Cover Button Rings

Making Things Simple the US Way

For my inaugral project on my blog, I thought I'd start with simple cover button rings.

I discovered US-style cover buttons about two years ago and have never looked back. Even now, you see articles in UK magazines recommending using those terrible plastic cover buttons that involve sewing and gathering fabric. No, no, no, no, no!

What you need is the US metal cover buttons that come with a handy tool that makes it super simple to get excellent results. Mine came from coverbuttons.com. This is a really simple site that offers international delivery on lots of sizes of cover button and the all-important tool. Once you have your button and your tool, simply put your fabric (a square a little bigger than the tool itself) face down into the rubbery part of the tool. Insert your metal button cover face down and then stuff all your fabric inside (this may require a little trimming but there's plenty of room inside the larger buttons). Use the hard plastic blue cap to push down on the back of the button and you've done it!

On Etsy and Folksy you will see lots of cover button jewellery using Kawaii Japanese prints, which are great if you're talented at getting the right bit of the design in the middle of the button. For a first attempt, it's much easier to choose a tiny continuous pattern that doesn't require such precision.

You can make all kinds of jewellery and accessories with cover buttons (even actual buttons!) by simply gluing on the appropriate findings. To make the rings, I removed the shank from the cover button with pliers and then glued a ring blank on with E6000 glue (a hot glue gun also works well but can be a bit messy).

On the subject of ring blanks, I have what are technically known as "sausage fingers". My right hand ring finger is a size R-S and the weedy ring blanks you most commonly see are simply too small. So, I was pleased to pick up these more substantial ones for 40p each at http://www.the-beadshop.co.uk/.

Here are my finished rings. A really quick make to do as little gifts for family and friends or as a well-deserved treat for yourself.

Melx