Tips for Making Covered Buttons
ZJ HumbachDescription
Making covered buttons is a fun, easy way to give your next project that thoughtful, professional touch. In this video, ZJ Humbach demonstrates how to make perfect covered buttons every time.
Preparation
When making covered buttons, you will need to get a covered button kit, which can be found at nearly any fabric or craft store. The kits for making covered buttons come in a variety of sizes. Which one you choose will depend on what you intend to use the button for. ZJ shows the kit she has, which includes a button front that will be covered with fabric and a button back that holds the fabric in place. The kit also comes with a circle template that shows you how big your fabric circle will need to be to cover your button. All fabric button kits make shank buttons as opposed to flat buttons with two or four holes.
Covering the Button
Once you have your circle of fabric cut, you can wrap it around the button front. ZJ shows how this is done a little at a time, using the small teeth on the wrong side of the button front to hold the fabric in place. She explains how the ease of this process can vary depending on the type of fabric you are using. Once the fabric has been folded around the button front, the back can be placed on to secure the fabric. ZJ demonstrates this, sharing some tips on how to get a smooth edge on the fabric button by using a basting stitch. Finally, she provides a few fun ideas on how to personalize and add flair to your covered buttons.
If you liked this video, check out these other ways to add unique finishing touches to your projects.
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7 Responses to “Tips for Making Covered Buttons”
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I like to sew a tiny running stitch around the outside of the fabric and gather it up to help reduce the bulk of the fabric
I have made dozens of covered buttons especially tiny ones for bridal wear. I find a quick easy method is always to do running stitches round the edge to gather the fabric together, then I lay the shank on top with a cotton reel hole centred over the shank. Press firmly on the cotton reel and the button is together and complete. This makes for a nice neat covered button. centre a cotton reel over the top with the shank in the hole, push down firmly and it is ready to go - the top and bottom are attached.
Anchor the fabric by working small sections in the four compass points: N,S,E, W on the straight of grain. Then work in the bias sections. Small bites at a time! Use a safety pin to tuck the fabric under the teeth. It's been 50 years, but I still remember the covering buttons down the back of my wedding gown.
It is so much easier to run a basting stitch around the edge of the fabric you draw it up a little, put the fabric around the button and draw it up tightly around the button. I am surprised you didn't to that in the first place instead of mentioning it at the end.
I made my daughter's wedding dress that had 150 half inch buttons. In order to save my sanity, I used a light weight fusible interfacing to prevent the silk from fraying used a runnig stitch around the perimeter of the fabric circles. Pulled tight, the circles wrapped each button and were held securely so that I could push in the back plate.
If your fabric is difficult to work with, try spraying fabric glue to the wrong side of the fabric first so it doesn't slip around on the button form. Or run a basting stitch around the outer edge of the fabric and pull it up to make fitting it inside easier.
The finished product looks terrible, use something sharp to push the fabric onto the hooks in the button.