Do you love buttons? Do you have a jar full of loose buttons you’ve collected over the years? Do you lose yourself in the button aisle of your favorite craft store, trying to justify a need for every single color and shape and material?
If you’re anything like me, the answer is an emphatic yes!
I still remember my mom’s giant tin of buttons when I was growing up. The soft clicks of digging through them to find the absolute perfect addition for my latest project. Grabbing a handful and letting them fall through my fingers until I found just the right one.
Wood. Ceramic. Metal. Plastic. Round. Heart. Square. Snowman.
Button options are endless.
And yet, somehow, you’re having trouble finding the perfect button for your current project?
Make one!
With basic crochet skills and a little scrap yarn, you can make the perfect button for any project. Use leftover yarn to make sure your button matches perfectly, or use a contrasting color to add a pop to any project.
In this tutorial, I’ll teach you how to make a simple flat round button and attach it to your project. Make sure to scroll all the way to the end to see how you can use more advanced crochet skills to create any shape or style you can imagine!
First, crochet a simple circle with your chosen yarn in your desired size.
For this example, I’ve used a worsted weight cotton with a size E-4 / 3.5mm hook and stitched a basic 2 round circle as follows:
Rnd 1: 6 SC in a MR. (6)
Rnd 2: 2 SC in ea st, inv join to 2nd st. (12)
If you’ve been afraid to learn the invisible join, now’s the time!
It’s the cleanest way to finish any round project with an exposed edge, like a button, basket or the bottom of a sleeve.
Here’s a quick and dirty invisible join tutorial to keep you moving forward with your button…
Finish the last stitch of your final round, and do not fasten off as you normally would. Instead, cut the yarn, pull the loop out through the top of the last stitch, and thread it onto a yarn needle.
Then insert your yarn needle under the front and back loops of the indicated stitch.
Note that you will usually insert your needle in the second stitch of the final round because the invisible join will mimic the first stitch. But make sure to follow the instructions in your pattern as some designs may specify a different stitch.
Next insert your needle from top to bottom back through the middle of the last stitch of the round.
Your goal is to mimic a normal stitch, so it will help if you understand the basic anatomy of a crochet stitch. Technically, you will insert your needle under the back and third loops. Less technically, insert the needle where the yarn is coming out of the stitch and out through the back of the piece.
To finish the invisible join, adjust the loop you just created to the size of the stitches around it until it blends.
Ta da! You have just completed an invisible join,
pause to give yourself a well-earned round of applause.
Now back to the button.
Weave in your tail on the back of the button to the center.
You should now have both tails in the center of the back of the button.
Knot them together.
You read that right. Knot your tails together.
I know, I know. Knots are highly frowned upon in crochet. But in this instance, that knot actually serves a purpose. In fact, you can make that knot as big as you want! Make sure it’s big enough that it won’t fit between your stitches and will raise your button up off the main piece enough to fit through the button hole.
Once your tails are knotted together, thread them between two stitches where you want your button. Make sure you don’t pull the tails too far; remember you want to keep the knot on top of your piece.
Before weaving in your ends, test your button in the button hole to make sure you like the placement.
Once you’re happy with the placement, weave in your ends on the back of your piece as usual.
And there you it is…your finished crocheted button!
Now that you’ve mastered the basics of crocheted buttons,
what else can you imagine?
Add embroidery to your basic circle to create a faux button look.
Add love to any project with a handmade heart button.
Add some depth with a small ball…
…or even create a little starfish button with a simple star shape and some basic embroidery, as seen in my Mermaid Tail Mug Cozy pattern!
I may never get rid of my jar of buttons…and I’ll probably still spend too much time wandering the button aisle…but the options really are endless when you can make your own.
I can’t wait to see what you all come up with!
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