Assorted Handmade Resin Buttons
Buttons. Those things we use to close our shirts and fasten our pants. Hardly worth a second though, right? Au contraire. Buttons have a storied history not just as functional wardrobe accoutrement, but also as decorative ornamental crests signifying everything from military service to royalty. Buttons have a long and storied history (I know, who knew?), and have been made of precious metals and gemstones and revered perhaps more than you know…
Buttons have been around for thousands of years, and initially were thought of more as decoration or jewelry than function. Early ornamental buttons replaced fasteners that were pins or broaches and were made out of a variety of materials including wood, stone, metal and bone. Later, buttons became more functional as fasteners of clothing, but “still a far cry from the slim, functional buttons” we associate with clothing of today. *
Handmade Resin Buttons – Colorful & Practical
Making your own colorful epoxy resin buttons adds panache to any wardrobe or fashion accessory. Easy-to-use silicone button molds and colorful resin pigments are available online or at craft and hobby stores. Once you have those, all you need is art resin, a little instruction, a few tools (safety goggles & gloves, stir sticks and mixing containers) and any small “trinkets” you’d like to add to your buttons such as glitter, tiny beads, bits of wood or metal, seashells/sea glass or whatever strikes your fancy.
Casting resin buttons in silicone molds is as much about creativity and experimentation as it is about the fasteners practical use. After all, epoxy resin is a very versatile material with the ability to mix with so many colors and objects; and then curing to a solid durable hard-shell finish that will make your creations pop! Plus, the handcrafted buttons will be machine washable too.
Colorful Tote Bags in need of Epoxy Resin Buttons!
Aside from functional and decorative use on clothing, homemade buttons are a great way to adorn accessories such as tote bags, backpacks, book bags and other carryall items. Larger buttons may be crafted with keepsakes and mementos encapsulated within – creating a mobile display of treasured memorabilia – to show others and keep pieces that evoke fond memories close at hand.
Over the years, buttons have been made out of many materials – from stone, glass, metals and ceramics – evolving to today’s plastics and polymers. The common denominator, however, is that those early buttons were handmade and both decorative and functional – just like the epoxy resin buttons that you may handcraft today. And isn’t that fasten-ating?!?! Happy Crafting!!!
