The first thing to understand about making buttons is that…it’s easy! Seriously. Don’t be intimidated. The process is not difficult, the machines are easy to use, and you are limited only by your creativity. Plus, the final product can be fun, sentimental, humorous, whimsical, lucrative, promotional…whatever you want it be!
There are only four things you need to start a button making project:
- 1 – A button press (also called a button machine or button maker)
2 – A circle cutter
3 – Some button making supplies for the appropriate button sizes you desire
4 – The right kind of paper for button making
Then, once you have the supplies, there are only three steps after that. (See…the further along you go, the fewer steps you have, and the easier it gets!)
- 1 – Design your buttons – this can be done by hand or on a computer using ready-made button design graphics. Plus, you can make buttons from graphics that you cut out from printed material like books, photos, and magazines. The options here are endless. You can embroider fancy fabric covered buttons or take a family picture and make photo buttons, for instance.
2 – Cut out your graphics using a circle cutter.
3 – Place the button supplies (shell, back, graphic, and mylar) into their appropriate dies. Then just pull the handle twice and you’re done!
And guess what? Only 2 steps after that! (See…from 4, to 3, to 2…easy as could be.)
- 1 – Figure out what you are going to do with your new buttons. Fundraiser? Button Business? Campaign promotion? Church promotion?
2 – Then plot your next button making rendezvous. ☺