Crocheted buttons: A tutorial

When I looked for directions on crocheting buttons, I couldn't find directions that were very helpful. One of my frustrations with yarn work is that most patterns are written in a series of abbreviations and often don't come with a picture. So, as I figured out how to make these buttons, I thought I'd make a tutorial so there would be at least one on the web. Hopefully someone will find it helpful.

Supplies needed: Yarn, crochet hook (this one is a size E), a yarn needle and plastic rings (these are 1 1/8 inch size). I found these plastic rings at Hobby Lobby. They were not at my local yarn store or at WalMart. I found some plastic rings in the sewing section of Hobby Lobby which were a full $2 more expensive than these, which I found with the drapery hardware. They come in different sizes. Choose the one that, with your thickness of yarn, will fit your buttonhole!

First, make an adjustable ring (or magic ring). Chain two and make 10 half-double crochets in the ring.
(If you don't know about the magic ring, here is a good tutorial.)

Pull your ring closed and then slip stitch to join.

Chain two. This will count as your first half-double crochet. Make another half-double crochet in the space under the stitch, between posts. This will give the yarn a tighter weave. Make two half-double crochets in space under the second stitch. Make one half-double crochet in the space under the third stitch. Repeat the pattern all the way around the ring.

Join in the front loop of the final stitch with a slip stitch. Then chain 3.

Now in the back loop of each stitch, do one double-crochet all the way around. You should end up with a little cup.

At the end of the round, join with a slip stitch and fasten off. Leave a tail of four or five inches and cut.

Next, take one of your plastic rings and put it in the middle of the cup, with the yarn from your magic circle feeding through the center of the plastic ring.

Thread the other end through the needle.

Take the needle and thread it through each stitch, all the way around the cup.

When you reach the end, you should be able to tell that the hole is ready to close. Be sure that the yarn from the magic circle is still sticking out. Then give it a tug and close it up!

Pull the yarn from the magic circle tight and then tie it and your other piece of yarn together.

Make as many as you'd like! You can adjust the stitch from half-double or double crochet to single crochet and half-double, or increase or decrease your beginning amount of stitches, the amount of rows, etc. depending on how big you want your button to be, the thickness of your yarn, etc. It's very adaptable. And doesn't it look cool?