Tutorial - The "Changing Sides" button

Well, I have been rather lapse here on the blog, haven't I?

Just a little heads-up, if you "do" facebook or Instagram, that's probably the best place to find out what I'm up to in between posts...

Very busy week plus - our machine died, and we now cannot manufacture anything until the new one arrives next week. We've been re-arranging the unit, finding a place to put it, and generally sorting out. Certainly needed, but I'd rather be working on getting kits packed!

Speaking of working on, busy busy designing the next kits - something quite different, but that we've wanted to do for a very long time. I hope you all will like it. 

So, although we had a sell out - and it won't be available again until next week - I have also posted up a product support video for the Basketweave Button Kit, you'll find it here -

https://youtu.be/3PVUftd1yyc

Making a Yorkshire Flower button

Here's a new idea for your Yorkshire button loom - and I know that many of you will take this one a level or two and use the flowers on so many other textile projects. In fact, I'm reminded that quite a few of you already make cards with Yorkshire button flowers, and gorgeous they are too!

It's funny really - back when we created our first Yorkshire button kit 5 years ago, there wasn't one commercial kit on the market. We spent a lot of time testing the best tabs, material and sizes. Until then, people used cardboard looms or pins (as I describe in my Buttons book). Since then, we've been copied quite a few times - sadly, usually by people who have actually bought from us! And that is why we call our kit "The original & best". 😀

Don't forget, you can get our kit over on our website -

https://www.ginabsilkworks.co.uk/

Let's talk about button moulds! PLUS One Button A Week- week 2 - winter ...

Button moulds - what are they, and what can I use?

This topic came up this week over on our Facebook group, and I thought this would be a good thing to do as an informational video - sometimes seeing something is better than just reading about it.

Of course, we have loads of button moulds over on our website, but I know that international shipping does mean that some may not always be able to get what they want. 

But there are so many different things that can be used as a button mould, so I hope that this gives you a bit of an idea.

At the end of the video is more wonderful community contributions for the One Button a Week Challenge - week 2 with the prompt "winter". 

Do pop over to the blog for the challenge for the images and some other snippets about the challenge!

https://www.onebuttonaweek.co.uk/

This weekend, it is all about winding wire and packing kits -

Yes, we are getting back into it and have a show over on The Craft Store on the 29th of January! We will be bringing ganutell kits - along with a new kit based on the Cloisterwork techniques - all sparkly and shiny wires and pretty flowers. 

For those of you who follow these things, last week was quite the week. The Craft Store took over Create & Craft (the tv shopping company where we started out). So, who knows, we may end up with some shows over there at some time!

Stay safe and well everyone!

Nearly time!

 

Nearly time for the launch show on Saturday. Lots of launch bundles packed and ready to go, but still working on some samples.

I mentioned over on social media that the show is also an anniversary of sorts. 10 years ago I made my first appearance on craft tv. It lasted a whole of 15 minutes! We sold out of the DVDs that we took, and the rest of the show was dedicated to a sewing machine. I was very lucky that Debbie Shore was my first presenter, she made it very easy for me!

Before that, I was working to commissions, researching, teaching and demonstrating the work of the 15th century silkwoman at re-enactments. There was a very small group of us - before us, no one demonstrated silkwomen, and only a very few had even heard of them - now there are quite a few young woman doing this. That's really nice. 

But I never thought, in a million years that anyone beyond the living history / costume crown would ever be interested in learning these things - so thank you all!

How to attach a small thread covered ball button - 3 ways!

It's that time again - double video upload!

It's easier to upload the little product support videos just before a general video - otherwise the little video that only has a small audience messes up the algorithms for searches (the link to the short will be below). And the channel goes further down the list of recommended channels. More things to learn as a small business owner!

The main video came about after questions from the previous video about actually sewing on the thread covered ball bead. Of course, there are still other ways - I may well compile them into another video at a later date. I hope this is clear for you. I personally like the last way and use it quite a bit. You can make the buttons into jewellery this way to.

Plodding along - this weekend will be getting some samples ready for the big launch next weekend of the next book in the Making Buttons series - "Thread Wrapped Buttons". This edition looks at the basic wrapped styles with a few that include some weaving - but I've left the more complex weaving for a later edition. But I have included my "backwards wrapping" technique :)

Stay safe and well and have a lovely weekend

Working through it

 

How is everyone? Very good I hope.

I've been busy plodding along, sinuses still an issue but have at least started on some alternative therapies to lessen the issues, as you do! I am at least on the ENT waiting list, so hopefully it won't be too long. Of course, covid has increased waiting times hugely, and I haven't even heard about my foot yet. 

Enough of that!

I have still been busy, even if I didn't want to be in front of a camera - taking lots of step by step photos for the next book. This is the first in a series we've planned for quite a while - each book with a different subject matter, but all "Making Buttons".

There will be some old favourites, some new ideas, and everything in between in this series - a way to get designs I've worked or discovered over the years out there, as well as updating the old DVDs we did (let's face it, who watches DVDs these days?). 

This series will be aimed at everyone, while the 16th & 16th century buttons book (The Historical Button Maker Vol 2) that I am also working on is probably more specialist. That one too is moving along at a much better pace now too, so some times not being able to do the everyday things can be a bit of a blessing :)

So watch this space - hopefully everything will be back from the printers for the end of the month for the first - "Dorset Ring Buttons".

And in the meantime - Good luck England!