Bracelet Tutorial Number Three! - cute buttons on fabric

Hello! I'm finally back with the 3rd bracelet tutorial. I messed this one up 3 times, my camera batteries kept being dead whenever I had time to work on it and I've been a bit busier than usual (I've been out exercising!!) so it's been a struggle to get this finished. But it's done and it's as cute as a bunch of buttons ;)

Here's how to make it:

You will need:

... a 9.5cm x 15.5cm scrap of fabric, needle + (thick) thread, some 1cm wide elastic and a bunch of your favourite buttons. Plus scizzors and a sewing machine:

(I used cute mini buttons cut from Jessica's old baby clothes!)

1) Fold the shorter sides of your fabric over a little bit and iron in place.

2) Fold the whole thing in half and press to leave a crease:

(I've done all my photos after working this out, hope all these creases don't confuse you!)

3) Then you fold both sides into the middle like this and press:

4) Fold one more time so you end up with this and press so it's all flat and neat:

5) Neatly sew a straight line along each side close to the edge. Leave the ends of the thread on for now so it doesn't unravel while you do the next bit:

6) Decide how to arrange all your buttons! Then gather up your needle, thread and scizzors, sit somewhere comfy and sew the buttons on securely:

(I used a box lid as a sewing tray and got comfy in front of the telly to do mine).

7) Snip off any loose threads:

8) Insert one end of your elastic into the bracelet:

... and sew the end closed a few times to secure it:

9) Test it round your wrist to figure out where to cut off the elastic : the other end will need to slip into the other opening in the bracelet leaving enough elastic showing for it to fit you nicely but still stretch enough to get on and off over your hand.

10) Once you've figured that bit out, snip off the excess elastic, insert it into the fabric and sew in place. It's a bit awkward, you have to position it like this:

(sorry about the blurry photo!)

And it's done!

~ Again, sorry for the rubbish photography near the end of this tute. I've had awful camera luck this week - photos kept coming out crappy and then just when I was taking a final pic of all the bracelets I've made on my wrist looking pretty together I dropped the camera on the floor and bashed the lense bit up. Now it won't go back into the camera, will only take really blurry pictures, keeps telling me there's no battery left and won't connect to the computer either. I'm so sad! :'(

Anyway hope you like the tutorial! I'm not sure when I'll be able to post any more, due to the lack of camera. Nobody entered my bracelet challenge btw! lol But I still want more bracelets so this can be an ongoing thing.. if anyone wants to send me pretty bracelet pics whenever I'll still post them up. I don't think my obsession will go away any time soon :)

xxx