How to make Christmas tree decorations from buttons

Before you ditch old, worn-out clothes, nab the buttons off them and make these cute DIY Christmas tree decorations!

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Holly Spanner

Published: December 2, 2020 at 8:27 am

There’s something about the colourful, tactile and functional qualities of buttons that lead many of us to be unable to part with them, even long after they’ve been separated from their original garment!

Whether you’ve got a few spare buttons hidden at the bottom of a sewing box, or jars brimming with a brightly coloured collection, we’ve got just the project to help you give them a new lease of life. From simple snowmen to a cheerful wreath, these designs make lovely decorations for gift boxes and tags, as well as your Christmas tree!

Whatever shape, size or shade your buttons are, you can get reallycreative and come up with some festive designs for matching cards as well. It’s a quick and easy project, so bring the family together and get everyone crafting this Christmas.

If you like this project, why not check out our Arts & Crafts section, and if you’ve made this project, or have any other ideas for upcycling buttons, don’t forget to share it on Facebook or post them on Instagram, we love to see what you make!

DIY Christmas tree decorations

You will need:

Buttons
Twine

Step 1

For this quick and easy Christmas tree decoration tutorial, we’re going to show you how to make a mini Christmas tree with green buttons. So first, select ten green buttons of different sizes, and arrange them largest to smallest.

Create a trunk by threading three or four brown buttons together – make sure they are smaller than the largest green button.

DIY Christmas tree decorations

Step 2

Once you’ve threaded the trunk, start adding your green buttons – largest to smallest – to create your tree shape. Finish by tying a knot at the top, leaving enough spare thread for the next step.

DIY Christmas tree decorations

Step 3

Thread a star-shaped button from back to front and adjust the thread so that the star stands upright. Finally, create a loop, so you can hang your finished decoration onto your Christmas tree. And that’s it! Quick and easy – we love it.

DIY Christmas tree decorations

If you have a selection of buttons left over, why not make this adorable mini-wreath for your tree? Just thread on a string of buttons, loop together and finish with a bow. The hardest part will be deciding which colour combo to go for!

Make a mini wreath out of buttons

Staff Writer, BBC Science Focus

Holly is the Staff Writer for BBC Science Focus and looks after the popular Q&A section. She holds an MSc (distinction) in Geoscience (Space and Climate Physics) from UCL, and specialises in astronomy and earth sciences. Before joining Our Media, she worked as a geoenvironmental consultant and engineer, informing on ground risk and remediation in the north of England, while hunting for exoplanets in her spare time. Alongside this, she was regional editor of a popular theatre website for nine years, and has a solid background in curating and developing content for the digital space. Holly is also an artist and illustrator, and regular contributor to the craft website, Gathered. She has previously worked with the RSPB, English Heritage, Disney, Pilot and Brother, as well as on BBC Good Food magazine, Home Style magazine, and Papercraft inspirations magazine. She enjoys photography and has a sustained interest in antiques.