Our solution for a common issue with fabric covered badge reels

One of our hottest, most popular products is the fabric covered badge reel. Not only are they fun and easy to make, but they extraordinarily useful for anyone who needs quick and easy access to a badge throughout their day.

A good example of of this is nurses, with whom monogrammed badge reels are especially popular. Unfortunately though, some hospitals are not too keen on nurses wearing buttons covered with fabric while on the job.

But wouldn’t you know it…we have a solution!

» read more

Button Ups: Some Helpful Button Making Dos (and one don’t…)

Everyone has heard of the phrases “thumbs up” and “thumbs down.”

When you agree with something, or when something is good, you give it a thumbs up to emphasize your agreement. When you disagree with something, or when something is not good, you give it a thumbs down to emphasize your disagreement.

Well here at American Button Machines, we do this…but a little differently. And – surprise, surprise! – our version of it includes buttons.

When something is good that we like, we say button ups! And when something doesn’t meet our approval, we say, button downs. And yes, we actually have “up” and “down” buttons here at the HQ that we sometimes use for extra emphasis.*

Today, we are going to highlight a few specific button ups (and one button down) that we’re thinking about as another week comes to a close.

» read more

Make your own chunky necklaces!

I know what you’re thinking: wait, you mean a button machine merchant can help me make necklaces?

You bet we can!

Not only do we have a 1.5″ necklace kit that works with paper or fabric buttons, we also have an adjustable necklace you can use to proudly and fashionably wear your button necklace.

And that’s not all.

We are actually the only place where you turn your incredible, wonderful, charming buttons into a chunky necklace that will make you the envy of buttoneers everywhere!

» read more

So Many Options with 6″ Buttons

One of the most commonly asked – and important – questions that we get from potential button makers is: what size button is right for our project? It’s a great question. With so many different button size options available, it can be hard to narrow it down and choose the one that perfectly fits your particular project.

While the 2.25″ button is the most common and versatile button size that we sell, it is just one of many. In today’s post we are going to talk about a button size that doesn’t get enough credit or pub; but hey, even big buttons need love too.

So here are a variety of uses for the 6″ button.

» read more

Button University Lesson 9: Fabric Button Machines and Systems

Welcome back to another installment of Button University Lessons! In Lesson 8, we showed you some quick videos and outlined step-by-step button making guidelines, reconfirming the simplicity and speed of our machines. Today, we are going to talk a little bit about fabric covered buttons.

Our Fabric Button Machine allows you to make your own fabric buttons or ponytail holders! In fact, Using our large eyelet two-piece button sets, fabric covered buttons can be attached to shoe laces, flip flops, shoe charms, hair ties & more!

There are a couple of machines that we have that will cater to whatever needs you have. Here are the details on those machines.

» read more

Monogrammed Buttons Offer a Solution for Embroidery Business Expansion in Three Easy Steps

Custom monogrammed buttons are growing in popularity and it’s easier than ever for embroidery shops and monogrammed gift businesses to get in on the action.

Fabric buttons are extremely versatile, but most manufacturers do not offer any options for their customers. Thus, your embroidery business or monogrammed gift shop has a solid chance to capitalize on the opportunity. With inexpensive supplies and a quick, easy process, the high profit margins custom monogrammed buttons offer is an excellent way for a business to expand.

» read more

Using Adjustable Circle Cutters for Buttons, Crafts, Projects

At American Button Machines we pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for any supply you may need for a wide range of button making projects. What a lot of our visitors and customers do not realize is that many of our products also have useful functions outside the realm of button making.

While our usual focus on this blog is to revel in the wonderful world of buttons, we are actually going to – don’t be alarmed – take a brief step outside of button making to discuss the most versatile product that we sell: adjustable circle cutters.

Obviously the circle cutter tool is a prominent product in our overall line of button making supplies and accessories because it is perfect for cutting circular graphics and photos for making pinback buttons. However, the purpose of this post is to help you step outside the button making box and understand the wide variety of additional projects for which a circle cutter tool can be a perfect tool.

In addition to cutting graphics for pinback buttons, many arts and crafts aficionados use circle cutters to cut numerous items other than paper, and have found tremendous benefits. Schools, arts and crafts lovers, companies, and families have purchased our adjustable circle cutter to cut circles out of paper, thin plastic, construction paper, poster board, and fabric.

Here is a quick video to show you how a circle cutter tool works:

» read more

Fabric Button How-To Series: Using Your Button Machine Properly to Make Fabric-Covered Buttons

One of the growing trends in monogramming and embroidery is the use of fabric-covered buttons as an accessory for a number of items, from clothing to purses to shoes. Many small embroidery shops have begun to offer a selection of fabric buttons, including custom monogrammed buttons. With a professional grade button machine, a small embroidery shop can quickly expand its product offering with a fun and versatile fabric button that has a number of uses. This post is the third in our week-long series on fabric buttons.

Tuesday, we discussed important pointers for choosing the right fabric when you begin your fabric button making project. Wednesday, we told you about the myriad uses for fabric-covered buttons. Then yesterday, we discussed why many embroidery shops are investing in their own professional button machine to create custom fabric buttons. Today, we give you a brief overview of the proper way to use a button machine to make fabric-covered buttons.

In a rotating die button maker, the materials are placed into two separate dies. The button’s front shell and fabric are positioned in the first die, which is rotated into the machine, and the lever is pulled once. The button back is then placed in the second die, which is rotated into the press, and the lever is pulled a second time completing the button press operation.

» read more

Fabric Button How-To Series: Making Fabric-Covered Buttons With Your Own Professional Button Machine

One of the growing trends in monogramming and embroidery is the use of fabric-covered buttons as an accessory for a number of items, from clothing to purses to shoes. Many small embroidery shops have begun to offer a selection of fabric buttons, including custom monogrammed buttons. With a professional grade button machine, a small embroidery shop can quickly expand its product offering with a fun and versatile fabric button that has a number of uses. This post is the third in our week-long series on fabric buttons.

Tuesday, we discussed important pointers for choosing the right fabric when you begin your fabric button making project. Then yesterday, we told you about the myriad uses for fabric-covered buttons. Today, we will provide an overview of why many embroidery shops are investing in their own professional button machine to produce custom fabric buttons.

» read more

Fabric Button How-To Series: The Many Varied Uses of Fabric-Covered Buttons

One of the growing trends in monogramming and embroidery is the use of fabric-covered buttons as an accessory for a number of items, from clothing to purses to shoes. Many small embroidery shops have begun to offer a selection of fabric buttons, including custom monogrammed buttons. With a professional grade button machine, a small embroidery shop can quickly expand its product offering with a fun and versatile fabric button that has a number of uses. This post is the second in our week-long series on fabric buttons.

Yesterday, we gave you a brief introduction to fabric buttons and discussed a few pointers for choosing the right fabric. In today’s post, we will discuss the wide variety of uses for fabric-covered buttons that can easily be made with the right equipment, like your own professional button machine.

The Many Varied Uses of Fabric-Covered Buttons

Most button making machines are manufactured to produce pinback buttons using regular printer paper. Fabric is a completely different type of material than paper. It is important to have a button maker calibrated properly to accommodate for the challenges in making a button out of fabric material. Proper calibration ensures the fabric button machine will produce consistent quality buttons throughout its life.

With a little creativity and the right equipment, an embroidery business can expand their offering of fabric-covered buttons and sell a large variety of novelty buttons with a number of different applications. After cutting the fabric to a specific size with our Circle Cutter or Fabric Cutting Press,  a number of different options such as the type we offer on our website www.AmericanButtonMachines.com, can be pressed onto the back of the button to make several different products.

» read more