time to not only write but to do step by step photo;s of the covered buttons... so easy to forget about them. sammy

[Valerie]

Love your projects, all of them, and print them out. However, on this one I couldn't find a clickable button to make it printer friendly.

My problem with button kits in the sixties was that the shiny metal always shone through, and not just with cotton fabric. I thought of painting them with matte paint before covering, but never did. Using a layer of batting never occurred to me.

Thank you for all your beautiful and creative ideas.

[Abi Thomas]

Now this is the most useful tutorial I have seen in a long time!!! Fantastic, thanks! I have had self covering buttons for a while and not quite worked out how one was meant to do it, thought I was being stupid but clearly its an art which you have just cleared up for me.