When Cindy was here visiting, we hit 7 or 8 Antique and Thrift shops one day. We left at 10:00 and were on our way home at 5:00. We had seen just about everything and came home with a few treasures. When she’s in those kinds of places, she looks for very different things than me. She is very savvy and knows SO much about the pottery and the glassware and the furniture and crocks and pictures and SO MUCH MORE! So her tastes are different than mine…I did pay attention to what she was looking at and she was teaching me things I didn’t know… but guess where I usually end up? In the booths that had sewing items! Sorry, it’s just who I am.
We were in this one store and I found the booth with lots and lots of buttons and vintage sewing tools. I will readily admit, I kind of have a thing for buttons and the more unusual, the better. There were plenty of old buttons and it took me a while to zero in on some I really liked. Since I sew for dolls, so many of the big buttons had to be overlooked. But when I find tiny little buttons, and unusual ones at that, I really stop and look at them.
I found these little black and white ones and they really caught my eye. As soon as I saw them I was trying to figure out how I would and could use them. Then below them I spied the sort of chartreuse ones.
They were wired onto the card and I haven’t removed them yet…
… but I couldn’t help searching my fabrics and seeing what might work with them. I can see them on a Civil War dress and also for something from the 40’s. Here are some of the fabrics I laid them on…
Do you like them? Would you have bought them? I know it’s kind of hard to tell what they actually look like while they are still on the card, but “maybe” you get the idea of what they’d look like…
I also pulled out these 2 Civil War prints but I do think they are a bit too busy for these buttons. The buttons need to be the focal point and not compete with the print, which I think would happen with these prints.
I pulled out a couple fabrics to see what went with the green/yellow ones… :o)
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Good morning everyone from Basel, Switzerland! I am the first one here today which is incredible. I hope everyone is fine…I haven’t been paying as much attention lately and apologize. It did seem that Jeanne and sisters had a ball shopping and those pretty antique mall pictures were positively dizzying, so much stuff. Lovely shadow box and hope you’re having a great visit with the kids. I am sure Reuben is.
Joy, great picture of your sweet Josefine in her dress.
We are here and soon joining our oldest son, wife, her mom and aunt for a wine river cruise on the Rhine, then spending a couple extra days in Amsterdam before the long ride back to CO. It’s supposed to rain every day we’re here, of course, when Joy, Marilyn and I could use it in CA and CO. So it goes.
Be well and happy, dear friends, and Dorothy of PA, great tips for helping Joy with her delivery escapades! Of course, Joy’s stories are always action-packed. 😁 Sending all of you hugs.
Have a wonderful time, Sally, and safe travels back home! I wondered why we hadn’t heard from you just recently!! Lucky you, to be traveling!!
Hey, hey, she made it to Europe! Hope the time change doesn’t do you in. So exciting, even in the rain, to actually be somewhere. Love it. 🙂
Dear Sally, there you are! Thanks for checking in. We are saving your space on Jeanne’s sofa.
Enjoy your vacation and do let us know when you return. Also, if a little dolly just happens to be a stowaway in one of your suitcases, we would love to meet her.
Wishing you safe travels and wonderful adventures!
Hi Sally, I, too, had wondered where you were, but just though you were busy. I hope you have a wonderful time. A cruise sounds delightful. I have a first cousin once removed who lives in Switzerland and I know it is beautiful.
Have a great time! You are brave to go to Europe right now🤔so enjoy every nook and cranny! We all hope some lovely Swiss Dolly comes home in your bags!
Lucky, lucky you. It’s been years since I’ve been in that neck of the woods but remember it well. Switzerland is absolutely beautiful. We were there in early summer so except for on the mountains the snow was gone and the weather was lovely. My first husband and I were touring Europe and parts of Britain. I would love to go back but David is not big on doing that sort of thing. He says he would like to go to Scotland though because we have friends in the Isle of Scalpay and I would love to go back to Wales where my ancestors lived and go to Cornwall and spend the night at Jamaica Inn. Unfortunately these days I’d have to be sedated to handle that long flight but it would be worth it. Safe travels and enjoy every minute. I’m still hoping to one day take one of those Viking cruises.
Jeanne, the very first doll I thought of when I saw all those buttons, was Addy in a Civil War dress! Just perfect for that, and I hope that’s what you will do with them. I especially love the black and white ones! I can’t even begin to tell you what fabric I like them best with, they all look good and I’m afraid you are going to run out of those buttons before you know it!
What?? Sally is in Switzerland? I am partly Swiss and would love to be there with you, Sally! I have been wondering why you haven’t been commenting and thought maybe you were sick. I must have missed any comment you may have made about going on a trip! Have a great time there, and know that we too, are having rain just about every day here in St. Louis, if that gives you any comfort!!
Well, Jeanne, I do love buttons just as much as you do, and would have bought those (esp. the black/white ones; chartreuse is not my thing, although they were pretty…). It was fun to see them with the various fabrics; for the B/W ones, I really LOVED them with that plaid! Definitely a Molly dress there, I think (at least the fabric–not sure if Molly would have had such fancy buttons…). I also really liked them with that first fabric, as well as the tiny check that you showed.
As to the chartreuse ones, I like them with the second fabric best. First one is okay with them, too, but I don’t think I’d put them with the pink. But then, there have been times you’ve put things together and I’ve thought, hm, I don’t think that’s going to work…and yet, when the ensemble is done, is Does work! So, never say never!
You will be happy to know I took a few pictures tonight, and hope to get them sent to you in the next day or two. I still have to load them on my computer, but first I have to go to bed! Good night!
Thanks Jeanne, for sharing your thrift finds. I think I’d have to see what pattern is being used before deciding on a favorite with the buttons, but at this point, it is the large black and white plaid worn with black patent leather boots and a large brimmed straw hat. The white picks up the buttons. Some of the others seem awful busy, but when made into a dress, will be lovely I’m sure. I think the chartreuse buttons look nice with the brown print because it is the closest color match. However, maybe a white/cream solid fabric might also make a lovely dress as well.
We’re heating up starting today and tomorrow will be in the 90’s. Wish we had some of that Swiss rain to cool us off. 🙂
Dear Jeanne, hello. I think that the buttons look very elegant, says the non-sewer, non-cook, non-crafter.
Luckily I do have research skills (laugh) and after a search on Google, I have found information about a few button museums. Here is a link to one of them:
https://www.mattmuseum.org/collections/waterbury-button-museum/
BUTTONS! Love them! Really love the green ones…and the fabrics you have selected to go with both colors are right on target! Hope, hope the next dress will have them …looks like you have enough for several dresses🤗
Hi Dorothy, The button museum looks interesting. thanks for the link.
When my mom and I go antique shopping the same is true. She look for/at different things than I. Our one antique store has a couple of booths with vintage sewing supplies.
I am a lace lover as well and also love usual buttons. There was a small window of time when I was in grade school (maybe third and fourth grade 1976-77) that trading buttons was a thing like trading stickers.
I can definitely see the black and white buttons on a Civil War dress and hope Addy/ Rebecca is up next.I like the fabric in the third photo a lot, also the brown print.
Dear Laura, you are welcome.
Here is something for you. Have you heard of the Warther Museum in Dover, Ohio? I had not either until my Google search. In any case the museum has a button display of the collection of the Museum founder’s wife.
Here is a link:
https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10049
There were several button museums in the country. I don’t know how many are still around. I did not know that this was a “thing” but it is.
Hi Dorothy,
No I have not seen or heard of that museum. We’ve been to Millersburg (Amish country)years ago which is on the way to Dover. Still Dover is a perfectly doable drive. We taken many day trips over the years to various Ohio historical sites.
I have an entire jar of my grandmother’s pearl shell buttons as well as others and they so pretty. I know she always cut the buttons off of worn clothing to save.
I just looked and like most things there is a you tube video of the museum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8PGsfxd-5Q&ab_channel=SylviaDurell
Dear Laura, hello, well there’s more.
The National Pearl Button Museum is in Iowa! Here is a link to the website:
https://muscatinehistory.org/
There is the Button King Museum in Bishopville, SC. I am not sure if it is still open though.
And, of course, there is the British Button Society! Here’s the link:
https://www.britishbuttonsociety.com/
This is a membership organization! It publishes a journal called button lines. They offer assistance for folks wanting to identify their buttons.
Wow, this is amazing and interesting. Jeanne certainly sparked my researcher’s passion.
I belong to a few doll clubs and I love to see how people who collect other things share their knowledge. I never thought that buttons would be so fascinating but I have enjoyed reading about them.
Very enjoyable video! Thanks for sharing!
Dorothy, what a fascinating place to visit. I would have loved to see it but would need to win the lottery to do that lol.
The buttons are lovely Jeanne. I rather like the chartreuse ones, especially on the blue fabric.
To me they have a look of Art Deco which would make them 30’s vintage.
Sally, enjoy your trip. My friend here went on a similar cruise a few years ago and loved it. Another friend went in 2019 but the weather was so bad they couldn’t finish it. Had to do the rest of the tour by bus! This was in 2019 when I was in UK where we had the worst summer anyone could remember. It was sometimes colder in England than in NZ where it was winter! I really hope the rain goes away for you.
We have had a warm (and dry) Autumn so far but last night we had quite a storm. I think it rained all night. We really have to find some alternative accommodation soon for Jono, the caravan isn’t going to be suitable for the bad weather and we won’t have the sleepouts till July (which is equivalent to January for you).
Take care everyone
Dear Anne, yes, win the lottery and come here for a visit. We will have a dolly parade and feast. The cooks will bake pies, the sewers will make beautiful dresses, the crafters will create lovely welcome signs. And those of us who can’t do any of those things will cheer!
Count me in to help out! 🙂
Dorothy, you’re not getting off Scot free. I’m sure you make wonderful tea and we will need a lot of that because it sounds like we will be working up quite a thirst doing all that you have planned for us.