I bought a scoup of buttons, what would you do with them?

I was brought up to cut them off clothing too. Now I also cut off zippers because so few are metal. Sounds like a neat way to use buttons in your jewelry. I had a couple that would probably work as part of a jewelry piece in the scoup. Take care

I started a button jar for the same reason. I lost a button and couldn't find another one just like it on any of my old clothes. So I had to buy a bunch and pay lots of money to replace all my buttons so they would match. Thanks and take care.

Wow! Mom just kept hers in an old mayonnaise jar. Mine, I have this huge plastic jug with only a few buttons so far(great expectations), so you Grandma's button jars sound so really cool! All those ideas sound great. The best one for me is the t-shirt. Sounds absolutely great! Thanks and take care.

Altered art is neat, I saw some on the Carol Duval Show and Creative Juices show. Cards on the first and actual artwork on the second. Thanks and take care.

I stamp the card and use them for embellishments....like I'll cut out a star and put a button in the center....or use them to make flowers....or just use them on a corner to add something to the design.

That sounds neat. A couple of the buttons I bought have neat designs on them, I wonder if they would stamp well. Take care and thanks.

That's good. Do you use the patterns on them to stamp the cards to create a new and different pattern or do you stamp the cards and then add the buttons later? I went to school with someone and her real name was Jill Hill. Every time I see your name, I think of her. Take care and thanks.

Ideas I would not have thought of and interesting for future projects. Thanks and take care.

That sounds neat! Yes wooden spools are unfortunately becoming a thing of the past. They worked great for so many things like spool knitting. I have noticed that for some things, wooden beads do make a good substitute. Thanks Peavey, good idea for this discussion, How to make a button doll. Take care and thanks.

A flower would be fun. Most of the buttons are pretty big, if I had been thinking of a flower or plant, I could have picked different buttons. But I may be able to make some buttons that fit the bill. I was looking for buttons that looked like things in their own right like eyes to complete a dog or a cat, buttom of a miniature tree stand, etc. Maybe I could use buttons as a frame or border for a picture. Thanks and take care.

Cutting them off from clothing is a wonderful thing to do. First, have you seen the cost of buttons? Some are $2 for 2 or 4 up here. So a couple bucks here, a couple bucks there. Second, can you imagine how long it would take for them to demolish in a landfill? Or worse yet, the new ones are plastic and how much polution they would give off in an incinerator? Third, You might be able to trade them or you may actually have some that are valuable, you never know. I know people that use every part of a deer. The not so great antlers become buttons. They saw them across and put two holes in them. Some people make buttons from clay, fresh water pearls, shells, etc. I'm trying to find a thick two-chambered object in nature that would work. I've heard that walnut shells can be used for something. Did you know there were button up shoes at one point? Thanks and take care.

Thanks, glad you like my discussion. I think wooden and antler buttons are probably biodegradable as well as the shell and pearl ones. Have you ever seen those pocket things people make so they have more room for storage? They take clothe and sew pockets on it, then they put different things in the pockets and label them, then they hang them on a wall or over a door? They must attach it to a frame so it stays stiff somehow. You may or may not want to do that, but it does provide for a place to out things. Those sound like nice things that you make. Old buttons just mean that buttons are one less thing that I have to buy. Plus they're on hand so I can actually finish a project without having to go buy something else (always a pain). Thanks and take care.

I do occasionally buy buttons for small change purses that I knit, so yes, I see the prices are a little out there. Never thought about whether they are biodegradable, hopefully, some types of buttons are. I love pearl buttons and shell buttons. I think I saw an old picture my mom had of people wearing those funny-looking button up shoes. I do think having a button tin or a button box filled with buttons is a fun thing. Thanks for a great discussion, writersedge!