Button, button, who’s got the button?
There is a beautiful jacket hanging in the closet of my work room. I meticulously matched the fabric pattern at each of the seams – the only time I have successfully done so. I also lined it and finished it by hand. It represents many hours of work. And yet, I’ve never worn it. For almost 4 years now, it has remained in the closet missing only a button.
There is a pin in the place where I intend to place said button, but, I am stuck. Few things cause me to leave projects unfinished; they are typically small tasks that have the potential to cause disasters, rework, and frustration. Making button-holes tops the list.
I’ve learned that many other people – including through recent Twitter exchange with @Soph4Soph – do not like making button-holes either, and may even resort to outsourcing the task to an expert. To be honest, it’s a pain. And for me, particularly now that my sewing machine has also given up on button-holes, it is easy to leave the task undone.
But, don’t get me wrong here. I have to distinguish my feelings toward making button-holes from those towards the buttons themselves. I love buttons. Like fabric, they represent possibility. They can be functional or decorative. They can turn an ordinary item into one with flair. They can add interest to an almost-hidden or often-ignored aspect of an item. They can be understated or flamboyant. In short, they can be anything you want them to be.
Storm's Button Box
A year ago, I went to San Francisco and visited Britex Fabrics near Union Square. While my mom waited patiently for me, I spent the better part of an hour just scouring the button trays. I couldn’t help but walk away with a pile of buttons for which I had no plan. They just appealed to me, so I bought them. It’s the same motivation that’s led to my accumulating 7 bins of fabric that I will make something out of “one day.”
ABC-Button.com
Anyway, I digress. This morning, I ran across ABC Button company from Germany by way of Steve Hoefer’s blog “Made“, which prompted me to write this post (though it took me a long time to come back to the inspiration). The ABC Button is a 9-holed button that allows you to sew it on to things in letter form. It’s great for kids’ clothes, embellishment, or even for stuffed toys I would think. Whatever the choice, it’s a button that allows freedom.
While I can’t find a place to buy the ABC Buttons, Steve sells his version on Etsy under the name Grathio. I also stumbled across a DIY post from Design Sponge on how to make 9-hole buttons yourself. You can always go back to ABC Button to download the button stitch patterns.
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