Making and Designing your own Buttons for Knitwear

For several months I have been wanting to make my own buttons for my knitwear. I don't know if you have looked at the price of buttons lately, but they are getting expensive. Sometimes you can't even find the buttons you really want to finish off your knitwear. So I mulled this thought over in my mind for several months now, and I decided to go online and do some research for making my own buttons.
I decided to start with the simplest form, "Oven-Baked Clay." Below are three designs I made using oven-baked clay. You can purchase the clay at most craft stores. To begin you will need clay, a roller, an awl for making the button holes, acrylic paint, and some form of a gloss sealer and finisher. I used the Sculpey brand satin glaze. You can use other embellishments or tools like small rubber stamps for embossing the clay button, glitter, cookie cutters to punch out shapes for buttons, etc... an oven, a glass or metal pan lined with parchment paper or foil to lay buttons on while curing in the oven.

After you have cut out and shaped your buttons and have used your awl for punching the holes in the clay buttons, and have them placed on your pan, they will cure in the oven set at 275 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let them cool down. When buttons are completely cooled, they are ready for painting and embellishing, and glossing.
Here are my first attempts at making my own buttons. I also designed my own button card to place them on. These are fun to make, so I am warning you that this could become addicting.

 A few supplies shown above,........ buttons ready to go in oven below.......

 My personally designed button cards, and finished buttons...... Click on photos to enlarge...

 These orange flower buttons have a light dusting of glitter on them....so fun!

 These white buttons I stamped with a small rubber stamp, can you make out the tea cup and saucer? Be watching for more of my buttons to come, I'm already making new ones. I hope these inspire you to make your own buttons.

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