Make yourself a necklace (or bracelet) that is cute as a button!
All you will need is a collection of buttons, best if they are a mixture of small and large. 2 or 4 hole – it doesn’t matter. A length of thin cord or embroidery floss – about 3-4 times longer than you want the necklace to be. Having a needle helps threading, but isn’t essential. Make sure the needle is small enough to fit through the button holes and beads easily, but not too small that your cord won’t thread through.
If you want beaded dangle sections like I have made, you’ll also want some beads with a hole large enough to fit your thread/cord/needle through twice (since you need to pass the thread through the bead, down through the button then back through the bead).
The cord used here was a bit thick, so it was difficult to work with, as it required a lot of wrangling to get through the eye of the needle, and I couldn’t use a bigger needle or it wouldn’t fit through the beads.
To start off, you need to add your attachment button. Choose a button with a shank. I opted to let the end of the thread dangle down here and put a couple of beads on it. I also dipped the knot in craft glue to help keep it from undoing.
Then it’s simply a case of threading the buttons onto your necklace however you would like them to be. To save having to undo your work, you may want to plan out your design and work out the best length for you.
When sewing on a 2 hole button, it is best to do it twice, to stop it sliding around.
To thread 4 hole buttons on is to hold it so the holes are in a diamond formation – start with the bottom hole by bringing your needle/thread up from behind. Then go through the top hole, then bring the thread up through the hole on the left, then down through the hole on the right. The button is then secure and the thread is ready for the next button.
To add the beaded dangle part, you need to sew the button as normal then if using a 4 hole button repeat the sideways stitch, giving you a straight section of thread on the back – pass the needle through this straight down.
So your thread should be pointing in the right direction. Thread your bead on, then the button (passing the thread from the wrong side of the button seems to make it sit with the right side facing out, but you may have to experiment).
Then pass the thread back up through the bead, back through that straight stitch at the back of the button. If you can, do another stitch sideways across the button to secure it, then sew the next button on.
Continue on until you get to the end. Make a loop at the end to slip over your shank button, and your necklace is done!
