One of the issues in making period costume are finding buttons that look “right” many modern buttons are flat but Elizabethan and Jacobean buttons are often mounded almost gum drop shaped. You can find them but considering that a doublet or jerkin can have 25 to 30 buttons you might want to make them. This is a fairly quick way to make a fancy button. If you were making buttons for a lower class costume you would only have to cover the bead with fabric.
To make this button I using 3mm soutache trim to embellish the covered bead. The soutache also helps to protect the fabric and reduce ware on it. The size is important, you could not use a wider trim like the one on the bottom.
I’m also using 12 mm wooden beads.
The hole is not quite large enough to contain 7 passes of the soutache so you do need a drill and drill bit ~3/32″ to enlarge the hole. If you were not adding soutache then you don’t need to make the hole larger.
Cut a circle of thin fabric 1.5″ in diameter and fold over the edge about 1/8″ and sew a gathering stitch very near the edge. Gather it up around the button and knot it off.
Aline the hole in the bead with the gap in the gathering. Use an awl to make a hole in the fabric where the bead hole is on top..
Hole looks like this. Do not cut you gathering thread after the knot.
Thread up 12″ of soutache on a large eyed darning needle.
Pass the soutache thru the hole from the bottom (gathers) to the top leaving about 1″ hand out the back. Pass the needle thru the hole 5 more times. Make sure the soutache does not twist and lays flat on the outside and thru the hole. You will have 6 bands on the outside.
Use the needle and thread you used for the gathering to sew both free ends of the soutache together near the bottom hole and tightly wrap the thread around thee or four times and then pass thru the ends a couple more times.
Adjust the 7 bands so they are even and sew them to the fabric round the base of the button a couple times.
Cut the extra soutache below your stitches and add some glue to the cut ends.
You are ready to sew the button on. It’s a good idea to stitch not only thru the stem but catching the bands a little out from the center will really anchor the button.