Vintage Fabric-Covered Buttons and Belts

Fabric-covered buttons and belts are a staple of vintage fashion. In the early 19th century, machines were designed to create fabric-covered buttons. By the 20th century, fabric-covered buttons were all the rage.

In the Family: A Fabric-Covered Button and Belt Making Business
My great grandmother Mary was a professional seamstress, and as she saw fabric-covered buttons and belts growing in popularity, she decided to purchase two industrial button makers, one from Maxant and the other from Defiance, to add a special touch to the garments she created and to keep up with the fashions.

My great-grandmother Mary, the professional seamstress. She's got a little smirk going on here. I think she was pretty sassy.

Fast forward some 60 or so years to me, vintage-sewing obsessed. I had been buying Maxant belt-making kits online when my father casually mentioned to me I might find some of Mary's supplies buried somewhere in the garage. I was overcome with excitement when I discovered that "some" meant both of her industrial button makers as well as thousands of original supplies, catalogs, and instructions. I actually started crying.

My Vintage Button and Belt-Making Supplies

Drumroll, please! I really couldn't be more thrilled to share this with you, readers.

Ta da! Aren't they just beautiful! I have a little work station in my garage. I opted to paint the garage sea foam green and fill it with cross stitch from my grandmother. I like a bit of prettiness around me while I work, as I'm sure you can tell from my sewing room. 

These look all nicely displayed in mason jars now, but believe you me, they didn't start out that way. I had hundreds of little cardboard boxes full of these tiny treasures to sort through and organize.

These are her original catalogs that she used to order her supplies from. 

And the original instructions! Thank goodness for those! 

Making or Purchasing Your Own 

I'm guessing you all aren't lucky enough to fall into the same tub of honey that I have. If you're interested in using fabric-covered buttons and belts in your sewing projects, there's two options. 

1. Handmake Your Own

There are kits that you can use to assemble these by hand. I have to assemble the belts by hand as well, so we're all in the same boat there.

Maxant Belt Buckle Kit
Beltmaking 101 from Casey's Elegant Musings

Dritz Covered Button Kit
Fabric-Covered Button Tutorial from Gertie's New Blog for Better Sewing

2. Order Them from Pat, The Button Lady

Pat Mahoney is the proprietress of Pat's Custom Buttons and Belts. She doesn't have a website, but you can reach her the "old fashioned" way. You can either call her or mail her $5 and she will mail you back a catalog. 

Pat's Custom Buttons and Belts

(209) 369-5410

537 York Street

P.O. Box 335

Lodi, CA 95241

I actually wrote Pat a letter when I discovered the supplies and she wrote me back and then we chatted on the phone. She's been extremely kind and helpful to me while I am sorting out what exactly it is that I have!

I manage to put a fabric-covered belt or button on just about everything I make now. Can you blame me?! I love using supplies with a family history, and I love little details like that these that can really make an outfit special.

Fabric-covered buttons on my Hawaiian shirtwaist dress.