DO IT UP

Connie Mabbott's simple button embroidery upgrade will revive your favourite wardrobe pieces

- Connie Mabbott

HOW TO MAKE MACHINE-EMBROIDERED BUTTONS

MATERIALS

Iron-on adhesive/Bondaweb

Water-soluble film

Lilac cotton

Orange/gold seed beads

Fleece for padding

Knitted lilac cardigan

Drawing compass

Sewing machine

Embroidery foot

Small embroidery scissors

Spring embroidery hoop

Beading needle

Hand sewing needle

Gunold Sulky Embroidery threads in 1001, 0508 and 1025

Gunold Cotty 100 for bobbin thread

A new season doesn't have to mean lots of new things in your wardrobe. Upcycling your clothes is the best way to give them a refresh, and this project adds little details for a subtle uplift. If you aren't confident with machine embroidery, try doing the same but with hand-embroidered details. As long as your buttons are attached securely, you're golden.

01 Firstly, choose some scrap fabric to match the colour of the cardigan, making sure there's enough to cover all the buttons before starting. This doesn't have to be the same colour as the cardigan. If you plan on covering the entire button with embroidery and embellishment, then the base colour doesn't matter.

02 Measure the radius of the button and set a compass to this width, draw out a circle the same size to create the design area or, if you have a spare button for your cardigan, simply draw around it. Double the radius and create another, larger circle surrounding the first one this will be the area of fabric you will cut out.

03 Draw out the design you'd like on the paper. We used pressed daisies and other flowers as inspiration. Use the images as a guide if you're unsure.