Some friends were over the other day, and I showed them how to whip up some fabric-covered thumbtacks and magnets. (See the
tutorial here.) For the magnet version, you'd obviously glue on a magnet instead of a thumbtack.
I had some 1/2" magnets I got at Walmart a long time ago, and used 3/4" buttons to glue to them. You can get buttons to cover at your local fabric store, or order some
right here. They're so satisfying to make that one of the girls sighed wistfully, "I wish I could make these all night long."
Some friends were over the other day, and I showed them how to whip up some fabric-covered thumbtacks and magnets. (See the tutorial here.) For the magnet version, you'd obviously glue on a magnet instead of a thumbtack. 
I had some 1/2" magnets I got at Walmart a long time ago, and used 3/4" buttons to glue to them. You can get buttons to cover at your local fabric store, or order some right here. They're so satisfying to make that one of the girls sighed wistfully, "I wish I could make these all night long."
Those are too cute. I wonder if fabric covered bottle caps would work too!
ReplyDeletevery cute and so much more interesting that a plain old magnet.
ReplyDeleteI'm obsessed with magnets ... I buy 1" pins from etsy all the time, pull or cut the pins off the back and glue magnets to them. I've done the same with my commerative penny collection (you know those machines at touristy places that charge you $0.50-$1 to materially and irrevocably (yikes, spelling?) alter a penny to look like said touristy site?).
ReplyDeleteLove these!
ReplyDeleteLove these magnets! I can hear the oohs and ahhs... I made them into pushpins like you also showed for some gifts for Christmas... the possibilities are endless. :)
ReplyDeleteLove them! I made fabric thumbtacs and wished I could go on and on, but ran out of the buttons.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work. Love your blog - you're an inspiration!
Oh yeah! Super easy tutorial. I am so glad you posted the directions first then the pictures second -- it was instant knowledge for me, and usually it takes me a couple of readings to really "know" the directions.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to make some of these!
oooh, how fun. I need to do this too!
ReplyDeleteHeh, where are all the excited boy comments? :)
ReplyDeleteI love these too!
Signed, another girl. X
This is such a cute idea! I have so many scraps left over from testing screen prints that look horrible as a whole but as a handful of button-sized magnets they would be adorable! Thanks for helping me clean up my studio space :P
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking of doing just this. I've got a magnetic art strip that needs some pretty magnets to fancy it up.
ReplyDeleteYour tutorial on thumbtacks is featured on Apartment Therapy again today, via Design Sponge. Jess, you're everywhere all the time!
ReplyDeleteHello
ReplyDeleteI have just come across your blog and its amazing - can't wait to start making a few bits!!
love Sam x
Amanda, what would I do without you to tell me these things?? I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteIt is much cheaper to buy in bulk from coverbuttons.com, and you can get them without the little hooks on the back (which I normally have to remove with pliers). They have all different sizes.
ReplyDeleteI love the thumbtacks and magnets! I made the magnets for valentine's day using this fabric http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?page=JC/PROD/1030_08/1030-003095-007
ReplyDeleteCara, great tip! Thanks a ton!
ReplyDeletewhat a fun idea. I love finding ways to use scraps of fabric. I like to use them on my books! so fun!
ReplyDeleteThose look great and would be perfect for using up the fabric scraps that I have lying around (just can't bare to throw them out).
ReplyDeleteI made some hair clips using covered buttons but the hot glue didn't hold them on very well. What other glue would you suggest trying? Thanks in advance.
ReplyDeletehaha, now i know what i'm doing this weekend =)
ReplyDeleteThis is just such a perfectly cute idea! It would make great gifts - especially dorm room gifts for family members that are heading off to their first year of college!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing! I'm looking forward to feeling less guilty about generating quilt scraps.
ReplyDeleteThe Buttons to Cover also make adorable earrings too. After covering them you simply use metal craft glue to attach an earring post (found in beading and jewelery departments) to the back, and voila! I have a lot of these kinds of earrings!
ReplyDeleteI discovered these a couple weeks ago, and it inspired me to start an Etsy shop selling them!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to let you know that I have credited you with my inspiration on my brand new Facebook page for my Etsy business: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mernsley-Magnets/164043873763269
I hope you don't mind :) and over the next few weeks I will be working on expanding my shop inventory and gaining Facebook fans.
-Ashley (of Mernsley Magnets)
I just made my 1st fabric covered button last night, and I can't stop looking at it... they are so much easier to make than I though they'd be and look so adorable! I see a lot of cute magnets in my fridge's future :)
ReplyDelete