For a crocheted top that I designed, I needed crochet-covered buttons, and when I saw how beautifully they came out, I immediately got the itch to try the pattern with different sizes of buttons, and voila!
These are so versatile and I have so many ideas how to use them, my brain is literally bursting at the seams 🙂
For my “button” project I chose 4 sizes of buttons, one of which goes to the extreme, but that one proved to be my newest and best canvas for creative expression.
To cover buttons, use sport yarn and a 1.9mm / 2mm hook. The recommended hook for sport yarn is a 3.00mm hook, but we want our stitches to be tighter and compact, hence the smaller hook.
Pattern (in American terminology)
Foundation and round 1: ch5 and join to make a ring. Sc2 in each chain (not in ring) (10).
Round 2: sc1 in 1st st., sc2 in next. Repeat this pattern around. (15)
Round 3: sc1 in first two stitches, sc2 in next. Repeat this pattern around. (20)
Round 4: sc1 in first three stitches, sc2 in next. Repeat this pattern around. (25)
Now, this is important. Whatever the size of your button, crochet as many rounds that will fit your button. Place the button onto the crochet circle and if it is the same size, stop increasing there. Make another round of sc1 in all stitches. In the next round, sc1, sc2tog. Insert the button after this round. After that, sc2tog until there are 5-6 stitches left. Cut yarn, weave a threading needle and sew the remaining stitches in a zig-zag manner. If you sc2tog to the end, the back will become bulky and you don’t want that to happen.
For example, for the pink button in the pictures below, I needed to crochet just the first two rounds and ended up with 15 st in the round. From there, I sc1 all around, and sc2tog to nearly the end (as described above). Another thing I might mention is that I always insert the button with its face up – where the back of the crocheted piece is going to be. And that is it! As easy as a pie!
Have you tried crocheting over buttons? What’s your experience?
