Tutorial How to cover a button with fabric

Beautiful Buttons....

I love buttons.

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Any buttons! They're useful and pretty ..... what more could you ask for?

You can buy/beg or otherwise get hold of some beautiful buttons these days. Sometimes though the best button is the button you created yourself!

Cover them with your favourite fabric, either solid colour or patterned, embroidered, embellished with beads, sequins or both, fabric painted. So much choice, so much possibility!

I mean look at these or this collection I mean wow! Creative or what?! You'd just have to cuddle them wouldn't you? ...Did you come back?

Even if you're not up to doing this just yet (and I'm not sure I am) there's so much fun you can have with them and so much you can do with them. I make them to add detail to bags, scarves, hats and belts. I have been know to change buttons on jackets for buttons I've covered myself. (Makes 'em look good. Here you have to imagine a plain black jacket with red fabric buttons. Well, I liked it.)

Anyway, I was thinking as I was adding 'plastic self-cover buttons' to the shop that it'd be nice to have a little 'How to..' about the place for peeps who haven't covered a button before.

So, without any more ado, here begins a little 'tutorial' ( a bit grand, but I wasn't sure anyone else uses the term 'a how to...') on 'covering a button with fabric'.

First of all you need;

Requirements;

1 set of plastic self-cover buttons (there are many different sorts of self cover button kits, but I use this sort.)
fabric
matching sewing thread
sewing needle
a few pins
scissors
paper and pencil to make a pattern or fabric marker
tape measure

For this I'm using an 18mm plastic button, which is quite small. All sizes of buttons can be covered using the same method but you will need to allow a larger seam allowance for larger buttons in order to get everthing nice and smooth and safely secured behind the button back.

I like to make a pattern first.

Step 1 Make yourself a template/pattern

a) Place the button front face down onto a piece of paper and draw around the outside.

b) Measure the distance between the button shank and the outside rim, like so. It's approximately 7mm.

Notice in the photo the amount of space (or lack of it) on the back of the button, between the shank and the edge. There isn't great deal of room to secure/hide lots of fabric. Too much fabric and you'll get rucks or gathers on the edge/front of the button which just isn't nice. Too little fabric and it'll fray out over time. (In other words a pattern helps.)

c) Use this amount to mark a seam allowance (7mm) around the circle you have just drawn.

Like so. Cut out your pattern piece. Alternatively draw directly onto your pattern with a non-permanent or other fabric marker.

d) If you are using a pattern; Pin it to your chosen fabric and cut it out.

If you've marked the pattern directly onto the fabric then cut that out.

Step 2 Gathering up the fabric to cover your button

a) Using a doubled sewing thread which matches the fabric colour (mine doesn't because I wanted it to show in the photo), sew a row of running stitches around the edge of the fabric circle.

Be careful not to sew too close to the edge or when you gather up the fabric the stitches may pull out.

b) Slip the button front onto the fabric circle, and gently pull up the stitches.

Step 3 Completing your button

Almost done.

a) Pull the gathers up tightly but carefully and tie the thread ends off in a knot.

b) Look at your button and smooth out any rucks in the fabric. It is usually possible to ease the fabric about a little. Be patient but show the button who's in charge.

Happy that it's all smooth and even? Good.

c) Place the 'washer' over the button shank with the 'spotty' side facing what will be the underside of the button. The serrated edge and these spots help to hold everything nice and tightly in place.

d) Use a little brute force and push the washer down onto the other button piece. They can be quite stiff but you should hear the washer click into place.

Ta da! One fabric covered button perfectly lovely and ready for your next or even your current project. Is this your first butonny adventure? I wonder what next?