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Phaedra28
Gabber Extraordinaire
485 Posts |
 Posted - 05/23/2006 : 01:29:01 AM
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This just struck me, when I was reading another thread where someone mentioned trouble finding buttons for a cardigan. How many here have a button stash, too?
I proudly admit to being a button glutton. Whenever I am in the neighborhood of a button store, I will go in and buy five or six of everything I like that's an appropriate sort of size and a color that I use frequently. I have the most beautiful buttons, and I take them off one item when it's done, and put the on another. And it's a stash that doesn't take up near as much space as the yarn and fluff.
I also have my Grandmother's button collection. There really aren't enough buttons in any one style to use, but I still love having them. They remind me of her.
And sometimes I think I'll get around to buying a big glass vase or even just a nice bottle, and put my buttons in there, so they can be on display all the time. Makes me smile to think of it. Not sure how my husband will react, though...
Das war ein Vorspiel nur. Dort wo man Bücher
Verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen.
--Heinrich Heine 1820 |
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The Irish Ewe
Permanent Resident
USA
1052 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2006 : 06:19:36 AM
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Admit it - you've seen Mom's stash, right?? At last count, she had over 5,000 vintage buttons. And that's the ones that have been sorted, there are a dozen large boxes (or more) with unsorted buttons somewhere in her house.
I say she has a problem. She says it's not booze or yarn from other shops, and so it's all good :)
The Irish Ewe
Norway, Maine
http://www.TheIrishEwe.com |
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pieheart
Permanent Resident
1872 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2006 : 07:06:12 AM
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Hmm....at last, stash to collect that can be displayed and practical at the same time! I love it! And I have a lot of glass vases from flower deliveries. Better and better!
pieheart, who is going to the thrift store later this week to look for buttons for a cardigan that needs blocking
Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday----Dale Carnegie
blog: http://museknits.blogspot.com/ |
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ozknitter
Permanent Resident
Australia
3248 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2006 : 07:12:27 AM
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Hi,
I too have a button stash, but rarely use it. I remember when my children were young they used to love to play with them, so probably quite a few of them get lost along the way.
They used to make me collages out of them and I still have them stuck up in the hallway, along with drawings from Prep to this very day.
But I'd rather have my children any day than a manky jar of buttons, no matter how good they are.
Knit in peace and harmony.
Rose in Melbourne, Australia. |
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sandrasingh
Seriously Hooked
USA
740 Posts |
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Felted-Bag
Seriously Hooked
640 Posts |
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gulf knitter
Seriously Hooked
USA
737 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2006 : 1:35:05 PM
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| At the thrift shop at my church, the volunteers cut the buttons off the UNusable clothing and pile them in a box. Every once in a while, I stop in and buy the contents. Some good, most ordinary, an occasional treasure. But the best buttons are often available on clothes on the racks, and I find that buying a blouse or sweater for $1 just for the super buttons beats buying buttons new everytime. Sarah. |
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~bananaKnits~
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 05/23/2006 : 2:37:14 PM
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I'm a button collector too. I just looked over the buttons I posted about a year ago and realize that since then I have more really neat buttons I have collected.
I inherited this from my mom I just know it. She has been gone for over ten years but I still have her jar of buttons.
I've shared this before but one day I was sitting around sorting my buttons and my son who is an adult was over and the phone rang. By the time I got back there he was sorting my buttons. Some he recognized from grandma. Here he is a grown man but he still remembers the buttons he and grandma played with when he was little.
What a sweet memory for both of us.
http://bananabuttons.blogspot.com/
Happy Knitting,
ana
http://bananaknits.blogspot.com/
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sandrasingh
Seriously Hooked
USA
740 Posts |
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knittingbaglady
Permanent Resident
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2006 : 03:38:43 AM
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I'm always on the look out for vintage buttons. I have a pretty good supply, but always buy them when I find them as I use them on most of my bags.
Bakelite is an early plastic for the 30's. Gorgeous, and many bakelite items demand a high price. I love them too!
Martha.
http://www.greenmountainknittingbags.com/index.htm |
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lella
Permanent Resident
9701 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2006 : 04:40:45 AM
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I have Mother's collection, her mother's collection and jars of buttons from a couple of friends. Some are nice but mostly a lot of them are from the 30 on up with nothing fancy. The girls used to play with them and make necklaces. I kept them for sentiment mostly. There is 30 pounds of mixed color that I bought at a crafter's expo and they are for doll legs. Tons of shirt buttons from DH's shirts for making pins with. They are pearlized white mostly. Buttons are great!
lella[img]http://smilies.sofrayt.com/^/9971/omelet.gif[/img]
http://zippiknits.blogspot.com |
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suzannevh
Gabber Extraordinaire
565 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2006 : 04:41:10 AM
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I cut off buttons of clothing heading for the dumpster. I started this a couple years back when one quilt I was making needles lots of buttons as embellishments. Buttons can be expensive and I often like what I find on my store bought clothes more than what I find when I've looked to buy buttons new.
Check out my project pics http://www.flickr.com/photos/suzannehandicrafts/ |
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Lanea
Permanent Resident
USA
5159 Posts |
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Old Knitter
Seriously Hooked
USA
790 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2006 : 07:57:21 AM
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I have always cut buttons off clothing before I discard it and also keep my open for them at flew markets.
Holly
www.knittinghaven.com |
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Shalee
Permanent Resident
USA
2026 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2006 : 11:44:38 PM
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I have loads and loads of buttons that I have salvaged over the years. I have sorted most of them and always check my stash for what I need. I got some of them from my MIL when she passed. I also save zippers. You know how expensive they have gotten! Anything headed for the garbage has zippers and buttons removed. Then there are the very old wooden spools of thread, I just can't give them up! I used to sew alot, so I have loads of old sewing items. If it "was" then it "is" in my stash!
Sharon in NW PA
I always wanted my own library but I didn't realize it would be all knitting books!
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ChelleC100
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2006 : 05:49:09 AM
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| Ana, I love your buttons. I also love the organized containers you have them in. Where did you get those containers? Thanks, Chelle |
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LauraLLD
New Pal
47 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2006 : 05:52:10 AM
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| I have a button stash, too. I used to sew a lot, and I have buttons left over from projects, plus my grandmother's stash of buttons, trim, zippers, and other sewing stuff. I also have found buttons in antique markets or junk shops and when I do I buy them if they're cheap. Now I have four old cookie tins full of buttons. Someday I'd like to sort them by size or color, but for now I just paw through them whenever I need a button for a knitted item. |
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flickerknitter
New Pal
USA
25 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2006 : 06:03:03 AM
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Love reading about this topic...buttons! In my other life, I designed and manufactured wool coats. Along with the colorful design of each coat the buttons were the most important consideration. The right button either happens or it doesn't and that used to be a matter of considerable time spent searching the planet for just the right button for a particular collection.
It's the same now whenever I need a button for a handknit doll, sweater or hat!
flickerkniter |
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~bananaKnits~
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2006 : 06:32:13 AM
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I'm not sure that I like tham all in their neat containers, I somehow miss the big jar I got the containers at JoAnn's when they had a sale on them.
Happy Knitting,
ana
http://bananaknits.blogspot.com/
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Lisaknit
New Pal
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2006 : 07:23:31 AM
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Oh man, am I ever a button horder. I started back in the day when my business was all about one of a kind handknit originals. If you have wonderful buttons in a stash, whether vintage or made by artisans of today (I am a Sheila Ernst glass button junkie), when you finish a piece...go shop in the stash and the stash will speak to you, telling you who belongs on the garment. Otherwise, a garment might languish or suffer from being the victim of crummy button syndrome. I truly believe that beautiful buttons should complete a garment or quilt that has taken so much time to create.
I do admit that I have some buttons that will probably wait until I design something for them. I found these black and red spiral cord buttons back at an early Stitches West, when I was next to a button vendor (very dangerous). Hmmm...I know just the thing...St Valentine and the natural black baby alpaca that I am spinning. See? A button stash can be very inspiring.
Lisa
http://www.lisaknit.com
http://lisaknit.typepad.com/ |
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jtamsn
Permanent Resident
USA
1585 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2006 : 07:53:10 AM
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I have always been one to pick up buttons for a future project ( or a current one and change my mind!). When my mother in law passed away last year, I found her mothers button stash! Oh my! I now look at buttons differently and enjoy just going through them periodically.
judy |
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Topic |
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Button Button who's got the buttons?
