How to Decorate With Buttons

Buttons are very versatile. Not only can they keep a garment closed but they can also be used to make many things. Take a beaded curtain, for instance. Instead of using beads use buttons for a more unique look. Use all buttons and no beads or use beads along with some interesting shank buttons. The best beaded curtains are made when you use all sorts of different buttons rather than trying to create a pattern.

After stringing enough buttons to reach from the top door frame to the floor, and enough strings to cross the width of the doorway, staple the ends to a piece of wood and nail or screw it to the doorframe. Or, remove the top frame piece, glue the string ends to the back of it, then rehang the piece.

If you have lots of buttons you can separate them – a tedious process – or just match similar sizes and colors to create a design around the house, for yourself, or even for your pet. If you have quite a few of the same style button you can gather them to make a specific design on something at home.

Remove the shank off of shanked buttons to attach to a mini Christmas tree. Buttons designed like hearts, pearls or stars are perfect ornaments for the tiny trees. String teeny-tiny buttons, used for infant clothing, to make the garland for the tree. Cut the shank from two star buttons then glue them together, with a small piece of the tree top in between, to make the tree topper.

Make a border for a child’s room with buttons. It’s time-consuming but sped up by the use of a glue gun. Use non-shanked buttons for the border. Draw a perimeter for the buttons or just glue until you have the right look. Make giant flowers on the wall for a girl’s room with buttons. Use green buttons to make a stalk and leaves, colored buttons to make petals.

Buttons make great boot scrapers. If you’ve been working in the dirt, and don’t want it on your clean floors, make a shoe-scraping rug. Simply string the buttons with doubled, thick thread and sew them onto an ordinary rug, preferably one with a rubber backing. Wipe your feet on this rug and no more muddy floors.

You can outline any number of things with buttons: doors, cabinets, drawer fronts, headboards, trash can, scrapbook pages, notebook, sock cuffs, even shoes. It’s a really cute look for some of these items if you use just the right buttons. And, you don’t have to just outline the object with buttons; you can make designs on a surface, out of buttons, like flowers, bees, butterflies, trees, and many other images.

Stitch glittery buttons to a piece of elastic to make a cute dog collar. Or, use wide elastic, with buttons attached, as a belt for a little girl’s outfit. Just use velcro to close the belt. You can also drop small buttons into a 20 oz drink bottle for a toy your child will love. Make another bottle full of water, buttons, glitter, and other novelties for another favorite toy. You’ll think of even more ways to use buttons once you’ve done a couple of projects.