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Button Bracelets

A Very Easy Bracelet Pattern

Button bracelets range from the simple to the sublime. The simplest are made by stringing shank buttons onto illusion jewelry cord.

They make a great project to do with your kids. The plastic button sets you can purchase are adorable and affordable.

The most elegant button bracelets combine beautiful vintage buttons with semi-precious stones and glass beads. More complicated button bracelets – though still not difficult – incorporate two- and four-hole buttons by crocheting the buttons together.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. Pictured above from top clockwise are a memory wire bracelet with three vintage buttons and tiger-eye stone beads; a stretchy button bracelet with a musical theme; and a stretchy bracelet with bumblebees flying from hive to hive.

Plastic Themed Button Bracelet Pattern

To make stretchy button bracelets you will need Stretch Magic Bead/Jewelry Cord and an assortment of themed buttons. Create For Less has a huge selection of themed buttons from babies to romance; all the best brands and at discount prices. (once you get to the Create for Less site, search for “Buttons”.)

You can use buttons only and create a spiral design. This requires a lot of buttons and does not show off cute individual buttons well. Alternatively you can use spacers and beads to separate and show off the buttons.

The buttons here are from the Dress It Up button series made by the Jesse James Company: Tiny Collection Bugs and Music. The bug collection includes bees, dragonflies and lady bugs – really cute.

The music collection has pianos, black and gold musical notes and G clefs.

Each button pack contains enough buttons for two or three bracelets. The musical bracelet uses gold plastic beads as spacers.

The bumblebees are separated by barrel-shaped beads with an etched design that suggests bee hives.

Select your buttons and beads and lay out a pattern. Play with the design until you are satisfied.

Cut a piece of stretchy cord six inches longer than the wrist measurement. Put a paper clip on one end. Vinyl coated or bulldog clips (the springy type you pinch to open) work best.

You may start stringing and find you don’t like the way the pieces mesh. No problem. Unstring; correct what didn’t please you; and restring. When you’re satisfied with your design and the bracelet is the correct length for the wearer; line up the two loose ends side by side and tie an overhand knot (around one finger and back through).

It takes a little practice to get the knot tight against the beads so the cord doesn’t show. If you’re doing this with your kids, you might want to do the knots for them. There’s nothing more frustrating at this point than to lose your grip and have your design work fly all over the room!

Memory Wire Button Bracelet

For this bracelet you will need a few vintage buttons for the center, coordinated beads or stones for the rest. You will also need bracelet memory wire, a few jewelry making tools: wire cutter and a round tip needle nose pliers to loop each end and hold the beads and other pieces in place.

Alternatively you can finish the ends by gluing on an end cap (a small bead with a hole that does not go all the way through).

Lay out your design. Cut a piece of memory wire two inches longer than the wrist’s circumference.

Clip one end as above.

Starting with the center button, string one half of your design.

Check the fit. This way if the length is not half of the wrist’s circumference, you can easily adjust before continuing.

Switch the clip to the other end and string the other half.

To form the end loops, grip the loose end of memory wire with the needle nose pliers.

Wrapping the wire around the pliers will shape the loop, so position the pliers for the size loop you want. Grasp pliers tightly and push the wire away from you and around the tip of the pliers until you have a complete loop.

Notice how much wire was required to make the loop.

Unclip the other end.

Cut off any excess wire and repeat looping process.

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