Burda Style For people who sew

I guess everyone knows the problem... you can't find good matching buttons. Or you don't like the feel of the buttons (that's my problem). The solution is easy: make fabric covered buttons. I found a tutorial on them in a Burda sewing book, tried it, liked it and decided to share this technique in a very detailled photo tutorial.

Technique Materials

fabric, button, backing, thread

• Intro
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• Add to my toolkit
• Print Page
• Get Instructions (PDF, 3.8 MB)

26 Comments

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  Sep 27, 2009, 01.45 PMby madamezou

  thank you for the tutorial, works perfectly!
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  Aug 16, 2009, 10.55 AMby kaitui_kiwi

  This is great! I never thought about using a normal button before. I’ve always bought the kits but for my dress I am making I can’t find the size/shape/style I want so I’ll just buy the right sized “normal” button and cover using this technique. Thanks so much for the inspiration! :) xx
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  Apr 11, 2009, 05.08 PMby Manouchka

  Hey!
  I don’t understand why you back the button with the 2nd piece of fabric. Can’t you just leave it as is?

  Thanks for the tutorial!

  1 Reply

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    Sep 27, 2009, 07.26 PMby MarmotaB

    Of course you could, but it’s cleaner this way – no loose ends of fabric sticking out.
    Sorry for the late reply!

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  Nov 16, 2008, 12.53 PMby nuria77

  It worked perfectly for me!! Thank you!!
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  Jul 13, 2008, 08.59 AMby ann.mariam

  Now that they are covered…how to dyou attatch them to the piece you are making.or use them?..

  1 Reply

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    Sep 27, 2009, 07.29 PMby MarmotaB

    Sorry for the very very late reply! I thought I’d add another step to the tutorial to cover your question, but it seems I’m unable to do that… You simply sew them on in a similar fashion you’d sew a button with shank – except that these have no shank, instead you sew through the bottom layer of fabric. I hope this makes sense.

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  Jun 18, 2008, 12.31 PMby smilegrl123

  very nice! but how do u sew this on something?
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  Feb 13, 2008, 01.22 PMby MarmotaB

  I wrote it above, but maybe I should add some steps showing it on a picture… when I make a fabric covered button next time. :-)
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  Jan 29, 2008, 12.08 AMby admin

  Thank you so much for this great tutorial!
  So how would you sew these buttons on, since the holes are now covered up?
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  Jan 29, 2008, 12.08 AMby admin

  Thank you so much for this great tutorial!
  So how would you sew these buttons on, since the holes are now covered up?
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  Jan 9, 2008, 11.52 AMby vecheney

  Great! I was going to attempt to do this at one time, but didn’t know where to begin. Thank you.

  Vicki
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  Dec 2, 2007, 10.30 AMby MarmotaB

  No, I just sew through the fabric on the bottom. It’s true that this part is a little bit more complicated, but nothing bad – and if it doesn’t look 100% perfect, it doesn’t matter, because it’s hidden by the button. ;-)
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  Nov 30, 2007, 09.09 AMby pfirsch

  I like the idea because it reuses all those plain buttons that never seem right for a project, but I don’t understand how you would sew the covered buttons onto a new project. Do you sew through the holes of the plastic button?
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  Nov 29, 2007, 02.55 AMby MarmotaB

  Glayla – I’m not sure about that, there’s this special thing called “vatelín” in Czech and I don’t know what is it in other languages or whether it is available in other countries… but that’s what I used. It’s synthetic, similar to polyester filling – it keeps shape when washed; and it’s flat and often topstitched also in order to keep shape, as you can hopefully see in the picture… it’s used in winter clothing. I hope this description helps.
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  Nov 26, 2007, 11.18 AMby staticstasy

  AMazing! Thanks a lot! And yeah you don’t have to use buttons! oo I’ll go and make some!!! hehe!…
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  Nov 26, 2007, 10.09 AMby carrotflowers

  This is great! :) What kind of materials would be acceptable or recommended for the backing?
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  Nov 26, 2007, 05.32 AMby admin

  Awesome…just what I was looking for…thanks a lot for the tute…really helpful..:)
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  Nov 26, 2007, 05.32 AMby admin

  Awesome…just what I was looking for…thanks a lot for the tute…really helpful..:)
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  Nov 26, 2007, 05.29 AMby admin

  Awesome…just what I was looking for…thanks a lot for the tute…really helpful..:)
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  Nov 25, 2007, 11.46 PMby Lilo

  Great how-to Marmotab, thanks! Have done it once with those special buttons that are at least as expensive as the real thing, good and cheap tip!
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  Nov 25, 2007, 03.21 AMby MarmotaB

  Lauriana, this is much easier for me, because I don’t know if I would get those prefabricated tools easily here in CR, while we always have lots of these ugly neutral plastic buttons at home and I don’t have to spend money on the tools. :-) Moreover, you could make it with any flat round thing, you don’t need to use explicitly buttons for it…
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  Nov 24, 2007, 07.06 AMby lauriana

  Impressive! I just made my first fabric covered button with one of those metal buttons made for it. This, however, is the real thing!
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  Nov 24, 2007, 04.36 AMby zahra

  grtt!!! thankss:D
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  Nov 23, 2007, 11.47 PMby MarmotaB

  You’re welcome. :-)
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  Nov 23, 2007, 05.24 PMby admin

  Awesome! Thanks:0)
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  Nov 23, 2007, 05.24 PMby admin

  Awesome! Thanks:0)
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  Nov 23, 2007, 02.03 AMby MarmotaB

  Sorry for the cropped first picture… For a mysterious reason I left it 600 pixels wide. But the others, which are a bit cropped too, were really 500 pixels!