Here goes that rebel in me -
- just because sewing them on in place may have been in the directions, it might not be the best option for me to follow.
Firstly ( cringe - here goes my confession) I almost Never follow directions and secondly as my intent is to use this on a side table I am concerned if the buttons "wobble" and someone inadvertently places a glass on it, I run the risk of what ever was in the glass being spilt all over the side table and anything else around it. If it were to be used as a wall hanging, I probably would have sewed them on and been done with it. So my primary plan is to make them as stable as can be.