#diy button

battle vest update :3 first post here!

I made some decorative felt buttons to replace some on this cardigan but then I realized there’s like no felt button tutorials anywhere like this….. they’re more decorative than functional although they do work technically. Here’s a short tutorial

Materials:

-felt

-paint (acrylic or fabric) for dyeing felt (optional)

-scissors

-sewing machine (by hand could word too but not as sturdy)

-button of the size needed

Directions:

1. Trace a button size you would like leaving seam allowance, or just approximate the same size and cut out double the number buttons you need

2. Sew the circles together and leave a space enough to turn it inside out, once sewn turn inside out completely (something pointy or a button stuffed in will get it open all the way open)

3. Sew the buttons closed on the small open space, doing your best to maintain the circular shape, if they’re a little messed up it’s ok (if you want to do a satin stitch around the edge of the circle that can also make it look nice but it was a lot of work and I didn’t love the result personally, the bottom button has it)

4. Hot water can make felt more malleable and give it that soft filter wool kinda look so at this point you can dye them (or not) and agitate them in the hot water a bit; I have a dye tutorial although tbh I just soaked them in hot water with a bit of diluted well mixed paint and that does the trick without setting it, they’ll fade over time but I like pastels so it’s fine

5. Dry the felt off and rinse any excess paint off. Now grab a rough/textured material and rub the circles between the two layers, this will make them soft and fluffy and you can rub and shape them to be more puffy and circular; do this till you have your desired texture though too much can damage and thin out your felt

6. If you’d like you can see over the seam again to get that puffy edge look but u don’t have to. Your buttons should now be ready to be sewn on. I think you could stuff the buttons with material to make them thicker or less flimsy but I didn’t stuff mine because I don’t need them to be tooo functional :) more decorative although they do work just not as sturdy as a hard button.

Hi everyone, thanks to my friends and my lovely girlfriend I’m now in the possesion of a button making machine. This means most of my projects in the near future will be tiny and wearable, and for sale!