Need to find the perfect button for your latest creation? If you knit, sew or crochet and are interested in making your own unique buttons, consider using polymer clay! Polymer clay buttons are easy to make, durable, come in multiple colors and can be made into any shape or texture.
Making Polymer Clay Buttons: What You Will Need
You’ll need a few things in your studio before you can make polymer clay buttons, including:
- A blunt, large tapestry needle
- A roller and rolling guides — you can use a pasta machine or two strips of cardboard about 3 millimeters thick
- A baking sheet or ceramic tile for rolling out polymer clay and baking it in the oven
- A pencil with an eraser
- Round graduated cutters — if you prefer a geometric shape other than a circle, that works too!
- Polymer clay in the color of your choice, approximately 20 grams, will be enough for six large buttons. We recommend Sculpey Premo™.
How to Make Polymer Clay Buttons in Six Steps
To make polymer clay buttons:
1. Roll Out the Clay
Use an acrylic roller to roll out the clay on a ceramic tile or use a pasta machine to make a 3 millimeter thick sheet. Leave the clay on the tile.
2. Cut Out the Buttons
Use your cutter to cut out the buttons. Make sure you press the cutter down firmly so it reaches the tile below.
3. Remove Scrap Clay
Remove the scrap clay from the cut-out shapes, and leave them in the tile until after baking. This ensures buttons take on a circular shape and avoid distortion.
4. Impress the Center of Each Button
Use the eraser of your pencil to make an impression in the middle of each button. These depressions will hold the thread so it will stand up to wear and tear.
5. Make Holes in the Center of Each Impression
Hold the tapestry needle so it’s perfectly vertical. Make two holes at opposite edges of the impression of each button. The holes should be on the inside of the button’s impression at its outermost edges. Enlarge each hole by rotating the needle slightly in each hole.
6. Bake the Buttons
Always consult the directions on the polymer clay package or the manufacturer’s instructions. Different brands of Sculpey® require different bake times and temperatures. Use an oven thermometer to ensure the oven is at the appropriate temperature and leave buttons on the tile when baking.
Remove polymer clay buttons from tile when cool. Sand the edges of the buttons with sandpaper if you find they are rough.
How to Machine Wash Polymer Clay Buttons
We recommend that you hand wash and hang dry anything with polymer clay buttons on it. Avoid tumble drying clay buttons.
Buy Sculpey® Clay Online Today
Feel free to add interest to the surface of your polymer clay buttons using items around your home or texture sheets. Or experiment with Sculpey® clay colors to create beautiful FAUX stone effects. Whether you want to try your hand at polymer clay buttons, charms, earrings or another project, we love helping you create with confidence and have fun!
