We have been talking a lot about how to sew buttons and buttonholes. Now we're going to talk about snaps! Snaps are a great option for sewing kids' outfits because they are quick to install and stay a little more secure than buttons. I personally love buttons but there are also times that call for snaps! Plus they're just so darn cute.
So today I'm going to do a quick intro on how to install snaps and then we have a video! Woo!
First of all, we strongly recommend that you get a KAM Snaps setter. We find it much easier to use than any other brand of setter and it has much better results. (My other brand of setter ended up in the donate pile.) Let's get started on how to install your snaps!
First we will mark where we want our snaps to be. Then we will use the awl to poke a hole through each of the marks.
Next we will lay out the snap pieces we want to use. Each hole will use a pronged cap underneath. Then on one hole we will use a socket and on the other hole we will use a stud. The socket and the stud are what will be snapping together so we need to make sure they are facing each other when we're done.
Place the cap underneath the fabric and poke its prong up through the hole that we made.
Place the socket on top of the prong so that it goes through.
Place the stacked pieces onto the rubber base of the pliers. The cap should easily rest in it.
Firmly squeeze the pliers, being sure to keep it centered. We don't have to press hard - just nice and firm.
When we're done, the prong should be flattened into a little disk that holds the snap in place.
Repeat the previous steps with the other cap and the stud. When we're done with both they should look like this.
And just like that, they snap together! If it seemed like a long process, it's not at all. It goes very quickly and usually when I'm done I wish that I could do ten more because it was so fun!
What I love about snaps is that they come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes. These Batman ones above are a big favorite our our houseful of boys! Have some fun browsing the KAMSnaps website. They also have a bunch of free tutorials for snaps. Of course we have a lot coming up on our blog as well, including a superhero cape, a snap-crotch tutorial, and a few more secrets that we have up our sleeves! If you've been thinking about getting into snaps, this is the perfect time to do it!
And now, here's a video where we introduce KAMsnaps and show how to do it in real time. Enjoy!
Let's Create! ~ Kristen
