New bag!

I finally got to Thread Den last week (thanks for the invite, Tess!) for an evening of make-whatever-you-want and it was much fun. And making cupcakes to bring along was great - I can't get enough of baking at the moment. Aanyway, I decided to make a new bag, using roughly interpreted instructions from a super cute book and lovely Lara Cameron fabric that's been in my stash for a while. Forgot how fun it is to try new things (mental note: more new = more fun).





Have also been doing more button/badge making, which seems to be a new obsession. I've moved on from plastic to metal buttons, which are much easier and virtually negate the need for my tutorial. So my advice - go metal people, it's better. I might put some big badges that are made with my fabric in the shop soon...

Tutorial: How to make fabric-covered buttons!

This morning I found some self-cover button casings that I'd bought aagges ago and forgotten about, and I just couldn't resist the urge to straightaway make buttons covered in my fabric (how could it have taken me so long to do this? Wish I had more casings as I could go on all day!)

It's not that hard to do but I realised that part of the reason it'd taken me so long to get around to making buttons is because I thought it was a complicated thing to do. Assuming it's not just me who thinks this, I figured I'd also make a wee tutorial, complete with pics, to show just how easy it is.

Now I need to find some metal casings (these are plastic) and go into full-on production, and make some clothes just so I can add custom-made buttons!

** UPDATE ** I've just got my hands on some metal buttons, along with a fabric-covered-button-making-tool, and the process is different but easier than below, so ignore plastic buttons and this tute, and go metal, people!



Tutorial: How to make fabric-covered buttons


1. Get yourself some self-cover button casings - I used “Self-Cover Buttons” by Hemline, which are from a sewing store.


2. Cut out a circle of fabric as directed on the button packaging (for the 22mm buttons I used, the fabric diameter was 48mm) and sew a gathering stitch close to the fabric edge (as above).


3. Remove the washer from the shank of the button casing and position the button top onto the wrong side of the fabric circle, with the shank facing up (as above).


4. Separating the fabric strands, pull each end until the fabric has gathered around the button casing (as above). Tie all the ends together and cut off the loose thread ends.


5. Position the washer back on the shank with the ‘teeth’ on the inside, facing the fabric (as above) and make sure the gathered fabric on the edge of the button is smooth (unlike mine!)


6. Using a cotton spool end, push down on the washer firmly to secure it to the shank


7. Voila, you are done!


8. Admire your lovely custom button! (And ignore the fact that the button fabric morphed from grey to brown throughout this tute :)