Quick and Easy Buttons

While working on my projects for the Realm of Venus costume challenge, I decided I wanted to try a different way to make buttons for my new muff. Vecellio mentions gold and crystal buttons being used to keep them closed. My digging and research through the Elizabethan Costume Page on Facebook lead me to this lovely piece of documentation.

6/30/14 Note: Katrine De Saint Brieuc was the original poster of this image to the Elixabethan Costume Page on Facebook. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

My next step was the bead store where I found decorative headpins and settled for gold plated beads. Rock crystal was not in stock and ordering it was starting to look expensive. After gathering tools I was able to produce something very similar to these buttons, but the holes in the beads did not allow me to insert the wire back in so deeply.

Beaded Buttons

Materials:
- Decorative headpins for jewelry or non-decorative pins and fancy "caps"
- Large bead of your choice, round ones work well (demo is done with silver plated beads)
- Needle nose pliers
- Wire cutters

Step 1: Place bead (and cap if using on decorative pins) onto jewelry pin.

Step 2: Create a loop at the base of the bead using pliers.

Step 3: Wrap wire of pin around the base of this loop.

Step 4: Clip off any excess wire.

I hope you all feel inspired to make some beautiful buttons!

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