ABM Customer Spotlight: Operation Smiley Face

We are very, very proud and excited about featuring Operation Smiley Face as our latest ABM Customer Spotlight. When you hear the story behind this wonderful operation, and the incredible woman who is its driving force, you will understand why.

Operation Smiley Face was started by a women (whose name is not listed on her website other than as “Operation Smiley Face“) who is currently dealing with stage 4 Metastic Breast Cancer that had already spread to her lymph nodes and lungs when she was first diagnosed in August of 2009. This came on the heels of more than a decade of coping with her 1998 diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

You might read that paragraph and think that she has little to smile and be positive about. And to you or I that might be the case, but this inspiring woman has chosen to focus on the positives despite the cavalcade of negatives facing her every day.

Incredibly, she has somehow found a way to not only keep herself smiling, but to make other people – including and especially strangers she has never met – smiling too.

» read more

ABM Video Series: The Exciting World of Fabric Buttons!

As we continue with our button making video tutorial series, we take a quick break from the tutorials to celebrate the exciting world of fabric buttons.

And as you will see below, when set to a funky background beat, a montage of fabric buttons can be and is exciting!

Fabric buttons have been one of the most prominent topics that we have covered here at The Button Blog. Rather than try to re-invent the wheel or regurgitate old information, we will provide you with the links to our fabric button tutorial series, plus some other useful resources to help you in your fabric button endeavors.

» read more

So Many Names, So Many Uses, So Many Possibilities!

One question that we get asked a lot by potential customers and people who are just curious about button making is: “What is the difference between a button machine, a button maker, and a button press?”

Well, I am afraid that the answer is quite complicated. In fact, it is so complicated that it will require all of one word, two syllables, and seven letters to explain:

NOTHING!

» read more

The Joy of Button Making: Pinback Buttons, Fabric Buttons, and Photo Buttons

When you first hear the term “button making” you may not immediately think of the word “fun.” But guess what…you should!

Making buttons is an engaging and entertaining experience, made all the more enjoyable by the fact that you end up with useful products once you are done. Whether you are looking to fundraise for a cause you believe in, promote a campaign, or show support for a person, band, or team, buttons are a terrific solution.

In this article, we are going to highlight three fun and useful types of buttons, each of which make button making a truly joyful and productive pastime.

» read more

Monogrammed Belt Buckles: Fun, Easy, and Inexpensive

When I say “belt buckles” what is the first thing that comes to mind?

(And if you don’t say “Texas” or “cowboy” or some synonym of either, I am calling you out right here and now for lying!)

Well the truth is that belt buckles’ reputation for simply being an accessory for snakeskin boots and ten gallon hats is far too narrow to actually represent reality. You don’t have to live on a ranch or make garish spectacles with your wardrobe to have a little fun and customize a belt buckle.

More and more people these days are finding understated yet fun and personalized ways to dress up their belt buckles. How do we know this? Because of the consistent stream of requests we get from visitors to our website who inquire about monogrammed belt buckles.

And in our unyielding quest to give our customers what they desire, we have joyfully taken the plunge into the wonderful world of monogrammed belt buckles.

And here is the best part from your perspective: it is not that expensive nor difficult for you to take the monogrammed belt buckle plunge yourself.

Here is how it 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: 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

Fabric Buttons How-To Series: Getting Started by Choosing Your Fabric

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 first in our week-long series on fabric buttons.

Getting Started by Choosing Your Fabric

One of the most exciting aspects of fabric buttons is choosing the right fabric with which to decorate the button. A trip to the local arts and crafts store is sure to provide a wide array of patterns and designs that can give any fabric button a certain amount of flair.

» read more