Button Blessings

Button Blessings
by Bryan Nealy, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and BeadsĀ®

Buttons are wonderful little creations. They exist so they can fasten two pieces of fabric together, but in reality, they are so much more. The surface of a button can be smooth or beveled; the color can be plain or bold; the size can be large or small; the possibilities are almost endless. Not only are buttons visually interesting, they can also hold sentimental value. Take a button from an article of clothing that has special meaning to you (an old coat, a shirt from a loved one, a wedding dress) and create a design inspired by the special button.

Here are some design ideas to help get you started creating button jewelry.

Bib-Style Necklace

Button Blessings Large, bib-style necklaces are good projects for buttons because of the sheer amount of space afforded to a designer. Take advantage of this style and pile on as many buttons as you can fit onto the necklace. Go for a variety of button shapes, colors and finishes to make the design more interesting; or go for a classic look, with buttons similar to each other.

Embellishments

Button Blessings One of the great things about buttons is their versatility. While they are beautiful as a solo design piece, they are also extremely receptive to embellishment. The smooth textures and mostly flat surfaces of many buttons are perfect for affixing beads, pearls and basically any embellishment that will fit on the button surface. Also, the button holes make it easy to string them.

Bracelet

Design Ideas 010P Bracelet Not only do buttons seamlessly work in necklace designs, they are also fun in bracelet designs. Buttons are great as the centerpieces of an elegant and simple bracelet design. Combine buttons with seed beads and sterling silver beads to create an understated, beautiful bracelet.

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