Sunday, August 8, 2010

Upcycling -- Button Bracelets

A couple of years ago I was visiting my Mom and Dad back in Maine, and hanging out in their shop. My Mom was showing me these really beautiful bracelets that she had been making out of old buttons she had in her shop. She had tureens FILLED with buttons of every kind, material, color, you name it. She said I should try making one.

I spent the next couple of days sitting on the floor in the shop, combing through buttons like I was hunting for Easter eggs. I would pull a button out and say "Can I use this one?" I would get a "Sure, that's fine." or a "No, are you crazy? That one is so rare!" or a "Mmm . . ., well, I GUESS so." Let me tell ya, those rare "Well I guess so's" are the BEST buttons on my bracelet!

Here it is:

I love the color palette, mostly greens and purples, and the exquisite buttons on it. Every time I wear it I get compliments, and people want to know where it came from, so needless to say I have made a few since that first one. But of COURSE, this is my favorite!

All you have to do is buy a stretchy hair elastic (mine I get from a local drugstore, they are about 4" wide and come in black, navy or green. I just pick the color theme, and start sewing on the buttons. Easy peasy!

* * * *
I made the one pictured a couple of years ago--and want to start another.
But what color combination?
Hmmm . . let's take a look at what I've got.

Should the bracelet be blue?


Yellow?


Brown?


Pink?

Black?

Red?


White?

Sparkly?

I am leaning toward blue and brown, or white. What do you think?

I was a little late posting this for Vintage Suitcase Friday over at Thrifty Tickle, but I'll get the swing of these linky parties soon! Go visit and show off your own repurposed or upcycled vintage project!


10 comments:

  1. I love that bracelet and what a nice button collection! Thanks for linking up to Vintage Suitcase Friday!

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  2. What a creative idea Allison!

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  3. those are fabulous....i love bracelets so much:)

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  4. what great colors makes it a wow bracelet

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  5. No prob Thrifty Tickle! I am looking forward to it!

    Thanks Jayne. ;-)

    Welcome, Vic!

    Thanks ShopAnnies!

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  6. I love buttons! They make me think of sitting on the floor playing with scraps while my grandmother sewed. What's the trick to sewing them to the elastic band?

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  7. Hi Jenn--no trick, really, I just hand stitched a chain of them on a few at a time, trying really hard to reinforce them. The only problem with that approach is that since I didn't sew them on individually, if one goes, all the buttons in the chain go. Oops! Thanks for visiting!

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  8. Love your bracelet, I adore vintage buttons! I think you should try out a sparkly theme next :)

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  9. Your bracelet is adorable! What I wouldn't do to have a button collection like your Mom's :) Did you know in Victorian times women made friendship bracelets out of buttons they traded with each other? I made one for my girlfriend with buttons I collected from her family and friends.

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  10. Hi Coco--I do have an actual FABULOUS vintage sparkly bracelet from the 40s. I'll be sharing that post soon!

    Hello Venturas and welcome! No, I didn't know that! What a wonderful tidbit!

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