Antler Buttons

The Final Touch for Your Handknitted Sweater

Deformed deer antler for making into buttons

Marveling at their form and intricacy I try and find ways to use them to their full potential.

Wildcrafting or hiking can give you an opportunity to find antlers too, or if you know of a hunter, ask if you can have some antlers as smaller ones have no appeal for trophy hunters, so they may be generous enough to give you some.

Antler toggle button

Their unique form adds so much more to your artistic creation of a handspun woven jacket, or a knitted sweater.

Commercially mass produced buttons don’t hold a candle to rustic handmade ones for beauty and quality.

Antler toggles can be easily made from the tips of the antlers. Using a fine toothed saw carefully cut off the topmost 5-8cm.

Antler toggles

Sew them on, and make a loop to thread it through on the other side of the closure.

Regular buttons can be made from the larger parts of the antlers, cut into 1-2mm thick slices.

Two holes carefully drilled through the center will enable you to attach them to your sweater.

Caveat: The smell of the antler being cut is a little unpleasant, so work in a well ventilated area. Also, the finished product is quite appealing to dogs, so make sure your garment is out of their reach at least until the initial smell is gone.

Washing garments with antler buttons or twig buttons is easy – hand washing and laying flat to dry will cause no harm to these rustic and beautiful buttons.

See more antler crafts here.

Don't want to make your own? Buy your Antler Buttons at the Rustic Country Store.

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Rustic Crafts