Tutorial: Cover Button Earrings!

You are now reading the first ever official blog post of the Bits and Bobs Craft Club!

Being a busy person who loves creating, but doesn't always have the time, energy or cash to devote to a long term project, I've always loved crafts that are relatively quick and inexpensive. I'm not talking about slapping together some construction paper and pipe cleaners and calling it a day (though there's nothing wrong with that!)... I want to make a satisfying end product that I would be proud to use, display, give as a gift, etc.  And that's what Bits and Bobs Craft Club is really all about -- realizing that you do not need a ton of time, money, or experience to create something great!

One of the easiest, cutest things you can make on a budget are Cover Button Earrings.

These little guys are super simple!  Once you get the swing of things, you can make a pair of these in about five minutes.  Really!  Here's how:

Step one:  Gather your supplies.

• Cover button kit 
• Earring posts and backs
• Fabric swatches (this is great way to use up scraps leftover from other projects)
• Scissors
• Glue suitable for metals
• Pliers (not pictured)

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****A quick note on cover buttons****

If you have never used cover buttons, make sure to buy a whole kit, not just the fronts/backs.  Those white and blue plastic pieces seen in the photo are necessary tools to put everything together.

If you already have the tools and are just picking up more buttons, make sure you purchase the appropriate size.  If you want to use larger or smaller buttons, you will need to purchase a kit that comes with properly sized tools.

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Step two: Remove the hook from the button back.

• You'll need to get this out of the way to make space for an earring back.  You can pry it out pretty easily with a pair of pliers.
• If you were lucky enough to find flat-back buttons, you can skip this step!

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Step three: Cut out your fabric.

• On the back of your cover button package, you'll find a circle-shaped stencil.  
• Cut the stencil out and use it to trace circles onto your fabric.
• Cut out your fabric circles.

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Now that you've gotten everything in order, the building process is going to move along very quickly.



Step four: Assemble!

• Grab your white tool.  Place it on a surface, open side up.
• Center one of your fabric squares on top of the white tool, wrong side up-- i.e. the faded side or back side.

• Place the front of a button on top of your fabric, rounded side down.
• Press the button into the white tool until you hear a little pop. 
• Your button should be pressed all the way into the white tool, leaving a a ring of fabric sticking up around the edges, as seen in the photo on the right.

• Wrap the excess fabric edges into the button.
• Place the back piece of the button over the fabric you just folded in.
• Put the blue tool from your kit on top of the button back.

• Press!!  Keep on pressing until you hear a pop.  You will be able to feel that the button back is firmly attached to the front.

• Flip over the white tool and push out your newly covered button. Voila!

• Glue on the earring backs and you're done!
• Be sure to let the glue dry completely before wearing these, following the instructions on the glue bottle.  Maybe even let them sit overnight to fully bond. Nobody wants a super-glued ear.  Not that I learned from experience or anything....

There you have it!  Wasn't that easy??

Most cover button kits won't stand up to thicker material like canvas or tweed, but they work great for just about anything else!  If you're using a sheer or lace fabric, be sure to layer with a thin, solid-colored piece of backing fabric, otherwise the metal of the button will show through.

You can buy cover button kits in small packs of five or so, but do yourself a favor and go for a bigger pack. A couple more bucks up front will give you much more bang for your buck in the long run, and earring posts and backs tend to come in much higher quantities, anyway.  Trust me, after you make a pair or two of these, you'll want to keep going.  When all is said and done, these earrings cost about $2 a pair to make, or even less if you get really into it and buy supplies in bulk!  Not too bad! 

Thanks for reading!  I hope you made some lovely earrings.  More of these quick, cheap and easy tutorials are on the way, so stay tuned!