Double-sided Vintage Mother-of-Pearl Button Hanging Heart

Among other things, my grandmother left me her button box. In amongst all the 'usual suspects' was a card of beautiful, old, handmade mother-of pearl buttons. I tried to think of a fitting use for them that would also be a tribute to my grandmother's memory.....the button heart!

I decided to make the heart doublesided so that it would look good from whatever angle it could be seen from, it also had the added benefit of making it a bit more robust.

Take a length of craft or beading wire and attach your first button, leaving a short length for tying off at the end once all the buttons are threaded on.

Next, thread the wire through first one hole (from the wrong side over the front of the button) then the other, turn your second button wrong side to wrong side with your first button with the second hole of the first button lined up with the first hole of the second button and pass the wire though the holes.

Thread the wire through the second button's second hole then put your third button wrong side to wrong side with the second button lining up the holes as before. Continue in this way until you have threaded enough buttons together to bend the wires into a heart shape (I used 18 buttons for the front and 18 buttons for the back).

Once you have formed your heart shape, twist the wires together neatly and snip off any ends. Attach a pretty ribbon for hanging the heart.

I have since made several more hearts, all using different coloured wire and buttons. They make beautiful Christmas tree decorations too!