Button Clutch Bag

Cover an old clutch bag with buttons for a whole new look.

I am SO excited to have this ready to share with you all today. This has been a long old time in the making! 

I first thought I'd like to cover a bag wth buttons several years ago. I keep my eyes open in charity shops thinking I might see something suitable, then thought maybe I should just make a cloth bag myself. Then in April 2015 I took a long haul flight in premium economy. Premium economy was fab, well worth the small amount extra it worked out....but this is not a travel review. On the overnight flight we were given little bags with a few toiletries. Very nice, very handy and a nice little clutch bag to take home and transform!

It was a grey felt with a button fastening and fully lined on the inside.

Next I needed to decide what buttons to use. I thought about nice bright ones.

Then maybe metallic buttons, which I liked but I didn't have anything like enough. Also most were buttons with shanks which would make the little clutch bag too bulky.

So I settled on pastel coloured pearl type buttons. I had loads and most are the inexpensive kind that had come off old shirts. 

This is a pretty simple makeover / refashion.

You simply sew the buttons on.

Ha ha! So quick to type, SO time consuming to do!

The main things I learnt, i.e. my top tips are: 

• You will need WAY more buttons than you would think. I thought I had loads but ran out and had to wait to source some more from old garments and charity shop purchases.

• Use regular sewing thread but have it double for strength.

• Don't have your thread too long, it will catch on the buttons. Just accept you will have to cast off and start a new length of thread often.

• It's a little tedious, so sew the buttons on whilst watching tv.

• This is not a quick craft, it will take ages. That's ok, not everything has to be instant, not all crafts are quick.

• My bag had an elastic loop to secure it. I simply swapped the button it fastened to for one with a shank.

• Your bag will be significantly heavier with all those buttons attached.

Just the right size for my phone, lippy, cash and keys. Perfect for a night out.

I did cover both sides of the bag, the back is the same as the front. I think I've mentioned before I like the back to have pattern or design too otherwise I feel cheated. I guess that may be why it took so long and used so many buttons! I guess if you are not so fussy and are happy with a plain back then this would be both quicker and use less buttons.

Even quicker would be to just cover part of a bag, maybe just the flap, or a panel if your bag had one. Or you could just add buttons in a strip either to one side or down the centre. 

After all this time, and it's been about 2 years in all, I am super pleased with my button clutch bag. It's very reminiscent of the amazing outfits of Pearly Kings and Queens from London.

I’ll be sharing this project at these link ups