Covering Your Own Buttons

The last time I tried to cover my own buttons was probably thirty years ago, in large part because I just love buttons. (Duh.) But the other reason is that I found them so finicky - trying to get the edges of the fabric totally tucked in, while at the same time not making the thing so bulky that the backing wouldn't go on nicely.

I recently vowed to try again, thinking that a set of fabric-covered buttons on a plain fabric shirt would be super cute and level-up a simple garment. I'm so happy I tried again.

 

 

 

 

 

I tried our Prym button blanks using a wool I'm making a coat with. The Prym blank have little teeth to grab the fabric, making the process easier.

Undoubtedly, a beautifully covered button on a suit is elegant, and if you're sewing with two fabrics, you can also get a gorgeous effect. And needless to say, if you keep blanks on hand, you never catch yourself short when you are excited to try your new piece on.

Watching loads of videos (so you don't have to), I think a good place to start is this one from Sew Essential, as it shows you the five-sizes button tool that I stock along with the blanks. The style of backing is a bit different than the aluminum ones you most likely have (and I stock) but the process is the same.

Two tips that I would add:

• If the fabric is appropriate, everything went a lot easier when I wet the fabric first.
• I used my sewing tweezers (which are just long tweezers that I use for sewing, nothing terribly fancy) to tuck in the fabric, especially if the button is small or your fingers aren't as nimble as a childs.

This video, and many others will also suggest you use a running stitch around the circumference to tighten the circle, which I think would cause a fraying nightmare on the fabrics that are giving the most trouble.

There are a lot of videos on taking existing random buttons and covering them with a bit of stuffing and fabric, and then sewing a faux shank using the edge of the circle of fabric, but I am hard-pressed to believe any one does that for a project that needs functional buttons.

Finally, I have seen a lot of images of fabric-covered two- and four-hole flat buttons, but for the life of me can't find the blanks or how to do them. Let me know if you know the secret!