Button Jewelry Ideas

• Buttons give a jewelry project more distinction than beads. C Squared Studios/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Buttons provide a dual role when it comes to fashion: they're both extremely functional and can be quite decorative. This decorative and unique quality that some buttons have makes them a suitable addition to jewelry projects as they have the right size and shape. There are numerous projects you can incorporate beads into or others that are exclusively for buttons.

Multi-Strand Necklaces

• Buttons look particularly good on a multi-strand necklace. Buttons lay flat, so this type of necklace is an effortless way to showcase particularly striking buttons. Thin silk cord holds together the necklace, while the buttons thread through the cord, which is knotted at various places. You decide how close or how far apart you want to space them and how long or short you want the cords to be, as well as how many you want to use. Buttons also give this traditional style necklace an edgy alternative flair. Stick to one type of button and color or mix it up; it all depends on your desires.

Bottle Cap Button Pins

• These pins are particularly inventive because they incorporate both buttons and bottle caps---two items you don't often see in pieces of jewelry. You simply save metal bottle caps and wipe them clean. Select small buttons that you would like to decorate the underside of the bottle cap with. You can position the buttons so that they create shapes and images on the inside of the bottle cap or just glue them down randomly. Fill any empty spaces with tiny rhinestones. Finish the project by gluing a pin back to the other side of the bottle cap.

Button Rings and Earrings

• Sometimes the best jewelry is the kind with the simplest design. Showcase an antique or rare button by simply gluing or wiring it to the setting of a ring. Instead of a precious stone, the button will act as the foremost adornment, making for an unusual piece of jewelry. You can easily do the same with earrings; display a pair of buttons that are vintage or handmade by attaching them to the metal hooks or posts of earrings. The design is minimalist yet creates a totally original piece of jewelry.