Color-Your-Day Creative

Nature’s palette beckons….

Color-Your-Day Creative

With textile artist Paula Scaffidi fiberella.com

Today, the range of colors on the ground and in the sky is muted; but overall the palette is far from dreary. 
Warm and cool neutrals sing quietly, emphasizing wonderful textures. Nature promises spring with few dashes of sap green here and there, interspersed among russet browns and an amazing variety of lovely tans and grays.

Winter grasses provide a spectacular tan-near-apricot hue, more beautiful because it’s raining.

What color palette is outside your window today?

MAXANT Button Covers Size 45 yield a 1 and 1/8” button which are perfect for small pins to wear, for use as a single button or two on apparel, as earrings, on pillows or handbags …really any project your’d like to embellish.

A Fiberella Simple Project

Artsy Easy Buttons

Have you ever admired a beautiful button? Who doesn’t love to have sensational buttons on hand to create with? My sewing room admittedly holds more than a bit of button treasure; boxes tucked full, and some buttons so old they were once worn by my great grandmother, my grandmother or my Mom. I enjoy pawing through them, selecting just the right finishing touch to an ongoing project. Changing buttons on readymade apparel is a quick and fun way to personalize your wardrobe. Sometimes, a very special button style may even inspire an entire sewing project. Without any added effort, these Artsy Easy Buttons are wonderful worn as pins and as a way to give the gift of color to your friends. 

It’s easy to make your own artistic custom buttons. Got only a few minutes here and there? Need a bit of textile fun in your day? Artsy Easy Buttons require few supplies, take minutes to create, and best of all, the experience will ensure that your day is a colorful and creative one. Pass it on and enjoy!

What interesting colors are outside where you are today?

MATERIALS   Notions & Tools

• 8” square Doupioni silk  
• Doupioni silk scraps
• Isacord thread
• Size 75 Schmetz Embroidery needle
• 9” square OESD Aqua Mesh
• 8” square OESD  Lightweight Aqua Film
• Button Covers size 45m 60 or 75
• A sheet of plain paper and a Sharpie marker
• A few pins
• Sharp scissors
• Tweezers
• A button cover kit or two - I recommend MAXANT in size 45, 60 or 75

*YIELD 5 or more buttons, depending on size

Isacord thread and silk scraps reflect colors of the day. I never miss an opportunity to add a bit of silk fabric or nuanced thread colors to my studio stash. What color treasure to have on hand! 

Bias cuts ensure my little confetti squares won’t fray much. 

Yup! Looks like the color mix outside my window.

Time to scatter confetti …

Confetti always makes me feel happy! 

To make it easier to snap button covers closed, use tweezers to redistribute confetti a maximum of two deep. 

Notice the background color is part of the mix, above brown, below in gray. I couldn’t resist trying out the same confetti blend on two different base fabrics.

With OESD Aqua Mesh below and OESD Aqua Film up top I’m ready to stitch.  

Your goal is to “net” the entire surface with open stitching.

There’s nothing like a good soak. I changed the water twice and did a hearty rinse with a spray wand at the end.

Here’s my brown base “color field” clean and air dried. I used all my thread selections, and on my trusty BERNINA, minimized stitch overlaps with pivots, parallel stitching and at the end, adding short segments to fill in the last little overlooked areas. I tied-on and off each time.

Here I’m making an apparel pin, using the size 75 MAXANT button cover.

Cut a preview window the size of your button, not the template size to find your happy spot.

This is the size 45 I used with my gray base.

OK. So the manufacturer directions do not suggest using a tiny hammer. IF you’ve used more than two confetti layers deep, you might need just a very light tap on the blue pusher with it. Be very gentle with the hammer and take great care to avoid your precious fingers!

I love size 75 as an apparel pin. It’s a little universe of color… a day to remember.

Enjoy the colors all around you!

View Paula Scaffidi in the Fiberella Studio for additional Artsy Easy Button tips and techniques at http://www.fiberellastudio.com/stitch.html

Join Paula Scaffidi for LIVE eLearning workshops at www.fiberellaStudio.com

Register as a solo participant or contact Paula@fiberella.com to host or co-host a special Fiberella eLearning Group Event for your shop customers or guild members.