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Button Embroidery Ideas

In this tutorial, let’s explore the world of button embroidery as I show you some ideas on how to transform ordinary buttons into charming floral accents for your sewing projects.

4 buttons embroidered with flowers

But first let me tell you a little story about my obsession with flowers. You see, I’m the kind of person who’d probably embroider roses on my toothbrush if I could. 

I’ve even gone as far as embroidering shoes. Yes, you heard that right – shoes! 

But here’s the twist in my flowery tale. Picture this: there I was, surrounded by my beloved embroidery machine when Mother Nature decided to throw a hurricane-sized wrench in my plans. Suddenly, I found myself powerless – literally! No electricity meant my machine was about as useful as a teapot from chocolate. 

Should I start hand embroidery? Not really my jam. I’m more of a “let the machine do the heavy lifting” kind of person. But there I was, staring at my embroidery machine, feeling like I was in a floral desert.

That’s when it hit me. Why not try my hand at some button embroidery? It’s so simple, so easy, even I couldn’t mess it up. I can create tiny blooms with just a needle, thread, and a bit of determination.

So, while this tutorial isn’t about hand embroidery per se (which is not my forte), it is about adding a little floral flair to buttons. Because even when the power’s out, a girl’s still gotta have her flowers.  

What You’ll Need for Button Embroidery 

  • Buttons (4-hole buttons)
  • Embroidery thread (called floss)
  • Hand sewing needle
  • Needle threader
  • Scissors
  • Fabric or project to attach buttons to

Let’s talk about the treasure trove of supplies you’ll need for this button-flower extravaganza.

First up, buttons. We’re not picky, but four-hole buttons are the superstars here. 

Next, get some embroidery thread. Think of it as the paint for your button flowers. The more colors, the merrier! Go wild and pick shades that make your heart sing.

You’ll need a needle, of course. Nothing fancy, but your regular sewing needle can’t be used. 

Don’t forget the scissors. Any pair will do, as long as they can snip thread without turning it into a tangled mess.

Lastly, you’ll need something to attach your beautiful button blooms to. This could be anything from a plain old shirt begging for a makeover to that fancy cushion cover you’ve been meaning to jazz up.

Now a few words about embroidery thread (or should I say, floss?). I use some green thread for the stems and leaves – you know, to keep things looking natural. Then, I use contrasting colors for the flowers – red, pink, blue, white, yellow. 

Well, about this whole “floss” business. Honestly, the first time I heard embroidery thread called “floss,” I thought someone was suggesting I clean my teeth with it. Can you imagine? “Hold on, let me just grab my embroidery floss to get this popcorn kernel out…” 

But seriously, why is it called floss? While it might sound funny to our modern ears, the term “floss” in embroidery has a long history behind it, completely unrelated to dental care.

Whatever the reason, I find it hilarious that we’re basically doing dental work on our clothes. So next time someone asks what you’re up to, you can say with a straight face, “Oh, just flossing my buttons.” That ought to get some interesting reactions. 

Now, let’s talk about needles. I’ve got quite the collection of embroidery needles, and let me tell you, not all of them are created equal. In my stash, I have these vibrant Singer needles – they’re coming in red, green, and violet. 

vibrant Singer needles

Then there are my Dritz needles, which offer many types, including specific embroidery ones. 

Dritz - collection of embroidery needles

And I also have the Hobby Lobby embroidery needles joining the party.

sewology embroidery needles

I decided to put them all to the test because, well, why not? 

I got smart (well, hopefully) and threaded three needles from three different brands with different colors of embroidery floss. It was a great idea. You see, each button only needs a tiny bit of thread, and I didn’t want to keep changing the thread in my needle all the time.

I used the green thread for all the stems. It was quick and easy to grab the green needle whenever I needed to make a stem. Then, for the flowers, I could pick whichever color I felt like using for each button.

my owl pin cushion with embroidery floss

This setup made my work go much faster. I didn’t have to stop and rethread my needle every time I wanted to change colors. Instead, I just picked up a different needle.

Threading them was a bit of a challenge with the thick embroidery floss, but that’s where my trusty Janlynn threader came to the rescue. It’s a lifesaver when it comes to wrangling that unruly floss.

After trying all three brands, I’ve got to say, I’m leaning towards the Singer needles. They seem to hit that sweet spot I’m looking for – a big enough eye to accommodate the embroidery thread, but still slim enough to weave through the button holes multiple times without causing damage.

You see, in my experience, the needle eye needs to be generously sized for the embroidery threads, but the needle itself has to maintain a svelte figure to navigate those button holes repeatedly. It’s all about finding that perfect balance.

Preparing Your Workspace

First things first – clear off a space on your table, making sure there’s enough room for your materials and your elbows (well, you’ll be doing some fancy maneuvering). Position your chair so you’re comfortable – hunching over buttons isn’t exactly a spa day for your back.

Good lighting is key. I started to embroider in dim light and ended up with what looked like a drunken spider’s web. Not exactly the floral masterpiece I was aiming for. 

When the power’s out, it’s all about working with what Mother Nature gives you. I have my sewing area near two big windows in the room to catch the most sunlight.

On cloudy days, it can be a bit tricky. But hey, necessity is the mother of invention, right? I’ve gotten pretty good at the “hold it up to the sky and hope for the best” method of threading needles.

Speaking of threading, that’s where things get interesting. It’s just me, my slightly shaky hands, and whatever daylight I can capture. I have my great Janlynn threader

my great Janlynn threader

Do you have something like this? It’s about to become your new best friend. 

If you don’t have a threader, don’t panic. You can always do it the old-fashioned way: lick the end of the thread (yes, really), pinch it tightly, and aim for that tiny eye. Just be prepared for a few frustrated sighs and possibly some colorful language.

Once your needle is threaded, tie a knot at the end of your floss, and voila! You’re ready to start turning those buttons into blooming wonders. 

Sometimes, I feel like I’m in some sort of crafting survivor show. “Day 3 without power: Successfully threaded needle using only sunlight and sheer determination. Send help… and more buttons.”

But you know what? There’s something oddly satisfying about creating these little floral masterpieces using nothing but sunlight and stubbornness. Who needs electricity when you’ve got sunshine and a can-do attitude, right?

Button Flower Embroidery: Patterns and Designs

Now we get into the nitty-gritty of creating these little button blooms.

Single flower on a stem

First up, make the stem (green thread). Start by bringing the needle up through the fabric under the button, then down through the left hole. Sometimes I repeat this twice, creating a little green line. Then, mirror this on the right side, again going from the bottom to the right hole twice.

To finish off the stem, make one final stitch from the bottom hole to the top hole. This completes our stem, giving it that classic ‘Y’ shape. 

I embroider the stem in green floss on a button on my blouse

Now for the fun part – the rose! Switch to your flower color. For the flowers, it’s all about the French knot. Here’s how to do it.

Bring the needle up through the top button hole at the top of the stem, then wrap the thread around the needle three times (because good things come in threes, right?). The number of wraps determines how plump your little flower will be. 

making French knot with red floss to create a rose

Then dive back down to the same hole  from where you came up.

Then comes the tricky part – holding the wrapped thread with one hand while slowly pulling the needle through. 

The result? A charming little rose perched atop its green stem. 

There’s no “wrong” way to do this. The beauty of button embroidery is that each little bloom is as unique as the person creating it. 

So, I had this plain white blouse hanging in my closet. You know the type – classic, versatile, but not exciting, and it had 5 plain buttons. It was practically begging for a makeover. Enter my newfound button flower embroidery skills.

I decided to give each of the five small buttons a floral facelift. Armed with my needle, thread, and an unreasonable amount of enthusiasm, I set to work. One by one, those boring buttons blossomed into tiny works of art.

Close-up of a white shirt highlighting the floral buttons

Now, I’m wearing this transformed blouse, feeling like a walking craft project. Each button is a little burst of color and creativity. It’s like wearing a “made with love” label, except I’m the one who made it, and the love is sprinkled all over my buttons. 

me wearing a white blouse with floral button embroidery

This single flower design turned out to be my favorite. I just couldn’t stop making them.

I decided to jazz up a golden button with this design. Here’s a picture if you want to see how it turned out.  For this one, I chose a pretty pink for the flower. It looks like a tiny rose blooming in the sun.

single flower made with pink floss on a golden button

Then I thought, “Let’s try this on a pink button too” So I did. I’ve got a picture of that one as well. This time, I went with a white flower. It pops against the pink background like a daisy in a field of poppies.

hand grasping a red button with flower design is prominently displayed against a redshirt

It’s amazing how changing just the flower color can give such a different look. The pink on gold feels fancy and elegant, while the white on pink is bold and eye-catching.

Three flowers on a stem

Well, it seems I’ve caught the button flower fever, and there’s no stopping me now. After my first blouse success, I set my sights on another unsuspecting white blouse, this time with golden buttons. 

These buttons were bigger, and with plenty of room for embellishment. So, I decided to go all out and create a trio of blooms on each button.

The stem part was the same – green thread, same ‘Y’ shape.

stem of a flower embroidered on a golden button

But then came the fun part. Instead of one lonely flower, I created three French knot flowers, all snuggled up together at the top of each stem. 

trio of blooms on each button of my second blouse

Now, take a look at this picture. The yellow blooms really stand out against the silver background. Isn’t it cute? It’s amazing how a few simple stitches can transform a plain button into something so lively and unique.

Three yellow flowers on a golden button on my blouse

You want to add a touch of “you” to everything you own? This technique is here to help so you can be ready to inject a bit of your personality into any garment.

Pair of Cherries on a Branch

Now we’re venturing into the fruity side of button embroidery. Here is a cherry design I’ve created.

First, I start with the green thread. I’m keeping it simple here – just one line between two holes, but I run the thread through twice. 

Next, I switch to brown thread for the branches. I mirror that green line. Then, I go from the bottom hole to the top hole. I’ve got some branches.

close-up of a hand holding a button on pink fabric sewing brown stem

Now I take my red thread and get ready for some French knot action. Two little knots, side by side, and suddenly I’ve got a pair of cherries. 

A button featuring a vibrant cherry design

Elongated stem design

This time I got fancy with the stem. Let me walk you through this evolution of the design

I start with the green thread, creating that familiar ‘Y’ shape. 

Now, I’m taking it to new lengths – literally! I bring the needle down from the bottom hole, extending the stem beyond the button’s border. 

If the button is purely decorative (you know, just there to look pretty and not actually do any buttoning), I can stitch directly into the fabric below the button. 

A button showcasing a vibrant blue flower with longer stem

But if this button needs to actually earn its keep and close something, no worries. I just loop the thread from the bottom hole back through the button and down the same hole again. 

Whether it’s a working button or just there for show, the result looks the same on the front. 

And then I just add a blue French knot flower to the elongated stem. 

Exploring 9-Hole Button Embroidery

 A few years ago, I was in Joann’s, when I spotted these multi-holed buttons. I bet the button designer was a big fan of Swiss cheese.

9 hole brown button

These aren’t regular garment-closing buttons. Oh no, these wonders are mostly decorative. 

With nine holes to play with, I felt like a kid in a candy store… or more accurately, like a seamstress in a thread store. So many possibilities! With these buttons, it is like having a tiny, circular embroidery hoop right there on my garment.

For my first attempt, I decided to go big with the stem. I used all nine holes to create it. Then came the flowers. Three French knots in sunny yellow, because why have one when you can have three?

A brown 9-hole button with green and yellow thread resembling a plant design on a pink textured background.

Did you find this guide helpful? If you did, make sure to save this pin (located below) on your sewing board so that you can easily access the article later whenever you need this information on button embroidery ideas. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for more tips, tutorials, and inspiration related to sewing, fashion, and embroidery.

button flower embroidery pinterest

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Rosalee

Wednesday 16th of October 2024

i love this idea...cute and seems relatively easy and quick.

Olga Balasa

Tuesday 5th of November 2024

Well ... quick, it depends on the number of buttons!

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