Finding Closure

Are you a button lover? Have you ever wondered how buttons are made? This informative video from the TV series, How It’s Made, shows three methods of plastic button production. So sit back and relax for a few minutes while you watch button manufacturing in action.

To View on YouTube, Click Here

I enjoyed seeing the tube method, the most basic. And I never knew melamine was used as a button material. But most fascinating of all to me was the spinning drum and the layers of resin. Buttons made with this method have more depth and the layers of color can sometimes show. Gorges is an excellent example of the layered method.

Here you can see several layers of color, and a pearly layer on the very top of the buttons. These were most certainly made by the spinning drum method. Downing would also have been made this way.

I also was intrigued by the machines that carve buttons into their final shapes, and drill the holes. Working at lightning speed, it’s amazing how many buttons they can churn out. Marvelous technology that’s probably been around for decades, but undoubtedly is constantly improved upon.

Aren’t you glad you watched this? Now when someone admires the buttons you’re wearing, you can tell them how they were made!

Mrs Reginald Fellowes, wearing a Molyneux black jacket with button trim, 1941, © Condé Nast Archive/Corbis

Take a look at this wonderful jacket from the 1940′s! This is definitely a case of the buttons making the jacket. These appear to be simple shell buttons, but they must number in the hundreds. I can’t imagine how much weight the buttons add to the jacket,  nor how long it would take to sew them all on. The pattern for laying out the buttons is unique, and creates a very memorable garment. (Photo from The Red List)

Another interpretation of this look was done by Victor Costa. (Photo courtesy of Kathryn, who owns this ready to wear jacket.)

Kathryn was inspired to add button adornment to this black dress she made:

She sewed 56 buttons alongside the center back seamline!

The vertical line of buttons not only adds interest, but is visually slimming. This is a clever use of simple buttons to create drama on a garment. Thanks to Kathryn for sharing her photos!

How would you interpret this idea in your wardrobe sewing?

I’m an avid knitter, and I love it when a garment calls for buttons, because I get to choose some from our collection. I recently hit upon a match made in heaven:

This is our Tessera button in deep turquoise. The color match is nearly perfect, and I love how the black in the yarn is echoed in the button. I also like how the shape of the button echoes the squares in the knitting.

I knit these mittens and cowl for myself. They’ve been toasty warm in the recent cold weather. Cowls are a big trend in knitwear these days, so if you’re knitting one, why not consider adding buttons? They lend the perfect finishing detail that’s sure to be noticed!

In existence for eons, metal buttons are as popular today as ever. We keep a broad assortment on hand to match the styles of a wide variety of garments. Many of our popular metal buttons are adorned with an image that says something about the wearer. Here are some of our favorites:

Port of Call

Sailing and boating enthusiasts will appreciate this metal just arrived from Italy. The dark blue enamel visually sets off the anchor motif. Port of Call would be great on a classic blazer, or even a contemporary military look.

We’ve recently added another button style to our stable of equestrian buttons. (Weak pun, yes, I know:). )

Lexington

Whether you’re a true equestrian, or someone who simply loves horses, this button will look good on a variety of tailored coats, jackets and vests. Lexington is a subtle button with lots of class!

Another horse-themed button that has been popular with our button shoppers is Knight’s Watch.

Knight’s Watch

Ancient styling makes this perfect for Renaissance Faire garments, as well as contemporary pieces. We like the openwork of this button, an uncommon feature.

Nature lovers can also find inspiring metal buttons in our collection. Dragonfly has been a customer favorite for over a decade.

Dragonfly

Whitish antiquing highlights a dragonfly and leaves on this arty button. It looks great on hand knits as well as jackets.

Philomena will appeal to the botanically inclined.

Philomena

Twining leaves in relief create a beautiful button for jackets or cardigans. This has been a very popular style with our shoppers.

For the younger set, we have Story Time. Delight them with toys and animals on their togs!

Story Time

We love how metal buttons can make a garment speak. What do your buttons say about you?

Fall has firmly settled in and our thoughts have turned to cozy garments to ward off the chill. We continue to see shawl pins as closures for cardigans, in addition to their more traditional use on wraps and scarves.

Last week, our good customer and friend Lois requested our help in selecting a shawl pin for the cardigan she recently knit. It has no buttons and she was looking for something to keep it closed.

Wanting the pin to enhance the sweater rather than compete with its stitch details, we recommended Ovale in bronze.

The colors worked great together and the pin gave this beautiful cardigan the perfect finishing touch.

We’re continuing to add to our shawl pin collection, and have recent acquired two new styles.

Esprial

The unique shape and affordability of this “pin” really spoke to us. Rather than inserting a stick-pin through it, the spiral is inserted through the fabric layers to hold them together.

How cool is that?! There are many ways to play with the placement of this pin. For example, more than one part of it could be woven through the fabric at once. Imagine the many ways Espiral can be used in your wardrobe!

At the dressier end of the spectrum lies Starlet.

Starlet

Perfect for those who love sparkle, this rhinestone adorned pin will shine, shine, shine! We love it on this mohair blend sweater knit, Calgary.

Starlet on Calgary Mohair Blend Sweater Knit

Since sparkles aren’t just for night, we’re sure those of you who love glitz will love wearing this pin day in and day out. It’s also perfect for those who love to dress vintage!

Check out our entire shawl pin collection here, and prepare for the cold weather ahead!

We love the look of horn toggles on a coat, jacket or cardigan. Wool, leather, sweater knits – all look great with the touch of an organic ornament. We’ve just received two toggle styles from Germany.

B1213 Denali

Carved from natural horn, each one of these toggles has slight variation in size and coloration. Denali has a very clean, classic look.

A more contemporary toggle/button is Talkeetna:

Talkeetna

This chunky bit of horn could be used as a button as well as a toggle. We love its curved edges and bit of roughness. Once again, no two are alike, as they are made from natural horn.

Talkeetna

Think of the rustic look this would give a hand-knit cardigan! Or, picture it as a single button on a wool jacket. Very organic!

What I’d most like to see these toggles on is a coat of wool, with leather trim. That’s a big trend this fall, and these horn ornaments would complete the look in style. I’m looking at making Vogue 1319 using some of our leather for the trim. This would be the perfect ending!

It’s like Christmas in September here, with new buttons arriving weekly. We’ve just posted several to the web site that are perfect for the upcoming coat season. You may be especially interested in these if you’re participating in our current coat sew along, Coaterie. And if you hadn’t planned to join in, perhaps one of these button styles will encourage you to do so!

Clarendon

Back in June, when we saw the samples of Clarendon, we knew its chunky, sculptural shape would be the perfect closure on a coat or jacket. The large size measures 1-1/16″, so it can easily hold up to heavier fabric. The smaller sizes would work on a jacket front and sleeves. We love this button, so you’ll be seeing it pictured on our fabrics often.

O2

Another great look for a coat is O2, which has a pearly, partially translucent center. We’re charmed by the distinctive shape of this button.

If you’re looking for an even larger button, we have two new options. Elan is available in 1-3/16″ and 2″ sizes. The shape is simple, but the textured surface creates lots of surface interest.

Elan

For those of you looking for a big, big button, for that one-button jacket or coat, we have a new style that measures 2-1/8″ in diameter.

Reverb

How cool are the striated arcs molded into the surface of Reverb? And the colors are right on trend.

We’ll have more new buttons on the site soon, so visit often. We’re doing our best to provide you with up-to-date styles that will meet your sewing needs!

Authentic Retro Buttons

Vintage sewing is undoubtedly a trend that is here to stay. Everywhere we look in the sewing world, retro is happening. There’s nothing like authentic vintage buttons to complete the look.

Not easily come by, we are proud to be offering a small selection of authentic 1970′s buttons. These were acquired from a dress making company that is no longer in business. In most cases, these buttons are one of a kind. If your garment requires only 1 button, you’ll be all set. If you need more, how about using several buttons of different styles and sizes?

We’ve sorted them by color, and are offering assortments at low prices. There is only one of each assortment, so act quickly!

You can find the buttons on our button closeout pages. See you there!

As a follow-up to my post on coconut shell buttons, I recently learned how they are made.  According to an article on the website of a Chinese button manufacturer, Chun Fai, the process is as follows:

1. The husk is scraped off and the flesh is removed. The shell is boiled to remove parasites (eew!) and soften the fiber for further scraping and cleaning.

2. The scraped shells are cut into blanks – the shapes of the finished buttons.

3. The blanks are tumbled in a rotary drum to smooth the edges.

4. The holes are cut and patterns are engraved.

5. The buttons are given a final washing and polishing, and put in a hot room to dry. The temperature must be just right, in order to prevent them from cracking.

6. Once dried, a finish of varnish, paint or dye may be added.

Much of this process is now mechanized, but it most surely evolved from centuries-long methods that have improved over time. Each of these tasks can certainly be performed by hand, but how much easier it must be to have the help of machines!

In fact, I recently participated in the hand-made process by adding a coat of paint to a coconut shell button. We have sold out of the buttons at Sawyer Brook, and I took the last one, which had faded from spending years under florescent lighting on a display board. It had become a dull, pale pink (sorry, I didn’t take a “before” photo). After looking and looking for the perfect button for a jacket I was sewing, I realized I could paint the button and it would be just perfect. I gave it a couple of coats of Lumiere paint (acrylic with metallic particles), and it’s quite a stunner!

I used the same color of paint in some swirly patterned silk screen painting on the jacket, so the button ties in nicely. I’ll add a photo showing the painting to give you a better idea of the overall effect.

Painting the button was not difficult at all – I’m not an expert by any means – so don’t let the process intimidate you. It was fun, easy, and gave this jacket a real pop of color!