Fabric Buttons are Super Cool.

For one thing they can be eco-friendly. If you print onto cotton fabric, and don't use mylar covers on your buttons, you can make plastic-free buttons this way. Your buttons would be made of just steel and cotton, which are way more sustainable than plastic covered buttons. For another thing they have nice tactile finish. They come in lots of cool prints and patterns. You could make buttons to match your purses or outfits. You can even use Shoelace Supplies to make regular shank back buttons for sewing projects. Fabric buttons are just plain cool. 

You don't need special equipment. 

Button Makers were made for use with paper. They hate stretchy material. You must stabilize your fabric before attempting to make buttons. If you don't, you almost always get this little tab on one side that doesn't make it under the backing, which is not acceptable. People have told me that they use fusible interfacing with some success. But I have had mixed results trying it in 10-20 different machines here in the shop. In a lot of cases it makes the material too thick which can cause a jam. I have also hear of paper-backed fusible interfacing. But I have yet to even find that in a store when I have looked. Button makers hate stretchy material, but they love paper. If you can't find fusible paper, or the fusible paper you find makes your material too thick, just do what I do and use glue! Spray Adhesive to be exact. That's right, in lieu of fusible paper, I just sprayed my fabric and stuck it on a piece of 24lb office paper, and voila! Fabric buttons all day with no up-sell "adjustment."

Here's what you do need.

• Any Button Maker from ButtonMakers.net
  
• Button supplies
• A way to cut circles. (Paper punches do not work for fabric!)
• Some 24lb office paper
• Spray Adhesive
• Fabric of your choice (standard cotton works best)
• Scissors

Here are the steps.

1. Cut out a manageable piece of fabric, the size of your office paper or smaller
2. Spray the paper with adhesive 
3. Place the fabric on the paper, taking care not to make any creases or wrinkles
4. Cut out a circle that is appropriate for your size button maker
5. Load the button supplies into the button maker
6. Load the fabric the way you would if you were making paper buttons, but omit the mylar
7. Press the button like normal
8. Do a happy dance and pin that beautiful fabric button to something!

That's all there is to it! Just remember to make your circles perfect! and stabilize that fabric to paper. Please feel free to send in all your beautiful fabric button creations and tag us on the socials! 

Happy Fabric Button Making!!!