DIY Fabric Covered Button Necklace Tutorial

Summer is definitely my favorite season, and one thing I love about it is all of the opportunities to dress and accessorize with fun prints and bright colors! Today I’m sharing a tutorial to make your own fabric covered button necklace that will be perfect for summer and beyond!

In my opinion, fabric covered buttons don’t get nearly the credit they deserve! They are super fun to make, and it’s such an easy way to add a completely custom look to a project.

Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores has some really great quilting cottons that are perfect for fabric covered buttons, and perfect for this necklace! The metallic pineapples on the coral background and metallic palm trees on the teal background scream summer to me, and are the perfect size and shape to fussy cut the perfect covered button.

Let’s get to work!

Supplies:
1/8yd (or small scraps) three different fabrics (used in this necklace are Keepsake Calico fabrics here, here, and here)
Covered button kits – 1 1/8” and 7/8” (ensure kit has plain backs included)
chain
jump rings
jewelry bails or spacer bars
lobster claw or other closure
jewelry tools – pliers and cutter
e-6000 glue
felt scraps

*This post was originally created for Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts Stores, who supplied materials and compensation for the project. The content and photography are my own and opinions are genuine.

Beginning with 1 1/8” covered button kit, use plastic guide to fussy cut circle in desired position (this will be center button so choose fabric accordingly).
Place button top on felt, trace around, cut out, and set cut circle aside.
Sandwich fabric circle between button and rubber tool, with button and right side of fabric facing down and cup of rubber tool facing upward.
Press button and fabric into rubber cup, turn over, and adjust fabric as needed to center perfectly.
Tuck fabric ends toward center of button and place flat button on top. Press button back into button, snapping into place.
Pop button out of rubber tool and repeat steps above with 7/8” kit, making 2 buttons from each of the remaining fabrics.
Use e-6000 glue (in a well ventilated area) to attach felt circles to back of each button.
Use e-6000 glue to glue flat jewelry bail or spacer bars to back of each button between a “9 and 3” and “10 and 2” position. The center button bars can be placed slightly closer together. Let glue dry completely.
Use pliers and jump rings to join buttons together in desired order.
Use cutters to cut two strands of chain 8” long each (shorten or lengthen as desired).
Attach a jump ring to one end of each chain and join jump rings to each side of button chain.
Attach a jump ring to one open chain end and a lobster claw to remaining open chain end.