2paw: You'd Better Watch Out, You'd Button Not Cry!!

The weather today has been very stormy, wet and wild. We went for a walk nevertheless: we don't mind walking in the rain. There were giant puddles and there was a lot of running through them. Harki is a bit limpy but she is feeling more like her old self, because when we came to the gate near the car, she ran away and went cross country and came out in the park. She was very pleased with herself. I took a video of the puddle action, but I turned my camera side ways and so it loaded to YouTube sideways, even though I had right way upped it on my computer. So, alas you will have to lean your head to the left and sit awkwardly to watch. It's worth it to watch Peri's joy at a puddle!!

Then we came home and I made myself a new skirt. I traced off my own pattern again and added about a centimetre to the side seam length. It matches my new green top. So even though it was raining cats and dogs, was wildly windy and cold, I wore my new skirt and top to town!!! I have borrowed a pattern drafting book from the Library and I am thinking of brushing up on my long lost skills and doing a lot more of my own pattern making instead of just fiddling about all the time altering commercial patterns. It is such a nice feeling to make a garment that you know will fit you first time.

MrsDrWho persuaded me to buy some green Christmas material that was on sale and so in a few days I will be wearing my very own Christmas Skirt!! The BSODL(TM) also gained a few Brownie points the other week when one of the employees sought me out and told me she had been especially saving some fabric for me: green Labrador fabric. I bought some last year @ $17 per metre, but this time I was able to buy 3.9 metres @ $3 per metre. What a bargain, only $12!!

Today, I am making an embroidered button, like the buttons I made a few weeks ago. They are fun to make, small but very satisfying, and so let's begin!!

First, gather your supplies. I bought plastic self-cover buttons, 4 x 29mm for about $2. There are metal ones as well. I like these the best because they have a template for the exact sizes of fabric circle needed to cover your button and they are easy to use. My fabric is some pure linen in an very pale taupe colour, and I ironed some light weight fusible interfacing on the back so the plastic button wouldn't show through. I cut out the card template for the circle I needed, and traced off a star that I checked would fit onto the button. I also have a needle, embroidery thread, sewing thread, some beads and sequins and scissors too.

*Here is where I should have already traced the circle template on to the fabric and then I could have centred the star. I traced the star onto the linen. I don't have a light box, so I tape the pattern to my window and as long as it's daylight I can trace really easily. I use a 6B pencil as I'm embroidering over it anyway.

*Now I centered the template over the star and traced around it. Then I used two strands of embroidery thread doubled, so four strands altogether, and I did backstitch.

I used beads along the inside of the embroidery. I sewed on each bead separately with sewing thread, because it's stronger, and then I like to stitch back through the beads that are lined up just to make sure they are lying straight. I added a bead and a sequin.

I cut out the circle of fabric and used doubled sewing thread, securing it very well at the beginning, sewing small even stitches about 3 or 4mm in from the edge. Then I slightly pulled the thread and began to gather, just like a Suffolk Puff.

This is the time to place the button inside the fabric, it goes into the wrong side, and then pull the gathering stitches up tight.

The shank part goes in next, rough side in, smooth side and shank facing out. And before you use a cotton reel to push the shank into place, check the hole for sewing on the button is in the right direction, otherwise your button may get sew on skew whiff!!

And, at last, there is your Christmas button, ready to be sewn on and admired!! I expect it could be made into a brooch or badge or sewn on to enhance another of your Christmas crafted items!!!

A bit later on: LarjMarj says that she's having trouble with the comment thingy, so I have turned off the Typepad Authentification. I have no idea if that will help or not, but let me know if it doesn't!!