CREATIVE FAMILY FUN
Button, button, who’s got buttons?
The family button jar is a practical keepsake filled with treasures for creative play and storytelling, too. Like scraps of repurposed fabric in a quilt, each one has its own story of where it came from.
If you don’t have a designated button container, start your own stash of buttons from discarded clothing, spares you no longer need, and odds and ends from garage sales.
Before you begin the simple button projects I’ve listed below, enjoy playing a sorting game with your child. Organise buttons by style and colour in a muffin tin, small zipper-style lunch bags or small jars. STRING A SIMPLE STRETCH BRACELET Choose about 20 standard buttons with holes in their centres by colour, size and shape or create a combination and set out in a line on the table. Cut a piece of elastic for stringing jewellery about 30cm long. Secure an office binder clip 5cm from one end to prevent buttons from slipping off as you thread.
Thread the elastic in and out of the buttonholes, letting buttons overlap slightly as you go. (If there are four holes on a button, thread through just two of them.) Check for fit on your wrist as you near the end. When there are enough buttons to your satisfaction, remove the end clip, fit the bracelet snugly to your wrist and tie the loose ends in double knots. Cut off excess elastic near the knot. TIP: Use green and gold buttons to make an Aussie Olympic supporter’s bracelet.
GIVE A PLAIN WHITE BLOUSE PERSONALITY
Remove ordinary white buttons and replace with a different-style button for every hole. Or switch out the white buttons for a favourite colour. This is an ideal opportunity to teach an older child how to sew on buttons without your help.
MAKE BUTTON “STAMPS” TO PRINT STATIONERY, NOTECARDS AND GIFT WRAP
Choose buttons with 3-dimensional designs and simple patterns, such as a daisy or geometric shapes. With strong craft glue, attach the side opposite the design to a small block of wood or the end of a bottle cork. When dry, press onto an ink pad and stamp away.
Note: Buttons can be a choking hazard for young children (and pets).