But Have You Used Buttons Like This Before? Using Buttons in Jewelry

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Buttons are a very common, everyday item but in the hands of a maker, they can be so much more than a simple fastener. When made BY a maker, buttons have even greater potential and greater appeal (in my opinion). To follow are a few different ways makers have used buttons in jewelry which might have you seeing buttons in a whole new light.

Above: Buttons galore! From left to right: Flower by Stephanie Sersich; heart, stripes, flowers, and marbled designs by Patty Lakinsmith; Crystaletts buttons with Swarovski crystals; star flower and dragonflies, Czech buttons from Raven’s Journey; Raku buttons by Marianne Kasparian of Maku Studio; metal buttons in front from Tierra Cast, dichroic buttons, glass buttons, flower, and enameled fish and cat buttons from local stores, artists unknown.

Buttons As Beads

Sharilyn Miller uses waxed linen and a simple knot to add buttons to a wire bracelet, elevating the look of the design. Beads cap off the tails of the thread, unifying the vintage-button embellishment with the rest of the design.

Buttons as Earrings

Denise Peck adds buttons to a length of wire for a quick and easy pair of earrings. Imagine all the gifts you can make with this one design. If you sell your work at in-person shows, this would be a great way to create personalized jewelry. Let your customer pick out their favorite buttons then send them away with a finished pair in no time.

Buttons as Clasps

A shank button is used as a clap in this beaded bracelet. The button was incorporated seamlessly into the beadwork by passing the thread through the shank, the beadwork, and the shank again. This type of thread path hides the thread in the beadwork, limiting exposure and wear and tear. For complete instructions read: How to Make a Right-Angle Weave Seed Bead Bracelet with Ice Resin and Image Transfer Button Clasp.

The button clasps in this beaded design were created from a button base, image transfer, inclusions, and resin.

Learn how to make your own with this free project: Resin Jewelry and How to Make a Resin Button with an Image Transfer

Buttons as Focals

As Kinga Nichols shows in her designs, buttons make a great focal in bead embroidery designs. If you find a favorite button to feature in a similar type of design and the button has a shank, carefully use cutters to remove.

TIP: When cutting the shank away, cover the material to prevent the pieces from flying away. File the cut ends so they are smooth and the surface as flat as possible. For more on bead embroidery, read “Top 5 Secrets for Great Bead Embroidery.”

If you have a unique button you covet, consider using a two-part silicone mold material to capture the shape of the button, then use clay (try metal clay!) to recreate the button in a new form. This will allow you to save your favorite but also make something special with the replica.

In a Q&A with Alice Sprintzen, she shares where she finds the found objects used in her designs. “There is no scarcity of materials for the found-object jeweler. My eyes are automatically drawn to the tossed-away and mostly overlooked. Find treasures easily at garage sales, flea markets, antique stores. I have a scout team of friends who augment my supply. They delight in seeing one of their finds in a completed work.” For more from the interview, read “Upcycled Jewelry: Alice Sprintzen Shares her Style, Design Aesthetic, and How-To.”

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I hope these ideas inspire you to look at your button collection a little differently and maybe use one in your next jewelry design.

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Use Buttons Creatively In Your Jewelry