Only a week late on my self-imposed new schedule - not bad considering we had to take Toby to the vet last week (he's on the mend now!) and I had to re-film this as the first choice of colours was way too close to really see what I was doing!
Hopefully, you are all well, happy, and not too cold, wet, or otherwise concerned with winter weather. I am slowly getting into spring clean mode - as the sun changes I can see everything that needs doing. Even slightly contemplating re-decorating the bedroom this year...
I've had a couple of interesting online meetings this past week, and so new projects to work on.
I'll be teaching a Dorset button workshop at Debbie Shore's place in April, which should be lovely! Do you know, that Debbie was the presenter on my first-ever show on Create & Craft? That's going back some years.
I have been a bit lapse, haven't I? I have been keeping up over at the One Button a Week blog, but keeping two can be a bit hard sometimes. Sorry.
So here is a new video which I've been promising for a while. I hope it helps some of you!
Next week is a biggie - I'm launching the next book in the "Making Buttons" series - Zwirnknopf Buttons - on Create & Craft on Saturday at 3pm. So, there is a lot to do!
Watch this space - I'll pop a picture up in the week.
Of course, had I been working a button challenge this year, you would have all expected a commemorative button. This one took a little while to get right.
The silk thread Union Jack is over a vintage mould - perhaps even as old as the Prince. And I can call it a jack, as it is for a sailor.
The surround is a zwirnknopfe, not a Dorset button. A technique from mainland Europe to represent the ties he had to other European countries.
I have used purple silk - for royalty - and waxed linen. I chose this because it rather looks like horsehair so represents both the horseman and the down to earth person he seemed to be.
And, a little gold crown and his cipher of crossed P's.
I've had quite a few of you ask me for this, so here it is. A very simple version - I think the real beauty of this button lies in the extra doodling that each maker adds. Because you need a larger ring, there is more scope for decorative stitching and wraps.
We also have those larger rings available now (well as I finish the listing on the website haha).
Don't forget I'm on Hochanda on Monday evening - 5pm and 9pm. I will of course add another blog entry to let you know beforehand.
I've had my first covid jab - yay! Really does feel like it is an important day. This time last year I was at Hochanda and it was such an odd day. No one quite knew what to do, but everyone knew life was about to change. There was a real heavy feeling in the air, and a lot of stress flying around.
Our new Little Loom Kit - launching next week. That's a normal sized cup of tea!
I hope that you are all keeping well and following whatever the current advice is in your relevant countries. I know that some of you are in a virtual lock-down, and others are self-isolating. And for the rest of us, a lot of hand washing is happening.
We will be at the Hochanda studios on Wednesday for two shows. Rest assured that we and Hochanda will be taking all measures necessary during the shows. Being live TV, there is of course, the very real possibility that they will be cancelled, should anyone contract the virus. Hopefully that won't happen and we will be able to continue with our work.
At 8am the subject will be weaving, and we are launching our Little Loom Kit - a smaller, MDF version of our Build Your Own Tape Loom Kit. We are really excited about this, it is smaller, and being cut from MDF, allows us to provide a much less expensive option for those of you who have always wanted to try narrow weaving but don't want the expense. You'll need to add your own glue, and thread, and of course being MDF won't have all of the finishing options the larger, beech option has, but it does have full instructions so that you can get started. And if you are stuck - this video on YouTube is relevant to both looms.
The second show is at noon and the subject is buttons. And three new kits - Our Big Button Brooch Kits. For the launch we will have a Star, Zwirnknopfe and Trapunto. Each kit has button moulds, threads, backing felt, needles and instructions. The Trapunto kit makes two (and has some extra fabrics), while the other two each makes 3.
Star Big Button Brooch Kit
The Star kit is a nice wrapping technique, and probably the best if you are starting your journey in button making
Zwirnknopfe Big Button Brooch Kit
The Zwirnknopfe has a ring - this larger size is, I think, a bit easier than working with the little rings. I'd probably place this second.
Trapunto Big Button Brooch Kit
The Trapunto brooch uses a variation on the shadow trapunto technique - so simple embroidery. I really wanted this to resemble lovely paper parchment work, such as those pieces created by the Clarity Groovi team. I adore what they create.
These will all be on our website too on Wednesday. I hope you'll be able to tune in.
These are NOT Dorset buttons. They are made in France for a start...
You know when you have a pet hate and it drives you a bit batty? Well, mine is the hastag #dorsetbutton.
It's a great hash tag when used on an actual Dorset button. And by that I do not mean where the button was made, but the technique.
Of course, we live in an age of hastags - and so for social media purposes, if we want anything found we actually need to use the hastag #dorsetbutton (or search terms) in order to pick up the audience who follow these things. I try to counteract this with the hastag #notadorsetbutton, but I suspect that like so much in an ever changing language, all ring buttons will come to be called a Dorset button in the future. And I'll just have to take a deep breath! ;)
But, in case you were wondering...
Any ring button is not a Dorset button.
Ring buttons on cards made in Germany or elsewhere are not Dorset buttons.
Any lacy thread button is not a Dorset button.
Every fabric button with some needlework is not a Dorset button.
Crocheted buttons are not Dorset buttons.
Cord, braid, etc buttons are not Dorset buttons.
and the list goes on.
The cottage industry that was known Buttony in the Dorset area of England did make other types of button very early in the history of the trade. However, it is at the very beginning, (mid 1600s). By the time that ring buttons are being made the trade is quite specific, as it the technique used.
In Dorset thread button making, the ring is covered first.
Then the spokes are laid.
Then, the decorative weaving, or stitching is worked to strengthen the centre area of the ring.
This creates a very distinctive design and edge. The image of the back of a Dorset button below shows how the lines of the of the spokes is over the ridge of the blanket stitch covering.
The pre-revival Dorset industry used linen thread. Not silk. Not braids or cords. In fact, it is very rare that a pre-revival Dorset button is coloured although there are a few exceptions, most notably the black Singleton buttons (although the whole black Singleton button is perhaps another discussion!). There are a few coloured thread buttons in existence and it may well be that they were dyed by the garment maker after purchasing the buttons.
These white on white buttons buttons could be washed at high temperatures. Apparently, the alloy used to make the rings was invented by the Case family to be rust free and was a secret "recipe".
And that is the reason the industry was devastated almost overnight when a machine for making linen buttons cheaply went on display at the Great Exhibition. Within 9 years the Dorset industry collapsed.
At around 1900, Lady Lees attempted to revive the industry, and at this point you begin to see slight variations, particularly regarding the use of colour, and it appears, a change of thread if required. This button card clearly illustrates what she was offering, the thread looks shiny and there are colours and even beads. The thread could be mercerised cotton, silk, or "artificial silk" - first invented in 1855 and often used in dress trimmings. However, if you look closely at this card, you will still see the tell-tale signs of covering the button first, and then working the spokes. Also, every one of these buttons is still made over a very fine ring, unlike other fancy thread buttons of the era.
Photo: The Textile Society
This is the back of a Zwirnknopfe button - made in Germany, Austria, and northern Europe. I don't know how long their history is exactly, but they certainly seem to have been a viable alternative to machine linen buttons in the late 19th century (perhaps why Lady Lees attempted the revival). This technique often uses a flatter ring and works the spokes first - then covers any space in the ring. You can see the ridge is over the spokes, creating a solid line at the back. There is even a little machine that works the spokes used in Austria - the video below shows the machine. This results in quite a different look to the Dorset technique. And, if on a fancy printed card, the chances are the buttons have not been worked using the Dorset technique, as the Dorset cottage makers weren't using printed cards.
Modern Dorset buttons use all sorts of combinations of stitches and colours. But they still use the same basic technique, covering the ring first.
There is no evidence that other types of needlework button, those worked over wooden moulds or with embroidery were ever made within the industry. Instead, button cards exist of passementiers or button makers working these fancy designs in many colours.
Likewise, there is no evidence that any crocheted button was made as part of the industry.
