Want to customize your buttons to match your decor? Here’s a simple and easy step-by-step tutorial on how to cover a button with fabric.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes the simplest projects can make the biggest difference?

Sometimes you look at a room and you can’t put your finger on what makes it so amazing. And then? You realize it’s all in the details. The attention to the small things in the room that get overlooked in the rush of decorating. I once went to a show house and spent hours walking through the space in complete awe of the decorating and the ONE thing that I came away with? The one thing that I remembered? She had chairs that were tufted with 28 buttons. It was the simple detail of that amazing tufting on the chair that I remember.

I need to write this on a post-it note for myself.

I’m always trying to climb the project mountain.

Scale great project heights.

Find new project vistas.

But really?

Sometimes all I need to do to make my dining room cuter?

Is to cover a button.

Here’s my memorial day weekend project.

These dining room chairs with covered buttons.

The buttons bring the perfect pop of blue to the back of the chairs and they were SO easy to make. I used to cover buttons back when my couch was yellow with giant blue and pink flowers and my walls were red. Covering buttons back then was hard. You needed a PhD in button covering.

But now?

Someone came along and made it so much easier.

I covered all these buttons (and no-sewed them onto the chairs) in under 45 minutes.

Which left plenty of time for a championship baseball game and a graduation party and two rounds of top golf.

Here’s the step-by-step tutorial on how to cover a button with fabric.

And then?

How to no-sew it onto your chairs.

How to cover a button with fabric

Supplies

Button cover kit

scissors

fabric

fabric glue

1. How to cover a button with a button kit

I bought my cover button kit at Walmart.

It was $1.77 for four buttons.

I bought three of these packages to make the buttons.

2. Cut out the fabric

On the back of the kit there is a pattern.

Cut the pattern out from the back of the kit and use it to cut out a circle.

You cut the circle on the fold (my fabric already had a fold so I used that).

3. unfold your circle

This is what your fabric will look like when it’s cut out.

Mine has a slight fold in it.

Don’t worry about ironing it—the fold will pull itself out when you cover the button.

total aside:  you have too many things to do to worry about ironing.

4. Place the fabric in

Your kit comes with a plastic button maker.

Place it on the table.

Turn the fabric pattern side down on top of it.

Take the front of the button and place it inside the fabric.

5. Tuck your fabric

Tuck the fabric around the front of the button.

Place the back of the button on top.

Make sure all the ends of the fabric are tucked in before you add the button back.

6. Push the button pieces together

The kit comes with a button pusher.

Place it on the back of the button and push.

You will hear a pop when the button is pushed together.

That’s it.

Your button is ready to be used.

Here’s what the button looks like on the front and on the back.

You could sew these on a pillow or add them to a ribbon or use them to tuft a chair.

Or.

You could press down the back of the button, add a ring of fabric glue to the edges and glue them to the back of the chairs.

Here’s what the buttons looked like after I glued them.

I used a craft glue that works on fabrics.

It dries clear, so you don’t have to be that careful when you glue the buttons.

Here’s the before.

And 45 minutes later?

Here’s the after.

Isn’t it amazing how it finishes the chairs?

And just between us?

I’m so happy I didn’t try and climb another project mountain. 🙂

 

 

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Posted On: May 28, 2019

Written By: KariAnne Wood

Comments

  2. Image for Jessica Lardinais Jessica Lardinais

    I am LOVING this!!! And, it got me thinking what else I could do to add those little inexpensive details to other things too. Ooohh...I am INSPIRED!!!

    Reply
  3. Image for Leslie Watkins Leslie Watkins

    Oh, my goodness! How cute is that?!!! And it looks much easier tha. It used to be. Now to just cover the backs of my dining room chairs! ❤️

    Reply
  12. Image for Lynn W Lynn W

    OMG!!! Mind blown at how easy covered buttons are 💜. What a difference too!!! Now we all can start to covering! Thank you 🌞

    Reply
  13. Image for Shelia P Shelia P

    Hi Karianne! I love your buttoned up chairs! So cute! Only you could think of something so adorable!! Thank you! Have a great day! 😊

    Reply
  15. Image for Pam C Pam C

    What a clever idea! Wish I had that kind of chair but possibly can try on pillows! Off topic: Love another one of your crystal chandeliers in your dining room. Did this one also come with your house? Guess you can tell I am looking for a crystal one for my kitchen. So far no luck. Thank you for your reply!!!

    Reply
  16. Image for Sue Straw Sue Straw

    AMAZING!! Those buttons really DO provide the finishing touch on your chairs! And such a simple project. You are absolutely right about how hard it used to be to cover buttons. You really had to be determined (and skilled) to cover buttons back then. How did you get your buttons to lie flat on your chairs once they were finished? Did you just apply glue and push them into the seams on the back of your chairs?

    Reply
    1. Image for Ann C Ann C

      She mentioned that she flattened the little prong before gluing them on. I was wondering too while I was reading it.

      Reply
  17. Image for Joanne Marcello Joanne Marcello

    I like the cute idea with buttons...Iwas wondering if you could show me how to cover a parsons chairs . I had mine upholstered and I cannot get the smell the upholster used in his shop with kerosene and the smell is still in my chairs after airing them out...I got most of smell out however, I think their is a small order of the gas smell in them. Let me know how to upholster them thanks Joanne

    Reply
  18. Image for Connie Connie

    Since I am a senior citizen, my first thought, how did she sew all those buttons on the back! LOL Forgetting what a glue gun can do. My second thought was where did she find such cute buttons! I love the fabric you used on your chairs. They are the "icing on the cake" and look stunning.

    Reply
  19. Image for TERESA GONZALES TERESA GONZALES

    Polka dot covered buttons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Have a pair of blue polka dot wedge sandals that resemble those creative buttons :) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks for reminding me about covering buttons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  20. Image for Donna Bray Donna Bray

    So cute 😍 I cannot sew a thing. My mom made her patterns from newspaper and sewed the exact dress suits or whatever that was in the catalog. Beautiful! Out of eight girls I was the only one who could not sew. Tried but crashed and burned.lol. I can do this button thingy. Thanks!

    Reply
  21. Image for Pat Pat

    Love that button detail, and you make it look so easy! I am doing this for a beautiful new detail in my house, maybe on pillows. xo Pat

    Reply
  23. Image for Michele M. Michele M.

    Oh, my word! Just wow!!!! I cannot even believe the transformation for such a little price tag. Great bang-for-your-buck (literally like a couple dollars, unreal!) Well done, KA - you've done it yet again!

    Reply
    1. Image for Annan C Annan C

      I went on her Shop My House and found them. She got them from Kirkland’s. She mentioned lots of fabric choices, and leg finishes. Hope this helps.

      Reply
  26. Image for JC at the uncommon pearl JC at the uncommon pearl

    Super, super cute! I love buttons and polka dots, so mix them together and I REALLY love them! I've wanted to try this button kit, but havent gotten around to it. I'm excited to try it now!

    Reply
  28. Image for Mary S Mary S

    SO CUTE!!!!!! You are amazing and have a keen eye. Don't ever try to use these if you were tufting a piece becuase they pull apart... I speak from experience. But GLUE!! YES!! Great job and now your chairs are REALLY cute!! :)

    Reply

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