35 Fun Things To Make With Thrifted Buttons: Free Craft Ideas!
Buttons can be used for more than just making clothes! They are wonderful for all kinds of fun crafts, too. I’m sure you’ve seen buttons in many shapes, colors, and styles, making them perfect for getting creative. You might have a bunch of buttons left over from old sewing projects, or maybe you’ve got a jar full of special old buttons.
Side note: I recently used my button jar as bingo markers for a kid’s party!
Buttons are a fantastic starting point for making everything from cute jewelry to decorations for your home. Here are 35 clever and fun ways to use all the buttons in your button jar. You’ll be amazed at how these small items can be turned into big ideas!
Simple Crochet Button Necklace
There is a link for a free video tutorial for this button craft fringe on TwistedYarns.com. If you want to download the pattern it’s only a few dollars, and what a great way to use all the buttons you can find!
Button Crochet Key Chain
This fast button craft crochet pattern is a video tutorial. It goes so quickly I can see making lots of these! You could make them as ornaments or embellishments for any occasion.
Wire and Chain Necklace
This button craft necklace is so cute! Imagine using flower buttons or mixing up colors. You could use this as a bag accessory instead of a necklace too; check out the video tutorial at The Corner Of Craft.
Folded Paper Sunflowers
Brighten someone’s day with a beautiful sunflower! Learn how to make these stunning flowers with just paper and buttons!
Tree Wall Art
Celebrate your family tree with a beautiful wall hanging featuring buttons! I love this free button craft tutorial from Crafts by Amanda.
Button Thumbtacks
How cute are these button thumbtacks? Add them to a dollar store corkboard, and you have a darling home bulletin board or cute gift!
Mixed-Media Card Making
Buttons can be a great addition to your paper crafting supplies. It can be the perfect shape for a balloon on a birthday card or even the wheels of a car for your new driver’s memory book. Don’t be afraid to think outside the paper box!
Wrapped Wreath from Yarn and Buttons
I absolutely love this easy wreath you can make with buttons and yarn. It’s a great button craft activity to do with kids or adults!
Crochet Holiday Garland with Button Berries
Use red buttons to decorate a holiday garland. This tutorial from Sum of their Stories shows how to make this crochet garland, but I think the idea can be used in garlands made of so many other materials too!
Button Heart Pillow Wrap
Here’s a sweet tutorial showing how to sew a beautiful pillow wrap with a button craft heart design! Old buttons and a velvet heart applique give it a vintage look that’s perfect for changing up the look of any pillow.
Three Strand Wire Necklace
Have you tried your hand at crochet with wire? I’m sure you could make the same design with yarn or string; I’m not sure how comfortable wire would be. Check out the video on GoodKnitKisses.
Button Stud Earrings
Stud earrings may be the perfect way to show off your favorite buttons or some buttons that hold a special memory. Learn how to make button earrings.
Fridge Magnets
A cute button with a magnet glued to the back makes a sweet gift to hold kids’ drawings on the fridge. This easy tutorial shows how to make magnets with covered buttons, but any big button will work great!
Kids’ Button Bracelets or Necklaces
Buttons are a cute way to add color to any outfit. Grab some string and start adding as many buttons as you want! Here’s a tutorial for a kids’ button necklace.
DIY Button Ornament
Grab your button jar and some plastic ornaments! This is a fun craft to do with kids before the holidays. There’s a free tutorial if you need ideas.
Button Fidget Toy
Make a toy for small children’s quiet play time! This clever DIY toy idea is easy to make and great for working on fine motor skills and colors! Find the free felt and button craft tutorial at Apple Green Cottage.
Gorgeous Fabric Covered Button Necklace
Customize your own covered buttons with your favorite fabrics to make a beautiful button necklace. This is a great summer button craft project for kids and teens.
Bejewelled Vase and Plant Pot
Embellish a vase or pot with buttons, gems, beads, sequins, and embellishments you’ve saved from old Birthday cards. These items are all perfect for this project.
Kids’ Christmas Crafts
Paper, glue, and buttons make fun Christmas crafts for kids. Buttons can be stacked on floral wire to create a fun shape like a tree, wreath, or snowflake! Don’t be afraid to create whatever comes to mind.
Kid-Friendly Holiday Button Wreath
This sweet DIY button craft wreath is glued to a blank art canvas so it is truly a work of art that can be displayed year after year. It’s a cute kids (or grownups’) craft for every season.
Button Embellished Note Cards
Learn how to make darling button embellishments to decorate handmade paper cards. Sum of Their Stories has a free tutorial for the button embellishment and the card.
Nesting Baskets With Button-Down Flaps
If you can sew a little bit, that’s enough to make these darling nesting baskets with fabric and felt. There is no need to trim or hem; sew the two pieces together, fold the corners, and you’ll have a cute felt basket to hold everything from glue sticks to crayons or bobby pins to lip gloss!
Easy Button Bracelet
These easy button craft bracelets are so easy to make. Use them for a party activity, make lots for a class gift, add them to your craft fair booth to draw people in. The free tutorial is easy to follow and you don’t need any special tools.
Button Bouquet Craft
You won’t believe how easy it is to make a sweet little button craft bouquet with an empty thread spool. Hang it as an ornament, or have your class make it as a Mother’s Day gift.
Monogrammed Button Bunting
Use your buttons to make a bunting! This would be cute for a birthday party, anniversary, or just an ‘I love you’ banner.
Toddler Counting Game
Your little one can have so much fun counting and sorting buttons. With the different types and colors, sorting time is endless!
Button Cluster Key Ring
These button cluster key rings are easy to make and so cute. They would also be lovely on a long pendant or as custom bag charms.
Hair Accessories
Need to dress up for a special event? Bows, headbands, and hair clips can be jazzed up by sparkly buttons in no time!
Cute Bobby Pins or Barrettes with Buttons
If you’re into embellished hair accessories, these cute bobby pins are something you should definitely make! Learn how at Easy Peasy Creative Ideas.
Button Flower Pendant
There’s even more jewelry you can make with cute buttons. Learn how to make a button necklace pendant!
Letter Embellishments
Brown paper packages tied up with strings AND buttons! A button closure is such a sweet way to embellish a custom-wrapped gift or love letter.
Shirt Cuff Button Pouches
Look at the cute button pouches you can make from shirt cuffs! This is a great tutorial for teaching kids to sew. They’ll have an adorable pouch when they’re done, and no one has to sew the buttonhole!
Button Clutch Bag
Cover an old clutch bag with buttons for a whole new look. You might find the bag and the buttons at your local thrift store!
Doodle Flower Greeting Cards
This button doodle card tutorial is so clear and easy that you can make these adorable cards even if you’ve never tried doodling before.
Button Earrings
Combine some basic jewelry-making supplies with cute buttons, and you have a new way to show everyone how much you love crafting! Just wear your new button earrings.
More from SewCanShe:
70+ Free Sewing Patterns – New Ways To Organize Everything
50 High Demand Projects that Sell at Craft Fairs: Sew Easy
20 Gorgeous Spring Quilt Patterns: All Free!
Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂