Day 204: Marburg

Day 204 : Marburg

This button is based on a button found on the traditional costume (before 1900) of the German district of Marbury-Biedenkopf. I've added a few extra rows and the crossed stitch at the centre (I felt my chosen background colour needed to be broken up a little), but essentially, this is the same button.

Instructions for the button can be found in the German language book "Posamentenknopfe", by some of my wonderful button making friends (the world is a much smaller place when you share button making!

I've used cotton perle size 12 for this.

Size: 26mm / just over 1" / 42L

Day 203 : Prim

Day 203 : Prim

As I am sure you can imagine, I like vintage buttons. This also includes the various different cover buttons that used to be available to the home dressmaker (today's versions are very plain in comparison). There really were some interesting styles.

This is one of those. A Prym "Cover Your Own Combination Buttons" that I recently acquired. The packet was unopened, but the packaging torn away. These buttons consist of two parts for the top, a domed piece and a ring. Which, you would think would be quite straightforward to put together. 

Think again! And the fact that the crucial part of the instruction meant that it took me the best part of an hour so figure what one side of 4 steps meant, haha.

I've used a silk velvet that I dyed with woad - this was a lighter piece, the darker becoming a medieval diptych bag for a dear friend many years ago. 

Annoyingly, the play of light on the velvet makes the centre look off-centre. I can assure you that it isn't - the two pieces only line up one way. 

Can you notice that next to the heading on the packaging Pryms is spelt Prims with an i? I wonder why.

I'm guessing from the packaging this is the 1950s. And I so wish I could find what is advertised on the back -

"For the NEW dress matching earrings on which your No 30 button can be used check jewelry counter for style No 152."

I need some!! Prym - bring back the unusual self cover buttons - and earring fittings, please!

Size: just under 20mm / 6⁄8" / 30L

Day 202 : Courage

Day 202 : Courage

Today's button just makes me think of the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz - after they arrived at the Emerald City and his mane got a make-over! So there's the reason behind the name. :)

The centre is a flat thread woven piece, stuffed to make a ball. I am experimenting with reproducing something I've seen on antique buttons, and I think I have come up with a viable technique. It's actually the back I was looking to replicate, which of course you can't see.

The surround is a traditional passementerie loop chenille or uncut chenille stem. Most often seen today on tassels to hide the join between the neck and skirt (known as a ruff), it can also be seen on decorative buttons. It is also one of the techniques used to create hairwork flowers during the 19th century. It's all inter-related you see...

Size : 22mm / 7⁄8" / 36L