I have a large container of buttons collected from mother,
grandmother and myself. Wondering what I can do with them--any ideas? Am trying to downsize quilting/sewing supplies. Thanks for any suggestions.

You might want to contact someone from Button Collectors of America? I'm not sure of the name but they collect antique buttons and some of yours might be worth some money. Ordinary buttons do look nice displayed in pretty jars. You can also see if anyone on QB is looking for some. I have a large button box myself that I use. I love buttons, they are miniature works of art!

I'm in the same quandry. Jars and jars of a lifetime of collecting that my dad's girlfriend was gifted with, who regifted them to me. My intent is to make a yo-yo quilt and put a button in the center of each one. Someday...

Oh they would be cute in a glass jar lamp for a sewing room.

Barbara A Love that idea!!!

You should list them on ebay. i use buttons for all my purses and the store gets pricey. I searched on ebay and there were lots listed and all had bids.

I am constantly collecting buttons. I make jewelry, pillows and decorate shirts with them! You might say that I have a bit of a button thing :)

i made a reversible four patch queen size quilt and put buttons on each side in the center of the four patches.
also made a large twin size quilt and put buttons in the center of those, flower shaped buttons because the fabric was floral.
you could make a button Christmas tree quilt to hang for the holidays.

this is a great idea

somewhere i saw a purse covered with buttons also bracelets made of buttons

I would be happy to buy them from you....how many do you have....

I would LOVE to have any buttons anyone would like to rehome. I use them as part of the embelishments on some of my quilts. I'll pay the postage just pm me

I have a pattern for a christmas wall quilt of christmas trees, that I was going to use my mothers buttons collection on.....as the little tree ornaments....

Ditto to the others... I am the unknown "patron saint" of allll buttons that need a new home...LOL

I just put them in jars and enjoy them.

I got rid of all my button collections when I moved... just not enough room or time.... sigh.. I miss them...

NOW... that I dont have them and have an official sewing room..... I've been trying to recollect them from Goodwill/Garages sales, etc... I plan to make @ 3 inch strip of fabric..... doubled and quilted for stability and then glue or stitch an all over button design onto it, and put this up around my little sewing room as if it were wallpaper border..

*sigh* it will take me forever to recollect enough.... but a girl can dream!!

I have used buttons on quilts, crocheted button necklaces, made ornaments with buttons, have a lampshade I embellished with buttons, and have many ideas for all the 1000's of buttons I have.

Google button crafts...first item up is button craft images and there are a bunch of ideas!

If you really don't want your buttons, I see there are many people interested in them...just don't throw them away as I have heard people have done with buttons...some can be quite valuable.

Many years ago the National Button Society had a convention in our town. I found out then just how much money people can spend on buttons. It was fun to go to, and see what types of buttons people collect...and put on boards to display.

Hope you find a way to use the buttons in a memorable way.

I saw a pattern that is a jar with buttons sewed on to look like the button jar!

alot of the secret pal swaps on here like to get buttons, [including me]. tmw

I love buttons, though I don't have but a few. I use to look at my grandmother's sewing things, and thought they were so pretty, and she showed me things that looked like rhinestones. I like telling a story with things that belonged to someone else, and to keep their memory going on. It lets me learn about someone else too. I don't have the money to buy any right now though. But, if someone was just giving them away, I could and would pay postage.

I collect buttons too, I use them as well as mount them in frames to look at. I collect them as I do fabric, and beads!

Another collector here....

when my daughter was younger, i used to do button crafts with her and her friends such as covering jewelry boxes or picture frames. i have made quilts for my nieces and some family members adorned with buttons. my dgd's quilt is covered in bright buttons and bows.

i use to collect buttons and have many "vintage" buttons. i also bought bulk buttons from a manufacturer that was closing. i now give buttons away in the quilt swaps i do on this board. i downsized a lot so i try not to collect any but went to a coupla of estate sales recently and bought buttons. i will give those away in quilt swaps also.

but i do love buttons. my philosophy is i don't wanna be the one who wins for having a lot of collected stuff after i leave this life. i see that in so many of these estate sales that i go to.... tons of stuff that people have collected, most of it unused being sold to the general public. i am so trying to destash myself.

you can sell your buttons on here or ebay. i will probably eventually package up some of mine for sale.

A couple of ideas that have not been mentioned is to glue them on the front edge of an old shelving unit to spiff it up. Also you could make an "I spy" bag for a child using the small buttons instead of beads. This would use up all those plain buttons grandma cut off every shirt that ever hit the pail in a creative and useful way. People will think you are a genius and who couldn't use that kind of praise and admiration. lol

I've done THREE lamps like this & love them! A couple of my girlfriends saw them & wanted one of them too!

I also inherited quite a few buttons and use them on accents for wall hangings, Christmas stockings, appliqued flowers, etc......

I saw a quilt one time that was covered with button. They had placed them it a way that was decorative. You could use the button to accent a quilt. For instance use it in the center of a flower. My niece also used button on a quilt she made with lace satin and buttons as accents. It was beautiful.

That is just what I was thinking!!!

I gave a shoebox full of buttons for my granddaughter in June.
She was decorating with buttons at her wedding. It was very impressive and I had many, many buttons to give her! She had always been fascinated with my buttons from day one. Made my day too!

Saw where somebody used them on the bottoms of bags- nothing too pretty, I guess.

Bless your heart! I've collected buttons for years & can't imagine not having them. Too many memories of playing with them on rainy days as a child. Good luck!

I made a wall hanging to use up some of my mother's button collection. It is a simple way of keeping her close to me.

I wish I could figure out the stuff they used to hold all the things put in this wall hanging. It was Awesome ! Buttons, cars, old circut breakers.. Lots of things were there. Old picture frame.. something like clay to allow things to sink in. arranged specifically. There were several of these sprinkled in the hospital..

This one photographed by cell phone, usually always have my camera, Ronald McDonald room in Kansas City's Children's Mercy hospital.

buttons would be great !

I love buttons....Have an ole glass rolling pin that I put bottons in and set on a shelf in my kitchen,,everybody that comes in the kitchen has something to say about them. So you can decrate them somehow in your house.....right now I'm saving big buttons to sew on a quilt that is going to be made out of squares....I saw this at a quilt show and loved the idea.

If you decide to sell them please PM me!!!!

If you want to sell them, PM me!

I was looking yesteday for some doll/photography items, & came across : http://gluedots.com . They are removable, leave no stain when removed & adhere almost anything to anything. I hope this helps.
(I love the collage picture1)

When my daughter was little, we would buy small bags of buttons then when we got home we would sort them according to size or color or design (sometimes we would string them on yarn just to have fun together) then a couple of years ago one of my guild members asked me if I had any buttons I would let her use to make button bouquets for all the guild members. I brought my buttons to her. She picked out all the pretty buttons and left me with the black and white ones. Still no button bouquets for guild members just the original for her.

So if you're getting rid of some pretty buttons I would love to have some to add to my black and white ones.

I love buttons!

There is a Santa pattern where the beard is all buttons. I've seen it at my LQS. Really cute.

Can make jewerly out of them....like these hairbows i made for my granddaughter. Make an Envelope quilt using a button for each block or do an pic frame, possibilities are endless !

I have taken small black cloth vintage purses and made designs on them with buttons that are similar but not matching - vintage buttons also.