Dorset buttons are thread covered buttons created with embroidery stitches. These buttons became well known in the county of Dorset, England, in the UK. These soft buttons are sometimes referred to as a cartwheel button or a dorset crosswheel button.

I participate in an annual button challenge and decided that, this year, I would give handmade buttons. But what kind? I have lots of different embroidery threads, so after some research I decided to learn how to make Dorset buttons. So easy to customize the buttons with thread choices!

If you are into any type of fiber arts you have bits of thread and yarn left over from projects. Making thread-covered buttons is a fun way to use up those bits.

Dorset button made withe two colors of #8 Perle cotton thread

When were Dorset Buttons invented? The history of Dorset Buttons.

The Dorset button industry, also called Buttony, began in the seventeenth century. At the time, buttons were a status symbol and thousands of people made good livings producing buttons in the cottage industry.

It was a popular source of income among the rural poor; a good Buttoner made between six and seven dozen buttons a day and could earn up to 3 shillings, more than they could make from field work. (After making a few buttons of my own, I can’t imagine producing 72 buttons a day!)

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Unfortunately, all this ended abruptly in 1851 when someone invented a button-making machine. The industry collapsed and thousands of Buttoners suddenly lost their income. After the invention of machine -made buttons, many families then made the difficult decision to emigrate to America and Australia.

Dorset button with hand-dyed perle cotton — Dorset button made with hand-dyed #8 perle cotton

What are dorset buttons used for?

Dorset buttons can be used where ever you might use any button. They are terrific on clothing and garments, but add great visual interest to home dec projects, including upholstery and pillows.

Try making your own Dorset buttons for accents on crazy quilts, or add to a barrette or head band for an accessory. So many great ideas for using Dorset buttons!

Dorset button made with needlepoint wool yarn

How do you get evenly spaced spokes when you make Dorset Buttons?

Evenly spaced spokes is one of the challenges in making Dorset buttons. I like to use a registration guide to make sure that my spokes are straight and evenly spaced. We’ve put together a Dorset Button Registration Guide FREE downloadable pdf to help you make beautiful Dorset Buttons.

FREE Downloadable dorset button registration guide

1 Dorset Button

How to Make Dorset Buttons

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Active Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Customize your projects with handmade Dorset buttons you can make from a metal or plastic ring and embroidery thread or yarn. This Dorset Cartwheel pattern variation uses just two easy hand embroidery stitches: blanket stitch and backstitch.

Materials

4 yards Perle cotton, embroidery floss or yarn. I used Size 8 perle cotton.
1-inch metal or plastic closed ring

Tools

Tapestry needle in a size compatible with your thread choice. I used size 22.
Registration guide with equally spaced "spokes"
Removable fabric marker that contrasts with your thread color. I used a Frixion pen.
Thread snips or embroidery scissors
Optional: Chenille or embroidery needle for weaving in thread end

Instructions

Gather your tools and supplies as listed above. Make sure that the ring you select as your frame is solid and has no gaps that the thread could fall through as you stitch. I am using a 1-inch metal closed ring from the jewelry section of the craft store. I used readily-available perle cotton for this tutorial, but silk and wool fibers make pretty Dorset buttons, too!
Thread your tapestry needle with 4 yards of thread. It's a lot of thread to handle at first, but you want to have enough to finish your button in one go. (You may need more or less thread if you are using a different size ring or a different weight thread.) Tapestry needles have a rounded point that passes easily between threads, resulting in an even weave.
Tie the thread to the ring with a single knot, leaving a 1-inch tail.
Begin stitching around the outer edge of the ring with blanket stitch, catching the thread tail inside the stitch. You want your stitches to be right next to each other. See our story on Blanket Stitch Embroidery for a refresher.
Continue with blanket stitch, making sure to capture the thread tail with each stitch. I am a clockwise blanket stitcher, but it's okay if counter-clockwise is more natural for you.
When you have about 1/2-inch of blanket stitches, trim the tail thread close to the ring.
Continue with blanket stitch until you have covered the entire ring. This is a good time to adjust your stitches and add more if needed. Your whole ring should be completely covered with no gaps. You now have a frame for building your Dorset button.
Turn the blanket stitches to the inside of the ring with the working thread exiting the back side of your button frame forming a smooth edge.
The next step is to make the spokes. Center your frame on your chosen registration guide. (I used the 10-spoke guide here.) Align the working thread with the vertical registration line. With an erasable marker, mark the placement of each spoke. I chose a pink marker because it is visible on my blue thread.
Bring the working thread down the back of the frame to the bottom registration mark. Wrap the thread snugly from back to front, returning to the top positon.
Bring the thread to the mark next to the bottom wrap and wrap snugly from back to front.. I am working clockwise, so my next mark is to the left of the bottom wrap. (It helps me if I think about the way I learned to draw a star when I was 5 - up, down, move around.)
Bring the thread to the top right position (if working clockwise) and wrap snugly from front to back.
Continue wrapping snugly from point to point around the rest of the frame. And maybe take a breath. It might take some practice to get to this point. If your wraps are off a thread or two, use your needle to nudge them over to their marks. If your wraps are way off (as mine were on my first few attempts), simply unwrap and start again.
Bring your needle up between two "star points", then down between the opposite points and pull to snug up the center.
Bring the thread up and down over the center again, forming a cross stitch. Your wrapped threads should now all line up to form spokes.
Use your registration guide to do one more check. Adjust threads as needed.
Now you begin to fill in the center of your button with back stitches. These circular back stitches are sometimes called spider stitch. Bring the tip of the needle up between two spokes and then back down over the spoke, wrapping it. Skip a spoke and bring the thread up, then back down over the same spoke. See our story on Backstitch Embroidery for more information.
Here is the first round of backstitch around the center of the button.
Sometimes the center is pulled askew with the first backstitches, so I like to check against my registration guide one more time when it's still easy to make needed adjustments.
Keep backstitching!
Here is the Dorset button all filled in with backstitches. It was worth makng all those fiddly adjustments with the registration guide early on. My button's spokes are pretty evenly spaced and centered.
Now is the time to switch to your chenille or embroidery needle if you have one. Weave your thread or yarn tail along one of the spokes on the back of the button. Check the front to make sure you are burying the thread so that it is not visible on the front of the button. A sharp needle will allow you to weave closely between threads right along the back spine of the spoke. Trim thread or leave a tail to attach the button to your garment or fiber art.
And here is my finished Dorset button in the cartwheel pattern.
I had fun auditioning my new button on various hand dyed fabrics. It seems right at home on this purple.
The Dorset button looks playful on Barbie pink.
Blue on red has a nice contrast.
The navy background is a classic look.
Blue on orange is a happy combination.
It brings out the blues on this lighter mottled purple.
The classic blue-yellow complement is vibrant.
This look is more subtle with values that are more aligned.
I didn't notice the underlying blues in this mottled brown fabric until I placed the blue Dorset button on it.

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What thread should you use to make dorset buttons?

I used perle cotton thread in the how to make dorset button tutorial, but you can use any type of thread or yarn, depending on the look you want. a thicker yarn will make a chunkier button, and thinner thread would make a very fine button.

You don’t need to use traditional materials. Make beautiful buttons with modern knitting yarns, linen thread or any kind of yarn, cording or thread! Below are samples using six strand embroidery floss, #3 perle cotton, #8 perle cotton, silk yarn, silk ribbon and nylon cording. Play around with different fibers and see how they work!

What rings do I use to make a dorset button?

In this tutorial, I used solid metal rings used in jewelry making. You can find plastic craft rings at hobby stores and online in a variety of sizes.

If you look for a wire ring, make sure that it is solid with no opening that the thread can slip through while you are weaving your button.

What do you recommend for making your first button?

We found it easiest to work with a heavier thread like a #3 Perle Cotton or the needlepoint yarn for your first button. The thicker yarn or thread makes it easier to hold onto while you are working.

Also, try fewer spokes like 6 or 8. The more number of spokes you have, the harder it is to keep them even and straight.

Use a 1-inch to 1-1/2 inch ring when you are a beginner. Smaller is more difficult to weave and larger is harder to keep your spokes even.

Dorset buttons made with #3 variegated Perle cotton thread

Dorset button made with six strand variegated embroidery floss

How do you make a beaded dorset button?

To make a beaded dorset button, make your button according to the above tutorial. Add beads as embellishments to the button with beading thread to the finished button. Here is an example of a beaded dorset button

With so much potential for customizing the look, Dorset buttons will make even an ordinary garment special. I used metallic threads to make buttons for my bling-friendly pals. These buttons sport mother of pearl beads stitched onto the spokes. You can add beads in any arrangement you choose – just a few or really bead-dazzle them!

Below is a button I made with a 1-inch metal ring and 3 strands of variegated cotton embroidery floss. First, I covered the ring with buttonhole stitches. Then I wrapped 8 spokes and joined them in the center where a spider wheel stitch, a circular variation of a backstitch, begins. (Wrapping and centering takes some practice. You can draw a template or download our templates to use – they help a lot! The spider wheel stitch continues until the center of the ring is filled. Then weave the thread end into the stitches for a clean finish.

Here is my assortment of buttons made in several sizes and from various fibers. The button at the upper right-hand corner formed a square inside the circle by backstitching alternate spokes.