Button Making

Tools and Supplies

American Button Machine 1.25" Button Maker

DL1's Button Maker makes buttons that are round and 1.25" in diameter exclusively. 

ABM Adjustable Circle Cutter & Cutting Plate

This better quality cutter adjusts to cut a range of industry standard button sizes from 1" to 3.5" (for crafting purposes the actual cut size is from 1.313” to 4”), can cut more than one graphic at a time, and cuts printer paper, photo paper and fabric.  Be sure to use it with the metal cutting plate to protect our benches and tables!

1.25" Button Parts

Design Lab users are welcomed to use our supply of shells, clear mylar discs and pinbacks for small projects (up to 30 buttons).  If you are planning a larger project,  you can purchase additional parts from ABM or other vendors.  ABM also offers different backings for 1.25" buttons including magnets, flashbacks, keychains and more.

Availability 

The button maker is available for use in Design Lab 1 during open hours.  Ask the DMC Fellow on site for assistance or find it in the yellow cabinet shared with the Cricut cutter. 

Designing a Button

The only thing you must know before you design your button is this: For 1.25" buttons, the image diameter should be 1.156" and the cut diameter should be 1.629".   After that,  almost anything goes.

Using found or handmade materials:  anything that is thin enough to fit in the machine and can be trimmed to size can become a button.  Use  your own artwork, scrap fabric, magazine images, comics, or - you name it - to make cute, stunning, silly, narrative, informative, provocative (etc.) button statements.

For a single button, it's easy to use the circle cutter to frame the graphic in the correct size before you cut it (see instructions below).  If you're making more than one button, you may find this template for multiples helpful:

• ABM 1.25" button template (print to use)

Using design software:  use your software of choice to design a graphic, lay out multiple copies on a single 8.5 x 11 page, and print as many copies as you need. 

These resources from ABM and Adobe make it simple:

• Photoshop Template for 1.25" buttons

• Photoshop Video Tutorial: How to Design a Button

Using the Circle Cutter 

In 5 easy steps:

1. Adjust the cutter for 1.25" buttons

2. Place the printed graphic on the cutting plate

3. Place the cutter over the graphic

4. Press down on the handle 

5. Rotate the handle until the blade cuts through the material

To see it in action (and laugh):

• ABM Adjustable Circle Cutter User Guide (1:40 - 2:10)

Assembling the Button

In five easy steps:

1. Insert a shell, graphic & mylar disc into the shallow die of the button maker 

2. Swivel the base and pull the handle down 

3. Insert a pin back into the button maker’s deeper die 

4. Swivel the base again and pull the handle down 

5. Remove the finished button

For more details (and another good laugh):

• ABM Button Maker User Guide