A button bouquet
Aren’t these great? This image is from an old copy of Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion (August / September 2004). Vintage or new plastic buttons twisted on to strands of florist’s wire make a quirky and easy to construct boquet. We managed to pick up a couple of jars of old buttons cheaply in an antique store, though I know you can buy bags of cheap colourful buttons at most habedashery or craft stores (or try ebay) — these don’t have to be anything special, just various colours and various sizes. Here are the basic instructions at PBS Kid’s site. Here are some of my basic instructions for multi-tiered stems with very dodgey photos on a grey day:
You will need:
Buttons
Pliers (optional - depending on the thickness of your wire)
Mid weight florist wire in 30cm+ lengths (I had to buy several different thicknesses before I found the right kind)
A small glass bottle or vase
1. Thread the first button onto the wire, then twist the wire back through a second hole in the button.
2. Thread another button on and then twist the wire underneath so that they stay in place.
3. Add more groupings of buttons and twist underneath each.
4. Place stems in a vase and arrange!
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i’d love to make these for myself with some vintage buttons. would be great for gift decorations too.
deborah May 31st, 2006 11:14
these are fantastic! this one’s going into the idea-bank.
alli coate May 31st, 2006 11:48
I LOVE THESE! I currently live in Japan but this idea is going into the memory bank for when I am teaching again back in Melbourne. What fun. Such colour and beauty from such a simple idea!
Ellen May 31st, 2006 12:21
adorable - fabulous idea - again!
Andrea May 31st, 2006 17:39
they are just gorgeous!!! I am going to make some for my desk!!! Too bad kiddies, I think the Mum’s might want to make these for themselves!!! Or better still why don’t you make some for your Mum!
madame butterfly May 31st, 2006 20:57
What a great idea! It have never crossed my mind!
soni May 31st, 2006 21:52
My friend Mollie made some of these. I will add some shots of them to the kiddley flickr group.
christy June 1st, 2006 00:36
This is a fantasic idea. I’m off to source old buttons on ebay now. I love it.
Anna June 1st, 2006 04:24
such a brillant craft - it’s already bookmarked and schecky and I will start looking for buttons to squirrel away for a rainy day!
Thank you for this!
LLA June 1st, 2006 05:12
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ask the sky June 1st, 2006 06:11
what a fantastic idea! but i wouldn’t expect anything else over here.
mrspilkington June 1st, 2006 09:33
I love these. I made one back when I got the magazine..I have a picture of mine on Flickr in corners of my home pool…
Thanks for posting it and for the tutorial..they are so much fun to make!!
Dawn June 1st, 2006 21:49
My girls are going to love this one.
paula June 2nd, 2006 02:41
I think these are just great. A little kitschy and fun, and not too hard to make. I will definitely be doing them with my day camp kids (ages 8-11) this summer. I am glad I already have the kids collecting old buttons!
liz June 2nd, 2006 03:06
those are adorable!
i’d also just like to say that i love the new site. what a wonderful idea. best of luck with this lovely project.
honestyrain June 2nd, 2006 03:15
YES!!! Now THIS idea I like!!! thanks for sharing!
Jen June 2nd, 2006 13:12
How cute! My daughter will love it.
Loretta June 3rd, 2006 01:44
Oh my goodness, these are fabulous!!!
wilsonian June 3rd, 2006 10:56
[...] - I was wondering how many pictures I am in that belong to other people. How many other people have photos of me and Andrea hugging Donald Duck or on the flying airplanes at Busch Gardens? Just wondering. Actually, this site made me think of that. - Even though I don’t have kids (perhaps it’s the teacher in me) I love loobylu’s newest craft site— Kiddley. I really want to make these awesome button flowers. [...]
funkylindsay.com! » Blog Archive » random thoughtliness… June 3rd, 2006 13:03
These are just great! My grandma made a lot of dolls clothing and had a ton of buttons (like a whole coffee can full) and when she passed I couldn’t stand to have them thrown away. I have since then added another ton to them and didn’t know what to do with them until now… The great thing is that if I want to use one for a shirt or a bag or whatever, I still can! Yeah! Thanks for the good idea!
Kristin R June 9th, 2006 15:20
I instructed moms/daughters at a church Mother-Daughter dinner with this craft. It was a big hit! We wrapped floral tape, beginning just under the flower and spiraling down the stem to the bottom. About 1-2″ below the “flower” we added a silk leaf, catching it in the tape to attach. The tape protects the sharp points at the end for little fingers.
Katy K. August 8th, 2006 03:58
[...] Nope, these are are button flowers. I’d seen the idea on Kiddley,a while back. Maria’s great One hour crafts site provided a much-appreciated reminder about these little cuties. I followed the instructions on the ZOOM page at PBS. [...]
I knew that! » Button mums? Bachelor buttons? August 20th, 2006 04:56
[...] Other Button Crafts and Buttony Goodness: Lisa Kokin: Button Artist A wondrous button bowl, on Flickr. Buttonarium: the amazing online button museum. Who can forget Martha’s button clock? Wonderful button bouquet, from Kiddley. Clutch o’ Buttons, by Evelina, on Craftster. Martha’s button cards. Martha’s button magnets. « CraftyPod #32: Adorn Magazine, with Linda Permann CraftyPod #34: Craftypreneur Roundup #2 » [...]
craftypod.com » CraftyPod #33: All About Buttons December 5th, 2006 09:31