13. Upcycled Vintage Button & Cord Toggle Bracelet
What This Idea Means
Giving new life to discarded treasures, this eco-craft turns mismatched vintage mother-of-pearl, shank, and brass buttons into a textured statement bracelet connected with durable knotted satin cord.
How to Make It
- Curate Buttons: Select 7 to 9 flat vintage buttons (12mm to 18mm wide) with complementary tones (e.g., cream mother-of-pearl, brass, and carved bone).
- Prepare Cord: Cut two 20-inch pieces of 1mm black or tan satin rat-tail cord. Fold in half and knot at the top to form a closure loop.
- Weave Buttons: Thread the two cord tails through opposing holes of your first button (or through the rear loop if using shank buttons).
- Knot Between Buttons: Tie a tight square knot or simple overhand knot in the cord immediately after each button to lock it in place.
- Complete Strand: Continue threading buttons and knotting between them until reaching desired wrist length. Finish by tying a large vintage metal button at the end to serve as the toggle closure.
Tips & Variations
- Tip: If button holes are small, stiffen the tips of your cord by dipping them in super glue and letting them dry into a hard “needle” tip before threading.
- Variation: Use colorful 1950s Bakelite buttons for a bright retro pop art aesthetic.
What You Need
- Assorted vintage buttons (Mother-of-pearl, metal, shank styles)
- 1mm satin rat-tail cord
- Super glue (for cord tip stiffening)
- Scissors & ruler
