Buttons  

Posted by MeganH in ,

I've spent the last few hours researching hand made buttons, since I intend to make some, and come up with some links.

I thought that I'd share them. The formatting is bound to come out a bit funny because I'm copying and pasting from a heavily formatted Word doc.

I used

Making Buttons created and maintained by Cathy Snell. 9/17/03

http://www.employees.org/~cathy/buttons.html

as a basis as it was the most thorough paper I found.

It has lots of different methods listed and some very interesting variations described, based on those basic methods, and lots of photos.

I found some more instructions, alternative instructions, a few more pictures (modern ones only - sigh) - whatever contributed to the subject ....

Cloth Buttons

http://garb4guys.blogspot.com/2007/07/buttoning-up-part-one.html has step by step photos for a stuffed button, as well as http://home.comcast.net/~beweave1/medievaltailor/demosButtons.html

http://clanwolfhaven.com/cecilias_workshop/cecilias_classes/Recreating_Period_Button1.pdf

also described making a stuffed cloth ball button

Embroidered Buttons

http://flickrembroidery.blogspot.com/2007/06/embroidered-buttons.html

Wrapped Buttons

a modern picture at http://www.vertetsable.com/store/store_sundries.htm

and at

http://www.clanwolfhaven.com/cecilias_workshop/buttons.html

More complete instructions at http://www.reddawn.net/costume/buttons.htm
including adding a bit of gold thread around them as an extra wrap and at

http://www.clanwolfhaven.com/cecilias_workshop/buttons.html

Buttonhole stitch buttons

“An Elizabethan Button” - http://www.sca.org.au/tailors/eliz_button.html

I was surprised that I couldn't find more on these.

Death's Head button

A modern picture at

http://et-tu.com/shop4history/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=106&osCsid=a34066b4751d25493160357bd07932cc

The link in Cathy's doc on how to make them works *grin*

Woven Buttons

A modern pic at
http://www.clanwolfhaven.com/cecilias_workshop/buttons.html

and a fuzzy one at http://myhiddenstash.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html

and thorough instructions at http://www.vertetsable.com/demos_buttons.htm
including some extra variations and at http://garb4guys.blogspot.com/2008/02/buttoning-up-part-two.html

and lastly, although later in period

Corded, Faceted and Basketweave Buttons

http://garb4guys.blogspot.com/2008/02/buttoning-up-part-two.html

Dorset Thread Buttons

http://etsylabs.blogspot.com/2007/05/make-your-own-damn-buttons.html

and

http://homeofthesampler.com/howtos/craftypod.html

Finishing Buttons

http://garb4guys.blogspot.com/2008/02/buttoning-up-part-two.html






This entry was posted on Monday, February 4, 2008 at 7:41 PM and is filed under , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the comments feed .

4 comments

Margaret  

Thanks for these interesting links! The book cover from your previous post is breathtaking. Wow.
~Margaret

February 5, 2008 at 2:10 PM
Leonor  

The "buttonhole stitch" button is the same one as on Cathy's page and at the Renaissance Tailor (and it's in The Tudor Tailor), usually called "ribs out" ("ribs in" is the same, but looped the other direction). The only thing that might be different is the "half knot" (which isn't a major difference, if it's different at all--I can't quite figure out what she means) that makes the bead show through.

Someone in the class I taught described these buttons as being like "making God's eyes," which is pretty accurate. I like them a lot, although they're time-consuming.

I vaguely recall there being some buttons in Janet Arnold that are actually covered with detached buttonhole, but I could be totally wrong.

February 7, 2008 at 6:51 PM
Scott Perkins  

Glad I could help out!

Updated today with Part II of my button-making series featuring three thread-covered buttons worked over a wooden base.

Love your blog. I come here all the time to look at your latest calligraphic post.

February 15, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Allison Ann Aller  

You have opened up a whole new world to me...historical embroidery. I came to crazy quilting from traditional American "sane" cotton bed quilts, and consider myself a self-taught hack when it comes to true embroidery. Not being falsely modest here, but objective!
So I will add your blog gladly to my RSS feed and keep tabs on your world!
Thanks for you comment on my blog, which led me here... ;-)
~Allie

February 18, 2008 at 2:44 PM

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