A fun project to do with kids: We recycled an old zipper into a darling butterfly brooch.
Step by Step Instructions on How to Make a Zipper Butterfly
1. Sniff through old cloths or recycled textile supplies to find a 22 cm long zipper. Pick a color you want, or if you don’t have a zipper in the color you want, pink, find a little remnant of fabric that could be used to fill in the butterfly at a later stage.
2. Open the zipper and fold one half around, like on the picture here, and pin it.
3. Twist it and turn it around again, bringing the end bit back up to the center of the butterfly. Pin this in place as well. It now should look like half a butterfly.
4. Do the other size in mirror image. Pin it. Ensure the metal end bits of the zipper are perfectly aligned with one another.
5. When the shape looks good, fold the fabric of the zipper forward so as to create smooth looking, fabric filled wings.
6. When you like the look, sew the butterfly base to stay in this shape.
7. If you wish, you could cover the four centers of the wings of the butterfly with a contrast color.
8. Add embroidery if you wish to embellish each wing.
9. Hand-sew a pin at the back to transform your zipper butterfly into a brooch.
In a follow-up article we’ll show how to embellish a zipper butterfly brooch.
Other Butterfly Craft Ideas
Click this link for many more butterfly craft ideas, ranging from butterfly embroidery patterns, to crochet handbags, and scrapbooking with butterfly stamps. I even wrote an article on how to draw a butterfly.
Other DIY Jewelry Patterns
Browse our jewelry patterns: from super easy fabric tube necklaces to more complicated embroidered Arizona Sunset earrings, and everything in between. Lots of different patterns & design styles.
