Vintage tribal dome-shaped stud-type costume buttons for belly dance costuming DIY. Buttons, like other tribal embellishments are used to adorn almost anything you can imagine, from clothing, personal goods and accessories, to household items and animal trappings. Tribal buttons can be sewn on individually if you just need one or two, or can be sewn in groups or stung on braided cord and sewn into designs or patterns. Vintage buttons have been taken from these old items and repurposed, maybe many times, in their tribal lifetimes. Our tribal buttons are made by tribal craftsmen in Pakistan / Afghanistan or other Middle Eastern countries.
Button Size: Most about 1/2 inch across
Packet Size: 50 buttons
Design: Smooth-top dome or stud type buttons
Metal Color: Various - some silvery, some slightly brassy to brassy. There may be some with a copper cast.
Metal Finish: Most will be unpolished
Attachment Type: Button shank or loop on the back for stringing or sewing.
Most buttons will be loose, some may be on short pieces of fabric cord or braided yarn.
Please note: These are USED buttons that have previously adorned tribal clothing, accessories, household goods, animal trappings or other items. Buttons are hand-assembled. Since these are vintage pieces, they may have small flaws such as shanks being off center, small dents, or the edges may be bent or curled.
Tips for using DIY tribal buttons:
Buttons seem to be the one costuming item that puzzles people more than any other! Frequent questions are "How do you get these attached?" and "Do you need a special or curved needle?" And sometimes we even hear "I just can't get them sewn on!" The trick is to do as the tribal people themselves do! The easiest way is to braid some yarn (available in ANY color to match costuming) into a long piece. Then take a piece of cellophane tape and make an aglet (think shoelace end) on one end of the braid. Using the taped end, thread the braided yarn through the shank on the back of the button. Repeat with as many buttons as you need, then sew the braided yarn down in any row or pattern that you like! Another tip that we sometimes use for adding a few individually spaced buttons is to drill a small hole on each side of it and simply sew through the holes. Use a 1/16 inch drill bit and be very careful. Sometimes buttons are thinner metal and holes can be punched with an awl. Of course, if your buttons are already strung on a cord or rolled fabric, you can simply sew the cord down to your costuming project and be done!
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