making buttons

[EricaR]

hi,
I have this dim memory of it being possible to make buttons from thin slices from the branches of a rose bush, but that was a long time ago. Now I have tried googling all sorts of variants of homemade; button; wood; rose; diy but without any success.

Does anybody here have any suggestions?

I'm guessing that I need to just have a go at cutting slices and drilling holes and sanding, but in the dim recesses of my brain there was more to it than that.

Thanks, Erica

[StripyPixieSocks]

Ooh do you know, I saw a website page on that very topic about a week ago but can I find it now? ...

... I'll get back to you, I'm sure I bookmarked it somewhere!

Basically, from memory it was that you stripped off the bark from a reasonably thick tree branch (about 1"-ish) then left it to dry somewhere warm and when dry cut thin disks from the branch and drill two or four small holes in the middle of the disk to allow it to be sewed onto clothes.

You can sand then, paint them, dye them etc etc etc.

That was the version I saw anyway but I just cannot find the web page which is highly frustrating

[EricaR]

thanks, that vaguely chimes with my rememberings, but if you can find/remember the site, that would be fab 8o)

[snapdragon]

http://needle-exchange.ca/2007/06/22/ma ... n-buttons/

this any help?

[EricaR]

that's great, thank you 8o)

I've got a couple of branches that might be up for experimentation

[snapdragon]

I have a trimmed (and needs doing again before it fouls the overhead power line) Field Maple that I'm hoping will make bean poles and stuff - but cutting a few button pieces off the thick ends sounds like a good plan

Am so glad you posted this thread EricaR

to dye wood - I think you can use similar plants that you would to dye cotton, am pretty sure that onion skins will dye wood gold and browns and turmeric yellows, madder root should give pinks/reds, and indigo blues. But I cant tell how light/wash fast they would be or if you need to add mordants

[EricaR]

the dyeing sounds interesting too - I'd only thought of leaving them plain, but it sounds like a good project - do you do much dyeing? (spelled that without the e the first time - not good)

[snapdragon]

the dyeing sounds interesting too - I'd only thought of leaving them plain, but it sounds like a good project - do you do much dyeing? (spelled that without the e the first time - not good)

I've just started with natural dyes on wool, but the books tell me there's a difference in results when dyeing plant and animal fibres.

[clare]

I am always looking for interesting buttons to sew on my lavender hearts I sell so this could be very good for me,do you think hazel could work? we have some ready for copicing soon.

[WhiteRabbit]

Thanks for a great idea! We have lots of gum trees in the garden and they're always dropping branches and twigs. I'm constantly on the look out for new ideas to put them to some use. I'd never thought of buttons before.

[the.fee.fairy]

I like these ideas!
Might have a go at them next year for some a jacket and a cardie that i'm in the middle of knitting.

I've made buttons from Fimo before. I don't know how long they'll last, or whether they'd break with repeated use...or whether they'd be washing machine safe.

I guess we'll find out when i was the clothing with the fimo buttons on..