Medallion Buttons

I have experimented further with Barb Fajardo's crackle technique until I was satisfied with the results that I was aiming for.  Working with alcohol inks can be quite painstaking and a bit of a challenge to control but I've actually come to enjoy playing with them a lot.  These Medallion Buttons are quite large (two inches) and were made special for Heather's Fabric Shelf to coordinate with some of their new batik fabrics.  They took a bit of time creating as I doodle a design on each one individually with no two alike.

Because the buttons are so large they could be quite heavy so I filled them with the Sculpey UltraLight clay before adding our handcrafted wire shanks and finishing off the backs with clay.  I show how to do this and make your own wire shanks for buttons in my Making Beautiful Buttons tutorial.

Buttons in Turquoise and Copper

Here is a sampling of a few different button styles all in the same turquoise and copper combination.

The hole placement for sewing is determined as to the style of the button and how it will be used such as providing balance and stability.  Some button designs are best suited with two large holes where others are better with four.  At times I find the button holes would detract from the overall look so I prefer to add a shank to the back instead.  My  experience with sewing helps me in designing my buttons for various types of projects.

My pdf e-tutorial "Making Beautiful Buttons", contains 20 pages of clear photos and instructions on how to create buttons that are more professionally finished.  I have provide instructions on how to make your own wire shanks and attach them to the back without the need for any glue.    Also included are templates you can copy and use as hole placement guides so your holes are properly spaced and centered every time.

Click on the above photo to read more about our tutorial that is for sale in our ArtFire studio.

Making More Buttons

I've been making my own polymer clay buttons and wearing them on my own clothing for a few years now and love how they look.  What I like most is how I can even coordinate them with my jewelry.

A quilting store in our area is now carrying some of our buttons which I specially for them.  Here are a few of my favorites that are all very large and measure around 2 inches which look great on quilted bags.

Some of these will be available in our Etsy shop as soon as I can make up some more.

Polymer clay works great for making buttons and if you are a newbie and want to learn how to make proper ones that won't fall apart in the wash as well as look good, Lisa Clarke of Polka Dot Cottage is running a free 5 week tutorial on her blog.  You will find her first lesson here.  Second lesson here, and her most recent third lesson here.

If you are a more advanced clayer or want to go to the next level,  I have a tutorial I published called "Making Beautiful Buttons".  It is available in both our ArtFire Studio as well as our Etsy shop.