The cardigans I dyed the other day were just about perfect when I pulled them from the dryer. One is bright orange and the other is a reddish-pink color. Sort of like really ripe watermelon. But the buttons were horrible! So I took another quick trip down to one of my favorite craft supply stores, Joann.
The button aisle can be intimidating, especially if you haven’t brought a button with you for sizing purposes. It’s far too easy to wind up with buttons that will be too large or too small to work with your particular shirt or cardigan. So I carried a button from my button jar that was just the right size and used it to judge the buttons that caught my fancy.
I wound up with hot pink shell buttons (12 for US$1.99) and a variety pack of buttons that had some bright lime green ones mixed in (also $1.99). When I got home, I pulled out a needle and some matching thread and spent a little time sewing new buttons on.
Just a tip: don’t take off the old buttons until you are ready to sew the new ones on. That way you can use each old button as a marker for where the new one needs to go. Also, before you make your final knot, wrap your thread around the underside of your flat-backed buttons (between the button and the fabric) to create a little give – it will make buttoning up a lot easier!
More altered clothing: Dyeing for color: RIT dye
