06-Made in Home buttons 

You can certainly find a good assortment of buttons for your dolls on the market, but as usual, I recycle as much as I can. So I do make my own buttons too. Here is the way I make them.

Tools - I bought this tools box years ago at "Michael". Since I added several punch's tips.

You need a sturdy wooden block, that you can used to punch on without ruining your work surface.

Material - plastic plastic plastic  everywhere, and we can find it in all colors . I buy dish soap, shampoo,  gel shower, house cleaning produce, and even salad lids .  I even choose some products simply for the color needed for my doll cloth. ;). some transparent container are fun too as the buttons are perfectly assorted to the fabric. 

Preparation:  After washing thoroughly my plastic container, I cut some flat parts out of it.

I always make several buttons during a single seance. Even when I need only 5 or 6 buttons, I punch at least 12. this way I have choice for the next project.

Production:  I place one plastic piece on the wooden block, then punch it hard a couple of times.

When the punch goes through, the button often stay suck into it.  I remove the plastic bit with a pin tool.

making the holes:  I am using the pin tool to make the button holes, eyeballing  the space.

 it's done.

original doll 16"

Urban Vita, from Horsman   

Basil st John, from R. Tonner

Eve, from Susan Wakeen