These small embroidered buttons are a great way to show off your embroidery skills. The covered button kits make the covering process so simple. You could also make plain covered buttons without the embroidery like I did for the red buttons on my Anna Tunic Project. If you're not embroidering your buttons just skip ahead to the last step.--Molly

• A 5/8" Cover Button Kit. The 5/8" size is good because it's small but not too small to embroider on. There are 6 buttons per kit.
• A water soluble marker
• A ball of Valdani embroidery thread
• 1/4 yard of Kona Cotton (I used "Curry") or Color Spectrum
  
• A 6" embroidery hoop
• An embroidery needle
  

The back of the Cover Button Kit has a template outline printed on it. Cut it out carefully.

Trace the template 6- 10 times on to your fabric, at least 3" from the fabric's edges.   I like to prepare for more buttons than I'm actually making so I have room to mess up.

Center the button shell in each circle and trace around it. This will be your embroidery area. (As a side note, can you find me in the above picture?)

And now draw your design inside of each inner circle. I drew little flowers but you could do whatever you like: initials, animals, fruits, hearts, stars... anything you can fit into a 5/8" space.

Center the circles in your embroidery hoop and pull the fabric tight like a drum.

Thread your embroidery needle with an 18" length of embroidery thread. You do not want to add any bulk behind the embroidery so just tie the simplest of knots at the end of the thread.

Now, using a simple back stitch, embroider the flowers. If you are new to embroidery check out our Embroidery Tutorial.

After the embroidery is done pull your thread through your work on the back and snip the thread. There is no need to tie a knot.

One you have six embroideries that you're happy with you'll be ready for the next step.

Cut out the circles from the fabric. Spray these little medallions with water. The blue lines will magically disappear. 

Iron them to dry them out.

To assemble the buttons follow the illustrations below:

Pusher

Back

Mold

Button Shell

Fabric  

Center the Fabric on top of the Button Shell

Stuff the Button Shell and Fabric (embroidery side down) into the Mold together.

Tuck the Fabric's edges neatly inside of the Button Shell

Place the Back squarely inside of the Mold

And then place the Pusher on top of the whole thing

Push the Pusher down firmly. Try to apply pressure evenly. You should hear a little pop when the whole thing comes together.


Pull the finished button out of the Mold. Here is a picture of what the back should look like:

Repeat six times and you'll have six beautiful handmade buttons!