When it come to button making, is there such thing as making a button without a machine????

Answer 1

If you're thinking of the plastic button shapes with pinbacks that you can put your own images into, I assume you need a machine (though there may be cheaper or smaller versions of those).

If you didn't need to make very many, you could make your own though by "decoupaging" a photocopy or photo onto a disk (or a domed disk) made of various things (...if the dome very slight, most papers will conform to the shape, or you can cut slits and overlap for thin papers). Then add a pinback.

You could also use other drawings or prints ... ones you draw/paint/stamp, etc. with permanent inks/paints/colored pencils/etc., or those with non-permanent mediums which you seal before decoupaging.
It's also possible to print out various designs (of your own or not) on special self-adhesive papers which should be water resistant that you then attach to disks.

As for the disks themselves, you could buy wood, metal, or plastic ones that you might run across, or you could make them from air-dry clays, or better polymer clays (which must be baked in a home oven to harden, are water resistant, and are usually pretty strong**)

(**the strongest polymer clays after baking when they're thin are Premo, FimoClassic, Kato Polyclay, and perhaps FimoSoft... Sculpey is more breakable, but may be fine over an armature like wood/metal/etc.)

And also, water-slide "decals" can be made from certain papers and/or with liquid polymer clay... those can also be attached to baked clay disks or other materials.

(if you want to add a pinback to a polymer clay disk, there are some lessons here:
http://www.glassattic.com/polymer/jewelry.htm
... click on the "Pins" subcategory)


If it's *REGULAR buttons* though that you're thinking of making for clothing or knitted items you've created, or to be used in other ways, it's possible to make all kinds of those kinds of buttons too with polymer clay:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/buttons.htm



Diane B.

Answer 2

If you are refering to badges worn at political or other events, no, one cannot make one without a machine. You can have them made by someone who has a machine. I have three in three different sizes. I do not wish to spam here, however, If this is the kind of button/ badge you mean, then you may contact me at [e-mail] for more information. If you mean clothing buttons, then yes, you can make them without a machine. Buttons were made by hand for centuries from a wide variety of materials and methods.

Answer 3

Yes there are simple kits you can get at Michaels .....they are in the kids craft section.