Product Review of the Buttoneer: A Samll Gadget that Works for Craft Projects

It's a nifty little plastic gadget from the 1970's that was heavily advertised on TV. Periodically it gets advertised during holidays. Unlike many As Seen On TV type products that seem like fluff and frill, the Buttoneer actually does work. It's function is designed to attach a button without having to know how to sew. But that's not all it does, and in fact, you can know how to sew and still benefit from having this nifty practical gadget.

The Buttoneer is lightweight and compact. It is about the size of a pack of cigarettes and it is actually easy to travel with. You don't need to buy it through some telephone number on TV either, because it is sold in hundreds and hundreds of places online, and locally you can probably find one in any store that has a sewing department. I have seen them in craft stores, Wal-Mart and Walgreen's and Michaels. They are generally priced anywhere from $8 to $13.

The Buttoneer works on most fabrics. I have used it on felt and vinyl and even thin leather straps. I have used it extensively for attaching buttons to fabric based crafts and also used it to repair a loose or fallen button in a pinch, when I don't feel like taking out a needle and thread, or it is not convenient to do so. The Buttoneer is advertised as being super easy to use, however that is not exactly true. It does take a little practice to get the hang of it. Mostly the practice is getting to know the feel of how far to slide the plastic fastener in the little button gun and in which direction to face it. So, before attaching a button to something important, try doing a couple on a piece of scrap fabric so you get a feel for how to squeeze the plastic gun and how to place the fastener. The plastic fastener is like a long U shape with 2 little smaller U shapes. The smaller U shaped become the plastic that hooks the button to the fabric. The fasteners are about the same strength as those clear plastic hang tags that dangle the prices from a clothing item in the store. You would need scissors to cut it, or you could break your teeth trying to do it, because it is that sturdy.

Using the Buttoneer is easier than threading a needle and it is safe to wash your clothes normally with buttons attached with the Buttoneer. It comes in handy when traveling and fits easily in a small purse or knapsack. The fasteners are clear, so you won't even notice how the button is attached.

If you have a loose strap that breaks, you can use the Buttoneer to quickly repair it. If you suddenly have a fallen hem, you can use the Buttoneer to quick fix it until you can do the right kind of sewing repair. The Buttoneer can be used to apply appliqués to craft projects and also use buttons for decorating clothing, ornaments and just about any fabric craft. The Buttoneer comes with a pack of 50 fasteners, but my advice is to buy a couple of refill packs at the same time you buy the Buttoneer because then you won't have to think about buying them for years or maybe the rest of your life, depending on how frequently you use them. The Buttoneer also comes with a paper of simple instructions, which will need to read because I don't think anyone could figure out how to use the thing unless they read the instructions. It is not that obvious.

I have had my Buttoneer for more than 15 years and that is quite a recommendation because I have used it literally hundreds of times in dozens of different types of applications. It works as good now as the first day I bought it. It is a product well worth the money. The Buttoneer is a valuable tool to crafters and for people who don't know how to sew a button or don't want the bother. I have seen people toss out shirts simply because it was missing a couple of buttons and they didn't know how to replace them. The Buttoneer could have saved their wardrobe.