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Stop Light Lens Dish

Make a Button Link Necklace Three Different Ways!

Susan Beal, contributor

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This red vintage button necklace is simple to make and very pretty on!

Susan Beal

I made this necklace using the shrink-art buttons from last week's tutorial, and kept it adjustable in length with a button embellishment at the end of the chain.

Susan Beal

This blue Circles and Blossoms necklace joins vintage buttons with plastic circles all the way around.

Burcu Avsar + Zach DeSart

This red vintage button necklace is simple to make and very pretty on!

Photo: Susan Beal

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I love arranging buttons in patterns and rows, and this simple necklace, linked with oversize jump rings, is the perfect way to play with sequence and contrast. I've made three versions of this one to show how easy it is to customize: Row of Reds, an arrangement of five same-size vintage buttons, Black and White Handmade, a similar style using the black and white shrink-art buttons I made last week, and the blue Circles and Blossoms version from my new book, Button It Up. The red version has a button centerpiece with chain on each side; the black and white one is similar but with an adjustable chain length instead of fixed; and the blue one links buttons and circles all the way around the necklace.

Row of Reds

What you'll need:

• Five sew-through buttons of your choice (for the red version, I used a center one surrounded by two pairs each of other styles, all the same size)
• Large jump rings, two per button (mine were 10mm)
• Small jump rings to join the buttons plus two to join the clasp and ring
• Chain (I used two 5-inch pieces)
• Clasp and ring
• Pliers

Here's what you'll need to make the red version of the necklace.

Choose five buttons you really like.

1. Open the large jump rings and slip one into a button hole. Close it with your pliers. Repeat until all five buttons have closed jump rings through both holes.

Add large jump rings through each of the buttons' holes.

2. You’ll connect each of these buttons in a row of five using smaller jump rings. Join them one at a time, beginning with the center circle and alternating with the matching ones on each side, and so on.

Here are the center three linked buttons of the five.

3. When your five buttons are linked into a chain, they should lie flat with all buttons facing up. If any are backwards, just open the small jump rings and flip the button over so it lies facing up.

4. Add 5 inches of chain (or whatever length yields your desired length of necklace) to each side of the linked buttons, using small jump rings.

Add the clasp and chain using jump rings.

5. Use small jump rings to attach the clasp and ring to the ends of the chain.

The row of red buttons is neatly linked with the small jump rings.

Variation: To make a necklace like the Black and White Handmade version, first follow the directions to make six shrink-art buttons—three large and three smaller—from last week's tutorial.

What you'll need:

• Six handmade buttons
• Large jump rings (10 mm)
• Small jump rings (3 mm)
• Chain with large links that a clasp can pass through (I used 14 inches)
• Clasp
• Pliers

Here's what you'll need to make the black and white shrink-art necklace.

1. Follow steps 1–3 above to create your five-button centerpiece, alternating large-small-large-small-large across.

2. Add chain to each side of the linked buttons, using small jump rings. I added 5 inches to one side and 9 inches to the other, so it could be worn long or short.

3. Use a small jump ring to add a clasp to the shorter end of chain, and a large jump ring to add a sixth button to the longer end. You can slip the clasp through any of the chain links to close it, so it can be worn any length.

This button necklace is adjustable thanks to the longer chain on one side.

Variation: Circles and Blossom

This necklace uses buttons and circles in a repeating pattern all the way around the piece.

You'll make this Circles and Blossoms version with the same type of large and small jump rings, linking seven vintage buttons and eight plastic circles, with no chain on the sides. The complete instructions are on p. 63 of Button It Up.

Button It Up
by Susan Beal 80 Amazing Vintage Button Projects for Necklaces, Bracelets, Embellishments, Housewares, & more $21.95 more info...

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Comments (7)

Beadydani writes: It's gorgeous, I think I will make this for my friend's daughter, she is into this kind of jewellery.
Posted: 5:41 am on June 5th

luluzinha writes: i loved the last one just incredible!!
Posted: 6:25 am on April 30th

Magicgreen53 writes: Thank-you!
Posted: 11:55 pm on April 22nd

studiomarlowe writes: I LOVE the shrink art necklace. Too cool!
Posted: 5:39 pm on March 9th

susanstars writes: thanks so much!
Posted: 4:26 pm on March 9th

gracie_girl writes: This is beautiful! I really find the necklaces attractive. I have a very large [relatively old]cannister of buttons, so I know I have plenty of materials to try this out. I'd wear any of those designs in a heartbeat! Classy and cool!
Posted: 11:17 am on March 9th

Eternal_Clouds writes: that so cool i love the idea
Posted: 9:07 pm on March 8th

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