Last Tuesday I had a lesson in making Dorset buttons. I felt that as we live on the Dorset/Somerset border it was something I ought to know more about. I enjoyed my 2 hour lesson and came away with the little purple button in the bottom right hand corner of the photo. It was made using fine crochet cotton and I must admit I found it terribly fiddly to do and so the others which I have been practising at home since are done using a thicker perle thread (apart from the silver one made in Twilleys Goldfingering) which I found much easier to handle. I am glad I don't have to make teeny tiny ones by the dozen in order to make a living (see this web page for more info http://www.thedorsetpage.com/history/Button_Making/button_making.htm ) but they are fun to do, easily portable and could be used in all sorts of creative ways other than for their original purpose.
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Dorset buttons
Last Tuesday I had a lesson in making Dorset buttons. I felt that as we live on the Dorset/Somerset border it was something I ought to know more about. I enjoyed my 2 hour lesson and came away with the little purple button in the bottom right hand corner of the photo. It was made using fine crochet cotton and I must admit I found it terribly fiddly to do and so the others which I have been practising at home since are done using a thicker perle thread (apart from the silver one made in Twilleys Goldfingering) which I found much easier to handle. I am glad I don't have to make teeny tiny ones by the dozen in order to make a living (see this web page for more info http://www.thedorsetpage.com/history/Button_Making/button_making.htm ) but they are fun to do, easily portable and could be used in all sorts of creative ways other than for their original purpose.
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These are great Jane - they do look fiddly, are they based on curtain rings? I love the little bouquet one - keep going, they could be a great hit.
ReplyDeleteOh how pretty these little buttons are - you clever lady.
ReplyDeleteLove the buttons. Would make some beautiful jewellry.
ReplyDeleteWow, that sounds interesting and so pretty. I'll take a look at that link later.
ReplyDeletex
Very clever. ... but sooooo fiddly ! No way I could do that. I'm all thumbs and don't have the patience but they are very clever. Perhaps for little brooches especially the little bouquet one.... or even earrings?
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what you do with them.
Cheers
Helen
Dorset Buttons are really lovely. I love making them sometimes I make them for gifts, but they are a bit fiddly
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxxxx
How absolutely GORGEOUS! They look lovely as a group......... I shall, of course, be clicking on the link and then "googling" them............ :O))))))
ReplyDeleteThey are so pretty! I'd love to have a go at making some one of these days.
ReplyDeleteYou have reminded me that I made a blue one with the bunch of flowers for Mothers day .... oh about twenty ....... some/or more years ago for my mum, I still have it in my drawer. I never knew what they were called. Thanks for sharing your crafty day out and for my memories revisited. :0)
ReplyDeleteVal
Jane, they are absolutely lovely. I cannot imagine how you make them, I do so admire those that have the ability to create such pleasing pieces. As a small child I used to collect buttons, to me they were like secret treasure.
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing us your beautiful artwork.......
Wow, I'd never heard of Dorset buttons before, they are very very pretty but would be real eye-straining stuff I imagine.
ReplyDeleteKate x
Those are just beautiful Jane.... endless possibilities :0)
ReplyDeleteJane,
ReplyDeleteYour dorset buttons are lovely! I learned to make them quite a few years ago, taught by a WSD friend who always made a set for every item that she knitted. She maintained that if she'd spun the yarn and then spent ages knitting it up that it ought to have a special set of buttons to finish it off. I have a box of them somewhere so you've spurred me on to go and hunt them out! Lesley x
Oh aren't they gorgeous Jane. I have never tried making these, but they do look fun x
ReplyDeleteI don't know where my comment went - I thin it must have flown out of the window! These are so vibrant and exciting. I adore the one with the little posy. What a fascinating tradition and a stunning result. Wouldn't they look great in little clusters to embellish T shirts or skirts?
ReplyDeleteToo cute! I'll have to look at how they are made as that would be a fun project.
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely and nice to see someone making Dorset buttons. I have made some from curtain rings from mohair, so cute.
ReplyDeleteYours look so lovely in a cluster, at first I thought they were on the lapel of a jacket, they would look great stitched onto a jacket in this arrngement. :) xx