For some sewing applications, at that place'southward nothing that works quite as well as a metal snap. They're easier to use than buttons and more durable than Velcro®. That'due south why they're used in everything from mountain climbing jackets, to yacht covers, to baby clothes. But think how long it would have an NBA player to jump upwards from the bench and get into the game if he didn't have those "quick release" sweat pants with snaps running upward both sides. He'd probably fall into the stands trying to pull his sweats off over his giant shoes. Installing snaps is pretty elementary. You merely accept a series of tiny metal rings (which can exist fix twenty incorrect ways and only i right mode) line them up within a millimeter of perfection, and so crush the whole assemblage together equally difficult equally yous tin can through several layers of cloth. What could possibly get wrong?

As you might imagine, plenty tin can go wrong. Take a look at some of the online forums for tales of woe, tragedy, anguish, and regret. But billions of snaps are successfully installed each year, and past taking a few precautions, you as well tin can successfully install snaps!

If you like this article, you may also desire to bank check out our step-past-step tutorial on the Babyville Plastic Snaps. Their vivid colors and cute cover designs are bully for children's projects and more. And, they're completely reversible!

Choosing your tools

Industrial Snap Press

If you're going to be installing snaps 24/7 and accept most $100 to spend, yous should get a small industrial snap press. It looks something similar a heavy duty stapler with an arm to give you actress leverage. Y'all go good burdensome strength and perfect alignment.

SnapSetter And Other Hammer-Driven Tools

The "old school" mode of installing snaps was with a wooden spool, a hammer, and a very sturdy surface. SnapSource refined this technique with an affordable tool called the SnapSetterthat makes it simple to align your snap parts and only requires moderate tapping with a small hammer. It comes in a variety of sizes to accommodate the diverse snap dimensions, and they offer regular and long prong snaps.

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Dritz Plier-Mode Snap Tool

This is the tool that's readily available at fabric stores (in store and online) and the ane we're using for the post-obit instructions. Using the Dritz Plier Tool , you squeeze the handles to embed the two halves of each snap part. At that place is likewise a heavy-duty plier kit available and a myriad of plain and decorative snap options. Visit Dritz for the full option.

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Preparing your fabric

Metallic snaps will not install properly if your fabric is too thin. Try the Babyville plastic snaps linked above for lightweight fabrics or consider a different fastener, such as a sew-on snap or hook-and-eye.

As you'll see below, part of each snap is a metallic band with footling spikes on it. These spikes penetrate your fabric and then are jammed into a groove on the other part of the snap. If your fabric isn't thick enough (or layered enough times), the spikes don't penetrate evenly and your snap doesn't wait correct.

Y'all can employ lightweight fabric with metal snaps, simply yous must add a layer(s) of interfacing, both for thickness and to keep the petty spikes from tearing holes around the snap.

For our instance, we chose a medium-weight, cotton fabric. We used two layers – a single piece folded one time and ironed flat.

The parts of a snap

A complete snap has 4 parts: the brawl, the socket, and the ii rings with spikes that adhere them to the fabric. A decorative snap would accept one solid dorsum piece instead of a ring, such as the pearl snaps on a cowboy shirt.

Marking your fabric

Recall through exactly where y'all want the brawl and the socket parts on your projection. Traditionally, the dorsum of the socket will on the front of your project. Using a fabric pen or pencil, mark where you want the CENTER of each part of the snap. Make these centering marks on both the forepart and back of your fabric.

Setting up the Dritz pliers

Your pliers have a round metallic holder on one side, and on the other side, a xanthous plastic wheel with both a round plastic holder and a metallic punch. The metallic punch is for eyelets, so for snaps, make sure the plastic holder is opposite the other side's metal holder. At that place'southward a yellow wheel you lift and turn to position the punch/plastic holder.

Your pliers should come with ii picayune rubber rings. Slide a rubber ring over each of the holders (the metallic holder on one side and the plastic holder on the other side). Brand sure each band is pushed all the way on.

Installing the snap socket

  1. Have i of your rings with prongs on it and insert information technology into the yellow plastic holder with the prongs poking out. Make sure it's pushed all the way in and is sitting evenly in the holder.
  2. Selection up the snap socket and determine which side is raised. You lot tin can feel information technology with your finger. Or, if you concur it sideways and squint, y'all can come across one side protrudes a piffling more than the other.
  3. Insert the socket, with the protruding side OUT, into the metal holder.
  4. Yous're just most ready to squish this half of the snap into identify. Check your two snap parts i last time to make sure they're all the manner into their respective holders and sitting evenly.
  5. Agree your pliers so the ring with the prongs (in the xanthous plastic holder) is facing over what volition exist the outside or forepartof your project. And then position the pliers then that mark you made on your fabric before is in the heart of snap. On our sample, the front is the side with the cloth folded back to simulate the facing on a shirt.
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  6. Holding your pliers level, squeeze firmly. I hateful… really firmly. Then open up the pliers and encounter how yous did. The ring should exist evenly pressed down all the way around.
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    Note: If the ring isn't perfectly apartment all the way around, y'all tin employ a pair of regular pliers to gently 'persuade' information technology. Squeezing the ring with pliers tin can scuff the shiny finish. So if you do this, put a piece of fabric between the plier jaws and the band to protect it.

Installing the snap ball

  1. Accept your remaining band with the prongs on information technology, and insert it, prongs poking up, into the metallic holder on the pliers.
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  2. Take the brawl part of the snap and insert it, with the ball facing downwards, into the yellow plastic holder as shown in the photo below. Again, brand sure both pieces are all the way inserted and sitting evenly.
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  3. Find where you marked your textile for this one-half of the snap. Remember, yous want the ball part of the snap to encounter the socket part of the snap yous only installed. This is the function where y'all have to stop and think. The ball is facing down into the holder. You have to position your fabric and so the ball will exist facing upwards when it'due south installed. That means, if y'all put your snap parts in the right holders, the yellow plastic holder will be on top again for this pace.
    NOTE: This is a fleck of a brain teaser, because all of the other parts of the ball installation are opposite of what you did for the socket installation. Except, just similar with the socket, your final plier position is with the yellow side of the pliers over your fabric. It's okay… this is right. Double and triple check which side is which on your projection then the ii layers will come together the way you want them.
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  4. Heart the pliers over your mark. Firmly clasp the handles. Then release them, and see how you did.
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Practice outset

With snaps, information technology's rare to get perfect results the first time. Make sure you have extra snaps in the size yous'll be using for your project. Take a fleck of your project fabric, fold information technology and, if necessary, add interfacing just similar yous would for your project. And so practice putting in the ball and socket parts of the snaps. After y'all've successfully installed a few on your flake, go ahead and install them on your actual project.