Magnet snap closures using metal bottle caps

Magnet and metal bottle cap found on road

So one of things that are difficult to get here are buttons at least in Singida.  So as I was trying to work through some projects that would require closures I looked at a couple of ideas like strings I could wrap around some type of crochet adornment or actual crochet buttons.  But then I looked at some magnets I have here for science experiments.  I thought-use washers and create a magnet closure.  Those are fine but as I was walking into town one day I saw a bottle cap for an Fanta Passion drink.  HMM!  New idea.  Bottle cap magnet closures.  As with most of my brillant ideas (laugh here if you want) I realize others have done them before and normally I go search online and give them credit but I did not find any with the first couple of looks.

Sew in Bottle cap with logo showing

So basically the idea is simple.  If I am sewing something like a backpack then I want a closure on a pocket that is not hard to open.  Then attach a bottle cap to the covering flap and the magnet to the underneath piece.  For this example I am doing it from scratch.  The sewing is a little rough because I was just trying to show the product.  Some of you with sewing machines that do things like button holes will find those work good for the top piece of the bottle cap piece.

sew magnet in between cloth pieces

Basically I fold the cloth over and sew up the sides to create the flap.  The cut a hole smaller than the bottle cap and as round as possible.  I did not do it in the exercise but to dress it up sew the edge of the circle around the bottle cap.  Then place the bottle cap inside the flap showing the face in the hole you have made then sew around the bottle cap closing both pieces of cloth to keep it in place.  Do the same thing with piece underneath except don't cut the hole to expose the magnet since it is not decorative.  Just sew it into place between the two pieces of cloth.  

The flap and underneath piece

Now they should stick together.  If your magnet is too weak to go through both pieces of cloth cut a small hole in the back of the bottle cap cloth just to make it easier for the metal to come into contact with the magnet.  Another way to make it work better is to flatten the bottle cap down at the edges.

Hard to see but the underneath piece "stuck" to flap and hanging by the magnetic connection