Dress Of The Day with Angela

I read a post on Facebook about somebody recalling as a child playing with buttons in their mother's button box. The button box was a biscuit tin, recycled. What a great idea. A large circular tin, for biscuits, or a higher one for cakes. My buttons are scattered in several boxes, not as large as a cake tin.  I have buttons in small glass recycled jam jars. That way you can see the colours. They are scattered along book shelves.  Wouldn't it be easier to have all the buttons in one large tin. My biggest tin is from a Xmas cake, a Panettone. Why keep a button box? To replace lost buttons, on shirts, coats. To replace missing buttons on items bought cheaply from charity shops. To add decoratively. To cover stains. To make button toys, like little human figures. To make eyes on puppets.  To add extra security on wrap skirts. To secure crossover wrap tops gapping, showing cleavage, threatening to pull undone. To sew behind bigger buttons to keep them secure. (On the other sid...

  Photo by Angela Lansbury Do you have spare buttons from sewing kits? Or from clothes you threw away or gave away? Where do you keep spare buttons? In a button box. How do you find it? Decorate it with buttons.. Here are some ideas for buttons. 1 Decorate Button boxes and sewing kits.  2 Thread them onto safety pins or hang them from same colour or contrasting colour safety pins to make brooches. 3 Sew them around the neck and cuffs of a plain sweater. Make a row of false buttons down an item with no buttons. Or beween the real buttons down the front of a cardigan. 4 Stick onto magnets to decorate the fridge. 5 Make ear-rings, necklaces and bracelets. 6 Use as handles or handle decoration or simpley stick on decoration for  a sewing or crafts cabinet or underwear drawer. 7 Scatter them across on old torn garment to hide holes and tears. 8 Use as eyes for soft toys. (Not for children uder three yeas old, Only for four years old and upwards. 9 Sew onto a headband or belt o...

 Buying Buttons You can buy sets of same colour upholstery buttons. All the same colour.  Fastening Make sure to check the back. Some have attached spikes. Others have indented or tunneled backs. Two or Four Holes I am an amateur sewer and untidy. I don't like having to be sure to get the right colour cotton for all the buttons, matching the fabric. I prefer a button with a shank at the back.  Black buttons, small and large, with two holes, four holes, and domed with a shank. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. You might feel that four holes means the button is more secure. Less included to swivel so that one two-hole button has a pair of holes vertical and the next beside it has the holes horizontal.  I keep my small buttons in a small button box. I bought this in a UK shop. Sets These listings can be confusing. Some of them say sets of ten. Then they say each. Each button or each set of ten? See what is listed when you start to place the order. Others are sold by ...

Have you ever wondered what to do with old socks? Especially odd socks. And children's socks which they have grown out of? The nose was made out of a scrap of fabric. You could do the same with the eyes, make them out of fabric.  The nose could also be made the same way as the eyes in the video. With a bead. Or cover a button or bead with fabric. You only need a couple of socks.  And beads for the eyes. And a scrap of fabric for the little dress. Ideally edged with lace or something pretty.  And some wood for the hair. And two socks. One the colour of her pale skin. Then use rouge for the cheeks. Draw on the mouth. I would make the mouth smile. Lots of time and patience. Bead Boxes I have a bead box. I have several. I also have button boxes. Button Boxes In the UK I have a small button box which I bought on holiday. It is a box covered in buttons which have been glued onto the box and lid. The box is the size of a muffin. The glued on buttons is a cute idea. A waste of lo...