Jute and burlap are my most favorite natural materials and I am always finding ways to use them in my journals. I recycle burlap rice bags as journal covers.
While I was looking for some natural buttons to go with the burlap covers, I decided to make my own buttons using jute strings. The inspiration for this idea came from Indian jute coasters like the one below.
These coasters are hand stitched which is labor intensive. I took the shortcut of using fabric glue that I have seen effectively used in yarn wrapped projects. While making some of these buttons, I decided to do a short photo tutorial on it. Here are the instructions for making jute buttons
What you will need:
Jute string (comes in various thicknesses and thicker the string heavier the button will be)
Glue (I use Sobo; it is a white glue but dries clear)
Wax paper (makes it easy to remove the button once it is dry)
Embellishments (optional)
Paper towel and a bowl of water (to wash your hands when they get too sticky with glue)
(Please note that this project is messy but in a pleasant sort of way.)
1. Spread a small sheet of wax paper on your working table.
2. Unspool a length of jute string (no need to cut it off the spool) and tie a couple of simple knots at one end (you can also use a bead to tie the string).
3. Pour a few drops of glue onto the paper and spread it into a small circle using a toothpick or a plastic craft knife.
4. Place the knotted end of the string on the glue and begin to wrap the string around in tight circles. The glue underneath will help keep the circle in place but you can also dab a little bit glue on top.
5. Keep wrapping till the button reaches the size that you want. Let it dry for an hour or so and remove from the paper.
And, you are done!
These buttons add a special touch when used in packaging.
Thanks for visiting.
