Let's BUTTON up winter!
Is winter over yet?
As the snow and ice storms are ramping up during this after Christmas season, I hear that lament often. Even though there is still time left on the calendar for there to be a LOT of winter, we always hope that a warm spell will extend into a much longer segway into spring. Will it happen?
One of the best ways to use some of those hours inside is to make something in clay in multiples to have on hand….and I propose that making buttons is just the thing to help you "Button Up" the cold days by using up some scraps of patterned clay and let a little sunshine into your life!
The one issue that most people have making buttons is not cutting them out to size, but getting the holes centered in the right place and spaced evenly on each one. I don't care how many times I've 'free-handed' it, they still come out a little off center. Buggers.
That may not be a big issue for some things, but when I want 4-5 buttons all alike to adorn a garment, I really would like it to look like it was done professionally, not by my neighbors 3 year old.
Now buttons have a lot more uses than just as a closure on a shirt. But having the holes centered on EVERY ONE is pretty important for stockpiling them for future uses, like I often do. I never know when I'll be making a shawl or a bag that needs a set of buttons! And I often replace the buttons on sweaters just to give it an 'artsy' flare.
As my friend Jan Edward Montarsi and I were discussing this situation because button making seemed to be on everyone's mind at the time, I tried making a few templates to use. Thankfully he did also, because what he came up with was much better than mine!
Jan graciously gave me the design and settings for cutting them out of plastic and I ran right out and purchased the machine to cut them! Since we incorporated my Clay Punch Cutters™ to make the even holes on the buttons, it made sense to make up a set that has become very popular among artists who need that extra hand to make buttons that match every time.
You can get them HERE…..where there is also a link to a video Jan did showing the best methods for using the ButtonEasy!
#buttons #polymerclaybuttons #makingclaybuttons #toolstomakebuttons #buttoneasy #winterprojects