Fabric Button Brooch: A DIY Gift

It's a fact. For most people, the thought of giving or receiving a handmade gift conjures up thoughts of the hats your Aunt Edna made for you as a kid. Somewhat scratchy and ill fitting, and definitely uncool. Or maybe what comes to mind is the painted macaroni tin can pencil holder you made for your Dad in second grade. Well the face of hand made has changed since then. Hand made is definitely hip, even trendy. And the thought of saving money in the current economy makes handmade hotter than ever. But finding hip and trendy projects that you can make yourself isn't always easy.

One easy to make handmade item that is both popular and giftable is the brooch. Brooches can be made from all kinds of interesting materials, from wood to clay, from beads to buttons, even from old bottle caps. Brooches are a fun and often affordable way to add some hip and crafty charm to a jacket or winter coat, a hat, scarf, even a handbag. One my favorite brooches to make is what I call a ruffle button brooch. And all it takes to make one is a needle and thread, a pin back that can be found in any craft store, a button, and a scrap of fabric.

The fun part of the brooch comes in the last two items, the button and fabric. Because one of the great things about handmade, especially with a project this small, is the ability to use materials that might otherwise go to waste. These can be found right in your own closet, at the local thrift store, or in the clearance or remnant bins at your favorite craft or sewing shop. Vintage fabrics, old decorative buttons, wildly discounted yet pretty prints and trims all can find new life in your hands and make wonderful and unique gifts for friends and loved ones.

And while the projects are many with these types of materials, for this project, here is exactly what you will need:

A small scrap of fabric approximately 8" x 8"

A largish button

A small scrap of felt (otpional)

A needle and thread

A pin back

Equipment: A hot iron

The basis of this particular brooch is called a yo yo, so first we have to learn how to make the lowly (yet extremely versatile) fabric yoyo.

Step one: Cut your fabric

The basis for the yoyo is a circle cut out of fabric. The bigger your circle, the bigger your yoyo. The smaller your circle, the smaller your yoyo will be. In general, your yoyo will be about half the size of your cut circle. In my example, I traced around a cereal bowl and cut. Though you could go smaller or larger, depending upon the size of your brooch and how much fabric you have.

Step two: Creating a hem

With your iron, fold over the outside edge of your circle to the inside and press. This creates a nice clean and crisp edge and keeps the fabric from fraying. If you don't have an iron, just try to fold the edges toward the inside as you sew.

Step three: Sewing the yoyo

Sew a gathering or baste stitch through the fold of your fabric on the outside edge. This just means placing your needle in the fabric and back out again in a linear direction. Sew an inch or two and try pulling in your stitches and you will see a ruffle start to form. Exciting, right? Keep sewing all around the circle, keeping in mind that the closer together your stitches, the smaller your ruffles will be, the further away your stitches the bigger. Experiment a little with the length of your stitches, take them out and try again if you don't like how they look. Remember to stitch through both layers of the folded edge so that the cut edge of the fabric will stay inside the yoyo when it is done. When you have reached the end of the circle, simply pull the thread tight and voila! You have made a fabric yoyo. To secure, take one stitch into the inner fold where you you started then put the needle through the yo you to the bottom. Secure with a little knot and do not cut the thread just yet. If you like you can tack down a few points of the center of the ruffle, just to keep the top attached well to the bottom to keep it from shifting.

Step four: Adding the button

Place your button in the center of the yo yo. The button should be large enough to mostly cover the hole that you have made. If it's not, try cutting a small circle of the felt, using pinking or decoratively edged scissors if you have them, and place it beneath the button before attaching. To attach the button, take the needle and thread from the bottom and bring it up through the yoyo, then through the button holes, and back down through the corresponding holes. Repeat as needed to secure the button and tie with a knot at the bottom of the yo yo.

Step five: Adding a felt backing

At this point you could just add the pin back if you like. But if you are giving the item as a gift, a felt backing makes it look a little more finished, and covers up any stitches and knots you made sewing the yoyo and attaching the button. Felt can be purchased at a craft or fabric store for about 20 cents a sheet, so it is well worth the price, especially if you are making more than one brooch. I like to sew mine on, but you could also use a glue gun if that is easier for you. To sew I just take the same needle and thread that I used for the yo yo and button and put it through the center of the circle, then pull the circle up to sit under the yo yo. You can take one additional stitch to secure it to the yo yo or proceed to the next step.

Step six: Attaching the pin back

Take your pin and position it at the center of the brooch. If there is a top or a bottom to your brooch, try to take that into consideration when placing your pin. On the back of the pin there should be little holes. These are like button holes and can be used to secure the pin back with thread. Take your needle and thread up through the holes and down the outside. Repeat until all the holes are secured. On the last hole, push the needle through the felt backing between the backing and the yoyo toward the center but where you can see it. Fold back the felt and take a stitch into the back of the yo you and secure with a knot. Make another knot to make sure it holds. Fold the felt back down to cover your work. Add a dot of hot glue to secure the felt around the stitching if you like, and you're done!

Step seven: Give the gift!

Finding a small box to present your gift can really add to the impression it will surely make on the lucky recipient. If you are making a lot of these as gifts, think about making little hang tags for them that say handmade with love and your name. Punch a little hole in the tag, string with some ribbon or embroidery floss, and attach with a small pin. They will love you for all the thought and effort you put into the gift, and you'll both feel good knowing there isn't another one exactly like it anywhere!