they said it better

I was going to do a little tutorial on making an embroidered covered button, but, honestly, I just don't think it's gonna happen.  Besides, it's been said and done before by many others, and quite beautifully, so why not just let their words and photographs show you?

The fantastic tutorial at The Purl Bee shows all the steps I usually go through to start embroidering the button covers.   If I have something simple and non-detailed in mind, sometimes I'll just wing it and not draw out my design, or I'll use a fine mechanical pencil because I find the line on the erasable pens to be a little thick.  Then, after cutting out the circles, I personally like to use the "No Tools Required" Half Ball Cover Buttons, the kind with teeth on the back.  There is a detailed, heavily photographed, amazing tutorial here by ruby-crowned kinglette (and she has a video of the process, too) which uses this kind of button kit, and though I don't usually use batting with my embroidered buttons, I *do* think the glue stick is a very useful and helpful hint!

If you don't want to go buy a kit, you can also make your own covered buttons using just a regular shank button.  There are directions (without pictures) here or a great one with photos here .

See?  Why reinvent the wheel and make a new tutorial?  Go see what they did, and then go and reinvent some buttons, instead.

Comments

[Beth]

That's good information! Before I knew about covered button kits, I tried gluing fabric to a plastic button. What a mess that turned out to be. When I finally found out about the kits, it made so much sense and was much easier! Have you had a good response to your swap? I missed the deadline! I think I had spinning brain. :)

[stephanie s]

thanks so much for including my covered button tutorial in your post... i don't always use batting either, but find with loosely woven fabrics it keeps the shiny metal from showing through.