Fabric Button How-To Series: The Many Varied Uses of Fabric-Covered Buttons

One of the growing trends in monogramming and embroidery is the use of fabric-covered buttons as an accessory for a number of items, from clothing to purses to shoes. Many small embroidery shops have begun to offer a selection of fabric buttons, including custom monogrammed buttons. With a professional grade button machine, a small embroidery shop can quickly expand its product offering with a fun and versatile fabric button that has a number of uses. This post is the second in our week-long series on fabric buttons.

Yesterday, we gave you a brief introduction to fabric buttons and discussed a few pointers for choosing the right fabric. In today’s post, we will discuss the wide variety of uses for fabric-covered buttons that can easily be made with the right equipment, like your own professional button machine.

The Many Varied Uses of Fabric-Covered Buttons

Most button making machines are manufactured to produce pinback buttons using regular printer paper. Fabric is a completely different type of material than paper. It is important to have a button maker calibrated properly to accommodate for the challenges in making a button out of fabric material. Proper calibration ensures the fabric button machine will produce consistent quality buttons throughout its life.

With a little creativity and the right equipment, an embroidery business can expand their offering of fabric-covered buttons and sell a large variety of novelty buttons with a number of different applications. After cutting the fabric to a specific size with our Circle Cutter or Fabric Cutting Press,  a number of different options such as the type we offer on our website www.AmericanButtonMachines.com, can be pressed onto the back of the button to make several different products.

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Using a 1” Button Making Machine to Make Keychains

[Note: If you’re thinking to yourself, “Hey! I’ve seen this post before!” you might be right. This post was originally published on December 15th, 2008. We are cycling it back to the front of the blog so our new readers are made aware of it, as the content is no less relevant today. And besides, it’s always good to review…]

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A button making machine has a number of uses not limited to only producing pinback buttons. There are a number of other novelty items that can be quickly and easily produced with a 1” button maker machine. The front part of the button (clear mylar, graphic and front shell) always stays the same. Basically you just change the components on the back of the button to make a wide variety of novelty items such as keychains, refrigerator magnets, zipper pulls, earrings, tie tacks and more.

The process for making a novelty button with a 1” button making machine is extremely quick and easy. After you have designed your button graphic on a computer and printed it, you will need to cut the graphic out. To accomplish this, you can use our Circle Cutter, Punch Cutter or High Volume Die Cutting Press to cut your graphic to the perfect size for the front of your button. Gather the remaining button making supplies including the mylar laminate, front shell and the collet for the back. Continue reading