A lot of things have been pressing my buttons lately, so why not take those buttons and make a DIY button bracelet by literally hammering out my frustrations!
And since April Fools day is just around the corner, this button bracelet is just the thing to bring some fun to the equation because there’s more to it than meets the eye! It not just beautiful to look at, there’s a twist: it’s functional too!
Hidden behind all that brassy metal and innocent charm is a secret purpose that you’d probably never guess just by looking.
Easy DIY Button Jewelry
Do It Over Designers
This post is part of the Do It Over Designers blog Hop, hosted by Ann at The Apple Street Cottage. We’re a group of bloggers who take something old and/or unused and ‘do it over’ into something new. These items can be found in closets, barns, garages, yard sales, thrift stores, you name it! Be sure to check out the projects at the very end of this post!
I love to craft with vintage buttons – especially metal ones (as you may have seen with this vintage button necklace). That’s because I didn’t have to hand-emboss all that gorgeous metalwork… I’m crafty, not crazy!
For this project, I flattened some of my Mom’s vintage metal buttons and tucked them into lace-edged bezels to create a piece of metal button jewelry full of texture.
Materials for Button Jewelry
- Vintage metal buttons
- 2 needle nose pliers
- Hammer
- 3/4″ (20 mm) antique brass bezels (I found mine on Ali Express)
- Antique brass jump rings (6 – 8 mm)
- Antique brass lobster clasp
- 20 x 1 mm ultra slim magnets. Note: Buy the size that fits the size of your bezel. Here are some other options: 1×1/32 inch (25x1mm) ultra slim magnet disks and these are 3/4″.
Here’s how I did it:
How to Make a Button Bracelet
1. Clean the buttons.
I like to use my ultrasonic cleaner for this. But at the very least, some good old fashioned soap and water should suffice to remove years of grime.
Spread the buttons out and let them dry thoroughly.
Sort the vintage buttons you want to use.
2. Dry Fit Button Jewelry DIY
That will largely be determined by the buttons that actually fit into the bezels.
Be sure to dry fit them – not only for size, but to see how they look together in the bracelet.
3. Attach Bezels Together
I’m getting ahead of myself. First you’ll need to attach the bezels together. Using needle nose pliers, twist open a jump ring. Then, slip it through one of the lace edges on two of the bezels.
Do the same thing in the next available space, so you have attached the bezels in two spots.
Keep going until you have the length you need for your own wrist. My wrist is small, so I only needed to attach six bezels.
By the way, I’m just crazy about this antique brass metal these days. It’s a refreshing change from gold and silver! And the best part is that it lets the vintage buttons take centre stage!
4. Flattened Metal Button Bracelet
Now it’s hammer time! Use a piece of soft t-shirt fabric when flattening the metal to prevent scratching the beautiful surface.
Then hammer away. The trick is to hammer the shank so it sits below the edge of the button; you want it to sit flat against the bottom of the bezel. You also need to flatten it enough that there’s room inside the bezel for one more thing.
4. Assemble DIY Button Bracelet
You could glue the vintage buttons of this bracelet to the bezels or you can bend the inner lace edge to hold them in place. Admittedly, I didn’t do either.
That’s because there’s a hidden purpose and the part I ordered to see my vision through never arrived.
There are supposed to be ultra thin magnets under the buttons to magnetize this bracelet so it can hold pins or my darning needle! I tested my theory with a regular (i.e. thicker) magnet and it would’ve worked a charm!
Then, I’d have somewhere beautiful to set my needles when I sew or my darning needle when weave in yarn ends. I’m a little disappointed because I’m currently working on a great knit project this would have come in handy for!
Anyway, as amazing as it would’ve been to actually get delivery of the magnets, you get the idea. I’m off to find a more reliable source of ultra thin magnets and finish this upcyled button bracelet as it was meant to be.
Pin DIY Button Bracelet
If you found this project inspiring or helpful, why not share the love? Pinning is a great way to support our charitable work and helps others discover creative ideas too! Just click the Pin button and save it to your favourite board; you’ll be able to find it later when you’re ready to try it yourself. Every pin makes a big difference and keeps the creativity flowing!
Do It Over Designers
Now, our talented blogger friends have some amazing and inspiring DIYs for you! Don’t forget to visit these posts for more upcycled do-it-over transformations!
I love your bracelet, Sara and the magnet idea is brilliant! I hope you find the right ones soon, but in the meantime, you have a beautiful bracelet to wear.
I’m still on the search; they disappeared from shop I originally tried to order from. As difficult as they are to find here, they seem to be easier to find in the U.S.!