Sunday, July 25, 2021

Dorset buttons



                    DORSET BUTTON 



the Dorset button are made using a ring and for example pearl cotton embroidery thread. I often use a thin crochet thread as well. 

You can use different kind of rings wood, metal or plastic. Metal rings must be rust free. Rust free washers works fine. You can even use curtain rings to create larger buttons. 

You need to know Blanket stitch and Back stitch in order to make this button. 

There are a lot of different patterns f



or Dorset buttons but today we are covering the most common one the Dorset Cartwheel Button.

I used a plastic ring this time as I had a few at hand. 

Secure the thread by making a knot, I use to put the tail under the blanket stitches after. 

Blanket stitch around the hole ring 


Make sure you are making the stitches tight together so there is no gap between the stitches. 

Turn the ridge off the blanket stitches into the middle of the ring 


Now it's time to make the spokes wrapp the thread around the ring until you have 8 [my ring is tiny so I used 8 but you can add more if you want to] threads all crossing in the middle. 





Secure the middle cross with a x stitch. [both the top and bottom threads] 





Now you should start weaving around the strands of threads doing back stitch 



Keep going with blanket stitch until you have filled it all the way. Secure ends on the back 







You can use the Dorset button as any other button and they also makes great jewellery 
I made earrings out of mine 
Just created a hoop for the earring piece on the back 



Next time I want to try Yorkshire buttons 

I found a great pdf download over at this Blog


Sunday, July 18, 2021

Make your own fabric covered buttons




 Fabric covered buttons are easy to make from scratch.

Materials needed

Fabric [some scrap fabric will work fine] 

Scissors

Sewing thread

Embroidery thread [for the shank]

Batting or stuffing

Piece of plastic container like an ice cream box

Pen 

Beads and various embroidery thread if you want to make it even more special.


When you have gathered your supplies

Start with drawing circles on your plastic container as big as you want the button and cut them out. 



Find the fabric you want to use and cut circles about 2cm larger than the plastic circles. Cut out a circle of batting fitting the plastic circle or use stuffing. If you want to embroidery some thing or add beads now is the best time. I added running stitch using embroidery thread on two buttons and two with colorful fabric. 

Sew running stitch around the edge of the fabric circle. 





Place the batting in the middle of the fabric circle then the plastic circle on top 


Put the batting and the plastic circle into the fabric circle and pull the thread knot or other wise secure ends. 

Now your button should look like this on the front side. 




Cut another fabric circle for the back 
Fold in edges and sew it to cover the back of the button using ladder stitch or wip stitch 




Then it's time to make a shank 

Make a few loops using embroidery thread 
Blanket stitch all around the loop 
Now your button is ready to be used 
Easy Peasy right 👍









Wednesday, July 14, 2021

How to turn a worn collar

 An old trick if you have a worn shirt or jacket collar is to turn it inside out.

Today I did this with Mr Mayhem's well worn jeans jacket. 




First you need to unpick the seam.

I prefer using a sharp knife but you can use a seam ripper too.



When you are done unpicking you turn the collar an stitch it back in place turning the worn side down.


Mr Mayhem's Jacket is very well worn and I had to darn the worn side before sewing it back onto the jacket. 





Pin it in place, and make sure all layers are in the right place.

Sew it back together and you are done. 




It work just as well with shirts 
This shirt got the collar turned a while back 








Monday, July 12, 2021

Replace jeans button

 It's really frustrating when the button of your jeans fall off. Often the leaves a hole too as they usually are studd buttons.


If you have a pice of denim and a coin or a regular button you can easily fix it. 
Of course you will need a needle and a sewing thread as well 😉





Sew running stitches around the pice of fabric just like the button in the previous posts 


Pull the thread with the coin inside the fabric. My fabric was a bit to small, but I was to lazy to get a bigger one. 
Pull the fabric through the hole, you might need to make it a bit bigger. 
Sew the fabric to the back of the hole 

If you have cut a bigger circle like I should have done you will get a better result on the back. You can always put a patch over it if you aren't happy with how it looks on the back. 
Looks perfect on the front 




The jeans are now back in circulation 👖

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Crochet button




In need of a fancy button but only have boring once. 

If you know how to crochet you can make a cool button by adding some crochet stitches

It's also possible to use embroidery stitches

The first button is made from a boring ordinary button


I used double crochet through the hole in the button 
2.  Doble crochet [3 stitches in the gap between the holes] 
3.chain 7 skip one stitch, double crochet in the next chain 7 skip one. All the way around fasten off. 




Need a button, but only have a bead. 
Just crochet around it and make a shank.
You can also use stuffing instead of a bead 




Start with a magic circle or chain 4 and make a circle. 
2. 2 double crochet in the previous stitch 
8 stitches 
3. Double crochet in the first 2 double crochet in the next repeat. 
4-5 one double crochet in each stitch 
6. Decrease by Crochet 2 double crochet together one double crochet repeat 
7. decrease by do crochet 2 stitches together repeat 

Make a shake 
Making a few loops and blanket stitch around
Or Slipstitch into the button, chain 4, Slipstitch into the button
Double crochet 8 stitches over the 4 chain stitches fasten off. 

Wool jacket repair

  I was asked if I could mend this double wool jacket. At first the owner only thought it was a few holes in the sleeves but discovered a bi...